Letter to the Editor: Conservation board supporters want answers

Many of you are aware the Dana King Ceretti Environmental Education Center (Nature Center) is nearing completion. It is anticipated completion will be later this fall.

The Jasper County Conservation Board has been raising money for many years for this project and no taxpayer dollars have gone into building it. While this facility has been widely supported and financially supported by many many Jasper County residents it has not been supported by all members of the board of supervisors. This was further exemplified at the board of supervisors (BOS) meeting Sept. 2.

Robyn Friedman’s term serving on the conservation board ended Dec. 31, 2024. In December 2024, prior to her term ending, Robyn filed an application with the BOS for appointment to the conservation board. At a conservation board meeting in August 2025, Thad Nearmyer and Doug Cupples confirmed her application was received and that no other applications had been received. Supervisor Talsma has refused to fill this term even though the Iowa Code states there will be five members on the conservation board. Further Talsma has not asked for people to apply and has not advanced the names of any persons he might like to see on the board. Robyn’s reappointment was brought to the public’s attention through social media and pressure ensued for the board to reappoint Robyn to the board. This was placed on the agenda for the BOS’s Sept. 2 meeting. At that meeting Talsma made a motion that supervisor Thad Nearmyer be appointed to the conservation board. Doug Cupples voted in favor, even though he related to me that he would like to have Robyn reappointed to the board. Nearmyer abstained. When a community member stated they believed this was a conflict of interest, Nearmyer quickly said it was not and referred to a document he had which said supervisors could sit on county boards. Following the meeting I asked Nearmyer if he had filled out an application. He said he did not.

The same community member proceeded to ask the BOS about the issue of requiring the conservation board to sign a 28E agreement which would require the conservation board to do all the maintenance and upkeep on the education center. Talsma reiterated no taxpayer dollars would be spent on this building. When questioned if other departments were going to be asked to maintain their spaces Talsma replied no; that no other department had built their own building without taxpayer approval or BOS approval.

When I talked with Nearmyer about his appointment to the conservation board and I brought up the 28E agreement he told me that I was incorrect; that I did not know what it said because I hadn’t seen it; that no one outside the courthouse had seen it. The conservation board has not seen it even though conservation had been assured the BOS would meet with the conservation board to discuss.

The third issue involving the BOS and the conservation board is the replacement of a fulltime naturalist, which Talsma opposes. That salary is already in the conservation department’s current budget. The BOS cannot deny the conservation department hiring a replacement. However, the BOS can cut the conservation department’s budget in 2027, which Talsma has threatened to do.

The big question is why does Brandon Talsma vehemently oppose the education center? A building valued at approximately three million dollars which the county has ownership of? A conservation program that provides education and programs to school children, nursing homes, service clubs to name a few. This new facility will make it possible to expand those programs. Jasper County has a conservation program that should be valued.

If you support Jasper County Conservation Department, please contact the board of supervisors to show your support for conservation and your displeasure at the above actions. Brandon Talsma, btalsma@jasperia.org; Doug Cupples, dcupples@jasperia.org; Thad Nearmyer, tnearmyer@jasperia.org.

Fran Henderson

Newtondepartment’s