February hearing set to discuss future of defunct Mitchell Township

Acting on a request from several residents of the former Mitchell Township, the Davison County Commission on Tuesday scheduled a public hearing to discuss the possible re-establishment of the defunct Mitchell Township.

A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Davison County Fairgrounds.

Residents Mark Schilling, Mel Pooley and Mike Hoffman lent their support to the request.

“We just want to get the information out, and this gets the ball rolling,” said Schilling.

If there is sufficient support at the February hearing, the matter of re-establishing the township could be put to a public vote, he said. Mitchell Township ran into financial difficulties and was dissolved in 2002. Back then, only 18 people voted in the election that led to dissolving the township, Schilling noted Tuesday.

Commissioner Jerry Fischer said, “There was a lot of information and encouragement not to dissolve the township at that time. Where were these people before?”

Schilling believes that greater support now exists. Proponents say a new township will re-establish local control.

“We feel like orphans,” said Pooley, adding that some roads are not adequately maintained.

Hoffman, a former city resident, said he wants to be certain his area has adequate fire protection.

The Mitchell Rural Fire Association has threatened to cut off protection to the former township because it claims the county isn’t paying its fair share of a new fire truck.

“I already pay levies for road maintenance and fire protection,” Hoffman said, “and I don’t want to pay more for fire protection. There needs to be more local control for these issues.”

In other action Tuesday, the commissioners learned that support of education can sometimes reap tangible benefits. Mitchell Technical Institute President Greg Von Wald introduced agriculture technology instructor Larry Hostler and students Michelle Kats, of Hudson; Jay Meyers, of Winner; and Nic Dickson, of Cavour.

Hostler and his students presented the county with checks totaling $7,272 as the county’s 25 percent share of corn and soybean crops grown by the students on 80 acres of county land.

Hostler said the proceeds represent about 68 acres of land. Crops on the remaining acreage were “drowned out” by excessive rains, he said. Students planted the fields using donated seed and developed computerized harvest and business reports.

Von Wald, who took a turn steering a combine during the harvest, said, “You can’t get this kind of knowledge sitting in the classroom.”

Von Wald used the opportunity to make a pitch for about 160 acres of county land northwest of Mitchell near the county gravel pit that could be used for a new livestock program. He asked the commissioners to consider MTI when the time comes to renew leases on the county owned land.

Also Tuesday, commissioners:

• Heard a quarterly report from Community Health Nurse Shannon Tobin, who said her office gave 616 seasonal flu vaccinations and 478 H1N1 vaccinations through Dec. 31.

Nurses also assisted at a Nov. 16 flu POD at the Corn Palace, which distributed 1,193 doses of H1N1 vaccine. A Dec. 16 POD gave 1,100 H1N1 and 525 seasonal flu vaccinations.

H1N1 vaccinations will be available to the general public from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jan. 30 Health Fair at Mitchell Christian School, 805 W. 18th Ave.

• Were told by Maintenance Superintendent Mark Ruml that the large overhead door at the fairgrounds was damaged by an unknown party over the past weekend. The door is barely operational and will likely require expensive repairs. He said a report was filed with the sheriff’s office and the matter will be reported to county insurance carriers.

• Approved a raffle permit for 4-H shooting sports.

Tags: mitchell township, news, local