Topping the short agenda during Monday’s meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners was a report on the efforts to eradicate musk thistle in the county.

Theresa Shute, director of the county noxious weed office, landfill and recycling program, said she sent 75 letters to landowners this year informing them about musk thistle on their property.

Shute said that is the most letters she has ever sent.

She also sent out four registered letters to landowners. Of these, only one landowner did not respond back.

Shute said she plans to discuss the matter with both the landowner and Paul J. Kasper, county attorney.

If Kasper approves, Shute can spray the musk thistle on the landowner’s property and the cost of the spraying will be added to the landowner’s property taxes.

The landowner can also spray the musk thistle themselves in the fall, in which case no further action would need to be taken by the county.

In other business:

• Shute said she is getting a new window blind for her office. The bind costs $173.91 and will be purchased from Wenz Interiors in Holyrood.

• Shute said she plans to get an estimate on replacing her front metal door at the noxious weed office. The casing of the door is beginning to rot out.

• Commissioners spent the remainder of their time working on the 2020 county budget.

The next meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners will be at 9 a.m. Monday, July 22, at the county courthouse.