Commissioners Have Busy Meeting

MADISON - The Madison County Commissioners had a busy meeting today discussing budget items, zoning requests and a new home for the District Two Probation Office. County Clerk Nancy Scheer says preliminary budget numbers were discussed, and the budget committee will now work to cut about $700,000 from the budget to meet state lid compliance statutes. Scheer says all departments were asked to submit budgets with increases of 2 percent or less, and some found that difficult because of the increase in fuel costs. She says the cost of fuel is a large part of budgets for Road-Bridge and the Sheriff. Scheer also says two firms submitted four proposals for the Probation Office. Commissioners will meet in special session Tuesday, August 26th at 9 a.m. to meet with those companies and review the bids with them. They will also continue their budget discussions at that time, setting the levy allocation request and deciding if they need a one percent increase in levies allowed by the state. In zoning issues, the board unanimously approved a conditional use permit for Henn House Dairy to renew and expand their dairy operation. And a resolution was passed to proceed with construction of an access road to property owned by Oran Rinkel. Scheer says this will not be a public access road, but will allow Rinkel to get to his property. The County Road Superintendent was directed to determine the best path for the road and begin negotiations with property owners.