Former Ho-Chunk Nation Police Chief Dan Libke has pleaded guilty to obstructing an officer in a deal that replaces a criminal charge with a citation.

Libke, the Nation’s first police chief, and the state finalized the agreement last week, about two weeks before the case was set to go before a jury.

The 41-year-old Black River Falls resident faced a misdemeanor charge of obstructing an officer after he was arrested last year when he lied about harboring his wanted ex-girlfriend. The agreement dismisses the charge in exchange for a guilty plea of violating Black River Falls’ ordinance of resisting or obstructing an officer.

Libke will pay a $200 forfeiture in addition to other court costs, which is less than the maximum $10,000 and nine-month jail sentence he was facing with the criminal charge.

Clark County District Attorney Lyndsey Brunette, a special prosecutor for the case, said the plea agreement was in the works before she was elected to office last fall, but she said she feels the deal is amicable for both sides.

Jackson County is moving ahead with changes to its rezoning application process that were prompted by a frac sand company.

The county’s zoning committee last week held a public hearing and approved changes to zoning policies that place restrictions on zoning application procedures.

The changes, which will appear before the county board for approval next month, include mandating applicants wait at least six months if they plan to resubmit an unchanged rezoning application after its been through the entire process and denied.

The zoning committee also voted in favor of moving ahead with a second change that would require applicants wait six months to apply again if an application is withdrawn mid-process.

I’m ready for this to be approved and done,” said Jackson County Zoning Administrator Terry Schmidt.

The proposed changes were prompted by Coulee Frac Sand LLC’s elongated — and at one point renewed — attempt to rezone land to allow for a dig-and-haul mining operation in the town of Franklin.

The company’s request ultimately was denied by the county board last December after fourth months of debate, seven votes and two $200 rezoning applications submitted by the company.

The company’s proposal was shuffled between the town board, zoning committee and county board several times, including coming before coming before all three entities twice last December because of its decision to pull its application and resubmit it on the eve of last November’s county board meeting.

That process prompted Schmidt to propose changes to the rezoning policy.

Memorial Day is fast approaching, and residents will have a chance to mark the holiday with a host of services and events around Jackson County and the area.

Memorial Day is Monday, May 27.

Services in BRF will be held at Riverside Cemetery Monday at 10 a. m.