THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024 • VOLUME N0. 129 • ISSUE NO. 32 • 1 SECTION • 8 PAGES
Serving Colfax • Mingo • Baxter • Western Jasper County
Enjoying a ‘Rustic Prom’ Colfax-Mingo students celebrate prom April 20 with a rustic theme
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune
Supervisors approve $20K donation for new building at county fairgrounds Jasper County Fair Board says structure would ideally hold 200 to 300 people By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune The Jasper County Fair Board got a hefty donation this week from the board of supervisors and it will go toward the construction of a new building that officials say would take some pressure off the pavilion, which is the main area to show livestock but has also become a catch-all for several other events at the fair. Ed Machin and Doug Woebbeking, of the Jasper County Fair Board, asked for a financial contribution during the April 16 board of supervisors meeting. However, they did not ask for a specific dollar amount, saying they did not wish to offend the supervisors and that they would gladly take any donation willing to be given. “Really there are probably three seasons with any of our buildings out there that have major uses. Of course, we’ll use it (the new building) at the fair. That’s why we’re doing this building,” Woebbeking said, noting it would be equipped with a stage for entertainment and educational uses.
Events like the Quilts of Valor presentation would likely take place at the new building. Woebbeking said the fair just does not have a facility to house 200 to 300 people. The pavilion has been the “band-aid” approach to large events, but the new building would better meet the needs of high volume activities. It could even hold dances or bands on Friday or Saturday nights of the Jasper County Fair. Throughout the winter months the building would be used for storage. Jasper County Fair Board envisions it a multi-use, open side building. From April until September every year it could be used as a community building. “It’ll basically be a giant tent, a permanent tent,” Machin said. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jasper County Fair Board would rent a tent for specific events. But the rentals “got so ridiculously high” that board members felt it best to let it go. The building would be a permanent fix to the problem. The overall costs of the new building would cost about $138,000.
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Supervisors rezone 16.72-acre parcel east of Baxter to agricultural County says neighbors’ concerns at initial p&z meeting did not pertain to rezoning road never got built. So it was kind of a floundering subdivision. Mr. Allen Land that was origi- bought the property and nally planned to become had (an auditor’s office a Jasper County subdi- employee) consolidate the vision with a number parcel to remove the subof homes built on it has divided lines and make it since been consolidated into one parcel.” into a single parcel, and Currently, the parcel now, following board ac- is zoned rural residention last week, it has been tial but Allen wants to rezoned from rural resi- rezone it to agricultural. dential to agricultural to Allen said he purchased better accommodate the the property some years owner’s farming pros- ago, but he did not realpects. ize “somebody had been The 16.72-acre parcel is in there and scalped the owned by Matthew Allen property down” and reof Kellogg, and it is lo- moved a lot of the soil. cated east of Baxter and His dream is to build a north of Newton. The lot home and shop on the has an unusual, 10-sided land. shape to it. Kevin LuetAllen wants a more ters, director of commu- private residence but he nity development, said also wants to farm the the lot used to be subdi- land. While it is not a Shaw Medialarge lot, he vided and there were possubstantially sibly going to be houses does want to grow corn built there. and hay, and he wants “Nothing ever really to raise one calf and one happened,” Luetters said hog every year or yearto the board of supervi- and-a-half. Since it is so sors on April 16. “The few livestock, he argued it By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune
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would not cause too bad a smell for his neighbors. “I don’t think we’re asking much at all for getting this rezoned,” Allen said. “…From what I hear from Kevin, I cannot go in there and put corn in, I cannot put hay in, I cannot have a pig, a cow or whatever for butcher. I’m limited. This is one of the main reasons why I’m wanting to do this.” Luetters said for Allen to have a lot of animals on his property he would need a conditional use permit. Supervisor Brandon Talsma said that just because it is zoned rural residential does not stop Allen from seeding it into a hay field or pasture, suggesting the rezone may not be needed. “I’m just not seeing the benefit between residential to agriculture in this situation. Just because it’s zoned residential doesn’t mean it can’t — I mean I REZONING | 3
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