Iowa county wants wheel meeting with Mennonites

OSAGE, Iowa (AP) — Mitchell County wants to meet with Mennonite leaders in hopes of reaching a compromise on the use of steel wheels on the county’s paved roads.

The county has been at odds with the Mennonites since 2009 when it banned the wheels, saying they damage the roads. Mennonites say the ban infringes on religious rights.

The Globe Gazette in Mason City reports County Attorney Mark Walk suggested the meeting to county supervisors on Tuesday. Dan Zimmerman, a member of Mitchell County’s Mennonites, says he’ll bring information about the county’s request back to the board on Nov. 8.

The Iowa Supreme Court is considering the case of a Mennonite teenager who was cited for driving a steel-wheel tractor on a Mitchel County road.