By ROBERT WOLF

editor@messengernews.net

DAKOTA CITY — The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors have asked County Attorney Jon Beaty to invite a pair of state legislators to meet with the board about the state’s master matrix.

The supervisors want to discuss the master matrix with state Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink, R-Fort Dodge, and state Rep. Mike Sexton, R-Rockwell City.

The master matrix is used to approve or reject permits for large confined animal feeding operations.

“It is pretty clear, counties do not get to make any rules, any ordinances addressing confinement operations,” Beaty told the Supervisors at the board’s meeting Monday.

Board Chairman Rick Pedersen said the county is supposed to oversee permits for the operations, but apparently has no say in the process.

Beaty was critical of Iowa Select Farms, which is a main player in applying for the operations.

“They don’t care what our concerns are,” he said. “They don’t care what we are asking them to do. They are not going to do it.

“They are not going to do anything more than they have to,” Beaty added. “They made that pretty clear in Des Moines.”

In June, the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission turned down Humboldt County’s appeal of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources approval of a permit application for a confinement expansion two miles northeast of Bradgate.

“The people of Humboldt County expect us to do the job we are supposed to do, making sure that those few things that we can oversee are done, and if we don’t then we are negligent,” Supervisor Bruce Reimers said.

Reimers wants the legislators to give the board their view as to what is proper procedure when the county has an issue or if there is a complaint. He reasoned that it doesn’t make economical sense for the county to pay three people to drive to Des Moines using a county vehicle only to discover a decision has already been made.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said.