TOLEDO — During the body’s October meeting, Tama County Conservation Board chair John Keenan provided an update on the hiring of a new conservation director following former director Stephen Mayne’s resignation in August.

Keenan said the county had received six applications for the position. Interviews were tentatively scheduled to take place on Monday, Oct. 9 at the Administration Building in Toledo.

In a change from past conservation director searches, Keenan said that Tama County HR Administrator Tammy Wise suggested a team composed of herself, the board’s chair, and Tama County Auditor Laura Kopsa conduct the interviews instead.

“We’ve never done it that way before but I think it’s a good suggestion to get a different viewpoint,” Keenan said.

Following discussion, the board agreed to conduct the interviews as Wise suggested but added a fourth board member to the interview team, Jim Allen.

Later in the meeting, as part of the floor discussion, the topic of Mayne’s resignation and the subsequent investigation into Tama County Conservation’s finances by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa Auditor of State’s office was brought up.

Keenan told the board that $3,000 worth of Menards merchandise purchased by Mayne had been returned by conservation staff thus far. A pistol Mayne had purchased had also been sold for $400. Keenan indicated there was one more Menards return left to make, and then the board would need to “determine what to do with the rest.”

Keenan also said staff from the State Auditor’s office visited the nature center in late September and spent more than six hours speaking with Horne and Park Officer Riley Conrad.

“Now it’s time to let the police and auditors … deal with it,” Keenan said. “It’s not our job … they will keep us [updated].”

Keenan further said that it could be another two to three months before the board learns anything involving the investigation and what charges – if any – could be brought against Mayne.