It took more than three hours to discuss a controversial conditional use permit request Tuesday at the Mower County Board of Commissioners meeting.

Five other CUP requests required far less time.

Veit Demolition Debris Facility-Austin LLC will have to wait until next Tuesday to learn if its request to renew a CUP and expand its demolition landfill operations in Lansing Township win the county board's approval.

Approved without opposition Tuesday were CUPs for John Sheedy for an additional dwelling in a wooded area, Garwin McNeilus for wind towers on two Adams Township farms, Raymond and Jane Quandt for an additional dwelling in a wooded area and Carol Kline to move a mobile home.

Due to the lengthy debate over the Veit request, Tuesday's county board meeting started at 1 p.m., but didn't end until 5:40 p.m.

For the McNeilus wind tower requests, the petitions were the first of their kind in Mower County. Land owners in Clayton Township have signed agreements with rival wind energy developers, who are still studying the availability of wind energy with anemometers on the farm land.

Meanwhile, McNeilus plans to construct the first wind towers and begin generating electrical energy on the John and Lynn Sathre farms in Adams Township this summer.

In other action Tuesday, the county commissioners:

n Approved the final plat for Golf View Acres residential development along Highway 56 west of Adams for Mary Schmitz.

n Heard an update on a technology grant application from Tom Neilon, director of Mower County Correctional Services. The board also decided not to contract for services with Dodge, Fillmore and Olmsted counties for a driver's training program.

n Heard from a Mower County Extension Service delegation, including Carmen Thompson, Sharon Davis and Tony Mudra, as well as three 4-Hers, concerning 4-H programs and services.

n Approved two drainage permits for Dick Carroll, owner, and Mary Kenyon, petitioner, and Joel Nelson.

n Heard Michal Hanson, county engineer, discuss proposed sewer and water improvements to Bellman's Addition and along 10th Drive SE.

n Approved annual snowmobile trail grooming grant application with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

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Approved miscellaneous bills, including $16,302 for Cedar Valley Services, Inc., $4,775 for KKE Architects, Inc.; $9,200 to Mower County Highway Department; $237,071 to Wagner Construction Company, Inc. (for fairgrounds building construction); Southeast Libraries Cooperating, $4,620; and Development Corporation of Austin, $404,920 (for loan to help fund construction of new McNeilus Companies of Dodge Center facility at Dexter.)

Lee Bonorden can be reached at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com