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Black Hills Energy proposes donated Little Free Pantry for county building
Summary
A Black Hills Energy representative asked supervisors’ permission to site a donated 24/7 Little Free Pantry at a county building in Maquoketa, offering to donate, install and maintain the pantry and to coordinate initial stocking with local nonprofits; supervisors asked about visibility and safety.
Marissa Gao of Black Hills Energy told the Jackson County Board of Supervisors that the company is piloting eight donated Little Free Pantries across the state and proposed placing one near the county‑owned Haycap building in Maquoketa.
Gao said the pantries are donated and maintained by Black Hills Energy, and that the company will help with initial stocking and ribbon‑cuttings with partner organizations. “We are doing 8 of these across the state, and we thought it would be a great partnership,” she said, adding the company is responsible for maintenance if doors or posts need repair and that it has partnered with local nonprofits and libraries in other communities.
Supervisors and others raised questions about the Haycap location’s visibility and safety, with Chair Don Smicker noting the site can be “a dark, somewhat deserted area” at night and asking whether a more central, well‑traveled location might be better. Gao said project staff had relied on local partner recommendations — the Maquoketa Community Cupboard flagged the Haycap location as a food‑desert area — and that the company is open to alternative sites if the board prefers.
The board did not take a formal vote at the meeting; supervisors said county staff would follow up with Gao and local partners to confirm a site and handle any county approvals required to place the donated pantry on county property.
