Steele County hires court recorder; courthouse water, handrails and severe fly problem flagged for repair

Steele County commissioners welcomed Jessica Jordan as the new court recorder and set her on a six-month probationary period. Board members said Jordan brings prior local office experience and will be set up with email and training for both county platforms; S5 noted Jordan will start at an hourly wage "about $2,500–$2,800 less than what the budget was for" and that salary will be re-evaluated after her probationary review.

The board also reviewed several facility maintenance issues raised by Anna (S11). Anna reported water in the courthouse basement after heavy rain and told commissioners she was concerned about delaying repairs. She said the problem was observed in the coal/boiler room area and warned that continued water intrusion could create greater liability. Commissioners agreed to have an architect inspect the building and give guidance on repairs appropriate for the building’s historic materials.

Anna additionally described a persistent fly infestation concentrated on the third floor. She said she regularly cleans but the flies return and estimated the problem involved thousands of dead flies; the board discussed calling professional pest control (Midwest/Advantage Pest and Scott Parson were referenced) to identify the source and address it rather than relying solely on surface spraying.

Next steps: county staff will arrange an architect visit to assess handrails and historic-material repairs and will contact a pest-control vendor to inspect and recommend treatment for the fly problem. The county will follow up on basement water-source diagnostics to prevent recurring intrusion.