A $10,000 fee charged for a frac-sand mining permit in Buffalo County was excessive and the process in place for acting on permit applications needed to be streamlined.
    
Those were a couple of messages delivered to an estimated 40 people at a recent Buffalo County zoning meeting in the courthouse at Alma.

Jake Sedivy, a zoning technician who ended his employment with Buffalo County Monday, commented on mining fees and permit procedures at a zoning session before leaving.

Sedivy and zoning technician Peter Stoltman offered presentations on frac-sand zoning and general details about the county's comprehensive zoning ordinance that covers 17 rural towns in Buffalo County.

Sedivy had brought up concerns before about the high fee for a frac-sand conditional use permit in Buffalo County. He said it was substantially higher than fees charged in other counties.

Fourteen people at the meeting representing pros and cons of mining issues and practices offered the zoning panel support for efforts in addressing frac-sand as well as companies involved in operating quarries for crushed stone and gravel.