DAKOTA CITY — The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved the hiring of an animal control officer on Monday.

Board Chairman Rick Pedersen said the board received only one applicant for the position: Merri Hansen, who lives near Hardy.

Sheriff Dean Kruger said Hansen has worked with Stylin’ Pooch and Dog Boarding at Gilmore City which also operates a dog rescue. She also works for 4-Paws Inn, a pet resort near Hardy.

“She is good with pets” Kruger said. “I think she will be a good fit for us.”

Hansen will be paid $30 per dog or cat picked up plus mileage at 50 cents a mile. The animals will be taken to the Humane Society or a local veterinarian if necessary.

She will not be a county employee, but will be hired on contract. According to the job description, she will be expected to provide her own equipment.

In January, Kruger asked the board to consider hiring an animal control officer. Animal control was taking away from his other duties, he told the board.

The county had been without such a person for about three years.

The board recently increased the fine for an animal at large from $25 to $30 and added cats to the ordinance.

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County Engineer Paul Jacobson recommended load restrictions be revised on 10 bridges. Three of the bridges he recommended be posted for one-lane traffic only. For another seven he recommended a change in weight limits. Those bridges could have different load limits for the type of vehicle, but to avoid confusion he recommended they all be posted for 20 tons. They had been posted for 48 tons.

“That would be a gross posting for anything, any vehicle crossing that bridge,” he said.

All vehicles includes farm implements, he said.

The number of posted bridges in the county is 30. Those bridges are scattered throughout the county and only one is on a paved route.

“I like the idea of just keeping it simple and post it 20-ton for all vehicles,” Pedersen said.

“You are going to have complaints and we have some areas that are going to be restricted,” Jacobson said.

Supervisor Bruce Reimers said the posting should be done far enough before the bridge to give people time to choose an alternate route.

“Most of these have four signs for each posting, the last intersecting road prior to it and then right at the bridge on both sides” Jacobson said.

“The reason we are posting this is to ensure that we have a safe structure for the traveling public,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson said the clock is ticking on all the late 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s free-standing wooden structures.

“They have already exceeded their life expectancy,” Pedersen said.

In addition, the loads have become heavier and more frequent, Jacobson said.

The board approved the changes in posting.