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Barry County commissioners approve TNR grant, dam repairs and parks chipper cost-share
Summary
At the Sept. 2, 2025 Committee of the Whole meeting, the Barry County Board of Commissioners recommended accepting a $10,000 TNR grant, authorized up to $6,000 in Podunk Lake dam repairs and approved a $17,636 parks chipper cost-share (7–1). Commissioners also heard a conservation-district report and public comments on county services.
The Barry County Board of Commissioners, meeting as the Committee of the Whole on Sept. 2, 2025, recommended several administrative and capital actions and heard reports from the Barry Conservation District and public commenters.
The board voted to recommend acceptance of a $10,000 Trap-Neuter-Return grant from Two Seven Oh Inc. to support the county animal-shelter TNR program (moved by Commissioner Marsha Bassett; supported by Commissioner Jon Smelker). The motion carried unanimously.
The board also recommended up to $6,000 for repairs to the Podunk Lake dam structure following a request from Drain Commissioner Jim Dull (motion by Commissioner Bob Teunessen; supported by Commissioner Jon Smelker). That motion carried unanimously.
On a separate capital request, commissioners recommended a 50% cost-share—up to $17,636 from the Capital Replacement fund—to purchase a chipper/shredder for parks use. The motion (moved by Commissioner Catherine Getty; supported by Commissioner Jon Smelker) passed 7–1, with Commissioner Smelker recorded as the sole dissenting vote.
Administrators also discussed the proposed 2026 county budget; the minutes record discussion by County Administrator Eric Zuzga but no specific budget line-item actions were taken at this meeting.
Danielle Zoellner, executive director of the Barry Conservation District, and Board Chair David Comeau delivered the district's annual review and thanked the county for support. The minutes list the district's "Faces of Conservation and Annual meeting"—named in the minutes as the 2025 event—as scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at the Walldorff in Hastings (the minutes combine the event name and the 2026 date).
During public comment, Anthony Denney responded to earlier remarks about the county clerk's office hours and emphasized the importance of accurate and timely work. Dar Leaf commented on hiring, application and training practices at the Sheriff's Department and thanked the county clerk's office for work on Concealed Pistol Licenses. Rick Moore objected to the idea of charging new property owners on Podunk Lake for previous dam expenses and urged the county to allocate funds to maintain the dam; he also voiced support for purchasing a shared wood chipper for Charlton Park and Parks and Recreation.
Commissioners used the final portion of the meeting to deliver brief updates: Commissioner Bassett described upcoming meetings and a tour of the courts building; Commissioner Getty noted health-department interviews and said Rebekah Condon had been selected as the new Health Officer; Commissioner Teunessen reported progress on the new Commission on Aging building; Commissioner Campbell relayed constituent complaints about departments closing at lunch; Vice Chair David Hatfield raised concerns about staffing, security and audit implications tied to earlier criticisms of department operations; and Chair David Jackson commented on balancing security and budget constraints. The meeting adjourned at 10:08 a.m., with the minutes later marked "Approved: 9.14.25."
