Gage County Newsletter

By Don Schuller 10/11 Committee MeetingEmergency Management Director and Planning and Zoning (P & Z) Administrator Lisa Wiegand gave us a report on the wildfires that occurred Sept. 5-10. There were five events on Saturday, the 7th. She said Southeast Communications did an excellent job during the flurry of fire outbreaks. All volunteers were heroes during these fire events. In reference to P & Z, Wiegand said county board public hearings for Today’s Power and Norris Public Power Solar Conversion System and the Beatrice Well Head Protection expansion will be Oct. 30th. The public hearings for the Nextlink Telecommunications tower in Island Grove Township, near Liberty and the Industrial Tower West telecommunications tower in Filley Township will be Nov13th. Both will occur during the regular meeting of the county board. I suggested to Wiegand and the board that we look into a method of mass texting for notifying the public of emergencies. During the recent wildfire outbreak, myself and many others received a text from Farmers Cooperative asking for assistance from farmers with tractors and disks in the Odell area to help control a fire. I appreciate the COOP doing this. Firefighters have told me these fires could not have been controlled and extinguished without the disks. I believe it would benefit the people of the county in many ways to have our own mass texting capability. Not only in wildfire emergencies, but for road closure notices, weather emergency notices, meeting cancellations or schedule changes, to name a few.There were members from the public who asked to speak:Jamie Pospisil, from northern Gage County, explained her interest in being on the Planning and Zoning Commission and her qualifications. She has applied for the current position opening. The county is taking applications for P & Z positions as the terms expire offering an opportunity for others to be involved. The incumbent applies along with the others. Pospisil spoke of her strengths through her experiences. She explained she will consider everyone’s point of view for the entire county and not just her area.Margaret Haith, Beatrice, asked about P & Z Commissioner Jeff Argo remaining on the commission even though his term ended in July. Chairman Tiemann acknowledged it is his responsibility to re-appoint. The change requiring applications, rather than automatically reappointing the incumbent, has slowed the process.Colleen Ideus spoke. She said she is disappointed in the professionalism of the Gage County P & Z Commission. She lectured the board on appointing people who perform professionally and do the job. I explained to her that I attend some P & Z commission meetings and try to attend all public hearings. I want to hear the information provided to the commission and the comments from the public. I prefer not to wait to hear it at the county board public hearing. I am also there to observe the performance of the commissioners. I am one of the seven deciding who is on the commission. How do I know how commissioners perform without attending the meetings? I told Ideus that I agree with her, that professionalism is important. I said performance is more important to me. By performance I mean being objective, giving consideration and careful thought to all aspects of an issue, both pro and con. I appreciate Ideus coming in front of the board to express her concerns.Marc Hroch spoke to the board during the road and bridge committee meeting. Hroch lives on a county gravel road between Liberty and Barneston. His home sits close to the road. Approximately two years ago he asked the board to allow him to apply a dust control product to the road. He is willing to pay for the product and the application himself. At that time the board requested County Attorney Harris to look into the liability issues. He indicated he would check with our insurance provider. Due to the recent closing of the bridge north of Barneston the road past Hroch’s house was used much more than usual, mostly by semi-trucks due to harvest. The dust created is a health hazard for his family.Highway Superintendent Mark Kuhnke contacted Marshall County, KS, highway department to inquire about their policy to apply a dust control product. Marshall County has been allowing this for over 20 years. There are 25 locations in the county being treated. They have had only one issue and that was resolved with no problems. Hroch sees it as public safety and health issue. He stated there was a time when these products were not available, there wasn’t as much traffic, and trucks were smaller therefore making the problem less prevalent. Why not accommodate people to allow them a better quality of life? I agree with Hroch. I believe the county needs a policy that allows the product with application by a professional and paid for by anyone other than the county taxpayers. In order to extend the life of the product it is recommended that the road not be graded at the product location as often as the rest of the road. This is a factor Kuhnke has concerns about. It will require the road patrol operator to lift the blade and feather the material, taking more time. This is a legitimate concern, but in my opinion worthwhile to reduce dust issues near a residence. Supervisor Haxby is not in favor. She expressed her concern of the corrosion factor of the products used. The product contains, entirely or in part depending on the product, the same material used to de-ice roads. Road and Bridge committeeHighway Superintendent Kuhnke informed the board that construction has started on the state line bridge, east of 80th road, by Marshall County, KS. They have not contacted us to inform us it is under construction. They had requested our financial assistance with the replacement of this bridge. Our agreement indicates we share maintenance or replacement if the cost is over $10,000. This bridge is one of six on the state line shared with Marshall County. Gage County has three and they have three to maintain. This bridge is theirs. County Attorney Harris sent them a letter following the request stating we would share in the construction cost of the bridge. This would require following Nebraska state statute bid process. Marshall County responded telling us they already have a contractor selected without taking bids. They did not follow a bidding process in accordance with Nebraska statutes. Harris replied we couldn’t participate without the bid process required. No reply from Marshall was received.Kuhnke explained the longer than expected closing of a bridge approximately a quarter mile north of Barneston. The asphalt on the deck of the bridge has been busting out and has been a problem to keep repaired. The plan was to mill off four inches and replace. Moisture was discovered in the layer beneath this. In order to do the right job and prevent further problems all of the asphalt down to the concrete was removed. Ten inches of new asphalt went onto the bridge. Kuhnke predicts this will last many years. The road went from being closed one day to four.Kuhnke reported a bridge one half mile east of 176th Road will be replaced with tubes.I asked what we could do to push the Nebraska Game and Parks to assist us with the asphalt overlay of the Rockford Lake boat dock road. I asked if we have a legal agreement with Game and Parks for maintenance on the road. No one knew. Kuhnke indicated he would look into it. 10/16 Regular meetingSupervisor Terry Jurgens reported Gage County land valuations are currently at 58 percent of the value of sales with increases in value in land sales. According to state statute, the county must be between 69 percent to 75 percent median level value. This current assessment shows the county will have to increase valuation again next year. Most consider this bad news, but it would truly be bad news if the value went down. The effect on us and the economy would be tremendously negative. The problem is the mill levy doesn’t typically go down for the tax receiving entities.Emergency Management Director Lisa Wiegand reported on the recent wildfire outbreak. Highway Superintendent Mark Kuhnke reported on the construction of the state line bridge shared withMarshall County, KS. Kuhnke asked the public to NOT drive around road barricades. There have been problems at the Pickrell east bridge.Sheriff Gustafson introduced Denny Macomber, Chief State Jail Inspector. He was present to answer questions from the board regarding Adult Jails and Juvenile Detention Facilities. He said our county 100 percent needs a new jail. Supervisor Emily Haxby said the jail committee and consultant has not been able to obtain juvenile numbers. Macomber said it is impossible to determine the number of juveniles to expect. Juvenile numbers are kept confidential by the state. The county needs data to support facility needs. Supervisor Tiemann asked if it was feasible to build a new jail or do as some counties that have no jail do and transport individuals to other facilities. Macomber said our county is at the breaking point. It is an advantage to keep the jobs in the county. It is good to keep our money at home rather than to send it out of county. There are cost benefits to having our own jail here. He said it is part of what the state does to help keep costs down. We don’t have to go with expensive or elaborate materials or designs. His department can help in making the decisions to keep costs down. The jail standards board will be sure the design is efficient to run, in fact, they have to approve the design. He said there will be no problem keeping the jail full if we build a larger one with an eye toward the future.I left the meeting at 9:50 to attend a funeral.This highlights the portions 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

Randy Lee Henke

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