2026-06-16 Board of Supervisors Meeting

The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors held a meeting on June 16, 2026, where they approved various budget appropriations and fund transfers for fiscal year 2027, including significant allocations for payroll benefits, road maintenance, debt service related to gravel road projects, and capital improvement projects. Notably, the board approved capital improvement requests for ADA accessibility upgrades at the Trust for Hoyt entrance, a new body scanner for the county jail, and multi-functional printers and PCs for county offices. A major portion of the meeting focused on the permitting procedures and community concerns regarding a proposed 900-acre industrial data center near Salix, Iowa. The board discussed the limitations of their jurisdiction within city limits and expressed support for initiating a moratorium on data center permits in unincorporated areas to allow for public input and ordinance review, similar to previous solar energy ordinance processes. Public comments highlighted concerns about environmental impacts, water and energy usage, road maintenance, and lack of community notification regarding the annexation of land for the data center. The board agreed to investigate the annexation process and directed staff to draft moratorium language and begin zoning ordinance review for data centers. Additionally, the board addressed the need for clear posting locations for meeting agendas and discussed the challenges of road maintenance responsibilities following annexations. The meeting concluded with citizen concerns and board member remarks emphasizing transparency and careful planning for future industrial developments.