Gage County

By Don Schuller 8/7/23 Committee meeting:Planning and Zoning administrator Lisa Wiegand reported Norris Public Power is moving forward with their two solar projects in the county. They will be filing for special use permits.Wiegand informed the board Summit Pork surveyors completed the survey to locate the four corners of the proposed confinement building for the Island Grove township swine operation. The county surveyor will determine the distances to nearby residences.Highway Superintendent Mark Kuhnke informed the board tree letters were sent to three landowners. One involved a county road and the other two were township roads. Trees at these locations were causing safety issues. One on the county road has been taken care of by the landowner. The letter gives the landowner 14 days to correct the situation or provide a plan. A phone call to Kuhnke indicating intentions to correct the situation will suffice as a plan. If there is no response with a plan, or no tree removal, another letter will be sent indicating they have 10 days to remove the trees or the county will do it and assess the cost to the landowner’s property taxes. Kuhnke will be sending out more letters. This safety issue is a liability to the landowner, the township and the county.Road side mowing is treated the same as trees. Tall grass and weeds along the shoulder of the road side is a safety issue. They are to be mowed once before July 15th and a second time in August, at a minimum.Kuhnke said he plans to gravel South 80th road, south of highway 8, in two or three weeks, once graveling Elm road is finished.Kuhnke is hoping to get milling of 94th blacktop, highway 136 to east side of Rockford Lake, completed this year.I asked Kuhnke when he planned to shoulder East Plum Road between Wymore and Liberty. He said after harvest and before ground freezes this fall.8/9/23 Regular meeting:Building and Grounds manager David Jones told the board a bid for sealing and repairing mortar on the courthouse clock tower is $213,000 plus. We are coming to the end of the maintenance project on the court house exterior. This is the final portion and most expensive portion. More discussion will follow in future meetings.Planning and Zoning Administrator Lisa Wiegand informed the board the Summit Pork/ Otto P & Z public hearing for a special use permit for the swine operation in Island Grove township is 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 29, supervisor’s meeting room. The application is presently at the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) undergoing their review process for permitting. P & Z will forward their recommendation to the county board. There will be another public hearing with the board two to three weeks following Aug. 29 meeting.Wiegand said the county surveyor confirmed the confinement facility exceeds the half mile setback required by the state.Air admissions permit was issued by NDEE for the Hanover township Summit Pork/Otto swine operation. Wiegand approved it based on the condition set by the zoning regulation. She will be doing weekly updates of the progress.Road and Bridge chairman Supervisor Terry Jurgens informed the board Kuhnke reported we will start to see gravel on the county roads that have been receiving rock.This highlights the parts of the county meetings I feel are most relevant to my constituents. Use the link below to view the actual minutes and hear audio of the board meeting, when posted. https://gagecountynebraska.us/board_meetings/enhanced_minutes.aspx

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