LE MARS — Eleven longtime Plymouth County employees were honored for their work during the Tuesday, May 23, meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

They received plaques, a round of applause and posed for photos. Chairman Don Kass handed out the plaques and thanked the employees for their service.

“We do appreciate the work you do,” Kass said.

He said some counties have difficulties that he hears about in discussions with other elected officials, which makes the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors realize they are “pretty lucky” to have an experienced and dedicated team.

“And that’s because of the quality of people we have working for us here,” Kass said.

Honored were:

County Engineer Tom Rohe for 40 years service.

Recorder Jolynn Goodchild and secondary road foreman Kurt Haage for 25 years. Goodchild said she actually has worked for the county for 26 years.

Conservation resource manager Nick McKee, correctional officer Jill Holzman and Auditor Stacey Feldman for 20 years.

Deputy assessor Erica Pepper, communications center operator Brenda Arens, secondary roads maintainer operator Mark Oltmanns, correctional officer Dawn Fifita and secondary roads foreman Kevin Ernst for 15 years service.

In other agenda items:

• The supervisors approved a permit for Premier Communications to extend fiber-optic  cable to two homes that were missed in 2022. One is located in Section 31 of Union Township and Section One of Lincoln Township.

Rohe also provided an update on bridge, culvert and paving projects. Plymouth County is heavily lined with more than 1,000 miles of roads, so every spring, summer and fall is filled with roadwork.

• The meeting had a very light agenda and the county officials were in a light-hearted mood. They talked, cracked jokes and asked trivia questions of each other, reporters and county staffers.

• Supervisor Craig Anderson, who is always quick with a quip, missed out on the fun. Anderson was absent.