Gage County Newsletter

By Don Schuller 12/9/24 Committee Meeting:Road and bridge:The Washington County Bridge agreement was the first topic of conversation. Chairman Erich Tiemann instructed Highway Superintendent Mark Kuhnke to contact Washington County, KS to share our counter proposal on maintenance of that bridge. The counter proposal had been decided upon at the 11/27/24 meeting, so I was surprised to learn this had not been done already. County Attorney Roger Harris is planning to contact Washington County on this topic as well.Background: Gage and Washington Counties share a bridge on the state line. In May 2024 Kuhnke and all the Gage County Supervisors received an email from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) inquiring about a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding that bridge between the two counties. The approval of this MOU was nearly a year overdue. The KDOT email was intended to find someone to help them get action on the MOU. As far as I know, Kuhnke and I were the only ones who replied to KDOT’s email. KDOT explained to me that the agreement needed to be approved by the end of 2024 or the Kansas Counties of both Marshall and Washington would be in danger of not receiving state funding. KDOT told me that Gage County was the only county on the Kansas-Nebraska state line that had an unresolved MOU with their neighboring Kansas county.At the 11/27/24 Gage County Supervisors meeting we discussed Washington County’s proposal for the bridge MOU. They proposed paying 100% of the inspections required every two years, while Gage would cover the cost of maintenance up to $5000 at any one time. Anything exceeding $5000 would be shared equally by the two counties. Our board disagreed with the $5000 amount. We unanimously approved a counter proposal to use the same terms but lower the cost-sharing limit to $1500. I am hopeful that an agreement can be reached with Washington County by the end of 2024 to eliminate the two Kansas counties’ state funding risk and maintain a good working relationship with them. I reported that I had received phone calls about rock that Gage County had applied to South 80th Road at the Hard Rock Quarries location. The callers complained that the rock had been hauled in from a quarry ten miles away, when using Hard Rock Quarries material would have been more efficient. I passed the complaint to the board, and we discussed it extensively. The contract for rock hauling on all county roads had been granted to another quarry based on its lower cost bid. However, the board agreed that in situations like this, other arrangements can be made if it is more cost-efficient. The road department will review road maintenance plans with this in mind. Hard Rock Quarry is owned by RL Tiemann, a family member of the Gage County Board chair.Kuhnke informed the board that the road department removed a large log jam under the river bridge on East Plum Road. Tube replacement on the B-Line east of 162nd Road is scheduled for next spring. Once that is completed, the gravel reclaiming process will continue.Kuhnke reported that letters are being sent to landowners who have trees that need to be removed from the county easements. He said he is getting good results in the landowner commitments. The county has cleared roadsides of brush and is mowing in places to prepare for snow removal. I asked about sending letters to landowners who have not mowed the roadsides. He said his priority is the trees.Planning and Zoning Administrator Lisa Wiegand informed the board of special use permit applications in neighboring counties. A poultry operation is proposed in Johnson County and a solar farm is proposed in Lancaster County. The proposed solar farm’s south boundary is the Lancaster/Gage County line near Cortland. The site is 2400 non-contiguous acres, but solar panels will not cover all of it.Supervisors Emily Haxby and Tiemann received complaints of a harsh smell at the Summit Pork operation in Hanover Township put in operation last past year. Supervisors Swavely and Tiemann each visited the site independently less than a half hour after the complaints. Neither of them could smell more than what they considered an appropriate amount of aroma within a half mile of the operation. They traveled the area without locating any other smell. To my knowledge, this is the second odor complaint about this site since it began operating nearly a year ago.Sheriff Millard Gustafson reported about the fire in the Wymore City Building which houses the police and street departments. Records were lost and other significant damage was sustained to the building, vehicles and equipment. County Resident Denise Schlake-Ideus addressed the board. She asked that communication tower zoning regulations be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission (P & Z). This request was related to two recent communication tower special use permit applications. One of those permits had been approved, and the other had been rejected due to location and need. I told Ms. Schlake-Ideus that the board sent a letter to P & Z asking them to review all regulations due to a request following the Summit Pork CAFO special use permit disapproval. P & Z replied by asking the board to conduct public input meetings. The board decided that based on experience, attendance at such meetings would be low and would not accomplish the goal. Nothing further was done.Tiemann said he has learned of a company that will review and provide guidance on zoning regulations. I think this is a good idea. I hope it would provide consistency in the county and between counties if their recommendations are followed. At this time nothing else is known about the company and what they charge. I will encourage research on this company and other information relevant to proper facility siting. 12/11/24 Regular meeting:Wiegand reported that the landowners in Highland Township have been notified of the proposed solar farm in Lancaster County and a public hearing was held. Lancaster’s setback is 100 feet from a non-participating residence. Gage County’s is 680 feet for this size of solar farm.Kuhnke told the board that he will take the blame for the issue of hauling rock on 80th Road which was discussed at Monday’s committee meeting. Kuhnke said at an upcoming snow removal preparation meeting he will advise the dump truck drivers of a change in rock hauling practices. The drivers should inform Kuhnke if they are aware of a closer source of rock at any given jobsite, and Kuhnke will decide if using that source as an exception to the contracted supplier would save money. This makes it everybody’s responsibility to watch for money-saving opportunities in the department.The board approved four resolutions six to zero, with Supervisor Haxby absent: Gage County Juvenile Community Plan Gage County Community-based Juvenile Services Aid Application to be submitted to the Nebraska Crime Commission Beatrice Area Solid Waste Agency Bond Issuance supporting its solid waste disposal facilities Building entrance agreement with Unite Private Networks to install Internet services in the Extension officeThis 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.aspxFacebook: Don Schuller – Public Servant https://www.facebook.com/DCSchuller

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