The Rock County Board forwarded a liability claim to its insurance company Tuesday for crop damage resulting from county weed spraying.
Howard Van Wyhe, Beaver Creek, requested reimbursement of $645 for crop damage (150 bushels of soybeans at $4.30 a bushel).
The damage was actually caused by cattle that ate hay from a ditch that had been sprayed. When the cattle digested the hay, their waste products transferred the chemical to the ground where the beans were later planted.
The highway department had advertised, countywide, in the newspaper, shopper and on radio that hay on Rock County roadways shouldnÕt be harvested for 30 days after spraying.
The county will continue to advertise spraying schedules and haying recommendations next year to prevent similar problems.
1999 audit
The Board also heard a favorable audit report from Roger Albertson, state auditor for the region.
Last year the county reserves lost more than would have been ideal but still has 10 months of operating costs in the general fund reserves. On the other end, welfare has less than a month in reserves.
Albertson found no gaping problems in the figures presented by the county and said overall, Rock County looks better than most counties in the region.
"You're not in financial stress. There are some ups and downs, but that's common," Albertson said.