Guest Editorial: From the Supervisor’s Desk

By Don Schuller 8/22/22 Committee meeting:Plan & Zoning Administrator Lisa Wiegand updated the board on the P & Z Commission’s progress on solar energy zoning. I attended their last meeting on August 9th in which Norris Public Power CEO Bruce Vitosh and representatives of solar energy company Today’s Power Inc. addressed the Commission. Norris is proposing a 14-acre solar farm in Gage County.Highway Superintendent Mark Kuhnke said road barricades exist at 162 Road near Virginia in preparation for closing the road in case of rain causing slick, greasy conditions. However, some rain is needed to continue the regrading as the road surface is unworkable without moisture. Gravel will be applied once regrading is complete.The B-Line Road will be graveled this week. Then Linden Road will have the road ditches cleaned out, regraded, rocked and gravel added.The survey for the bridge south of Clatonia is complete. Design will be completed in the next 30 days.The board discussed hard surfacing the remainder of Hickory Road from Hoag to Highway 103 due to a possibility of future industrial development on Hickory Road. No immediate action is planned.8/24/22 Regular meeting:Chairman Eric Tiemann announced that just two more payments for the judgment to the Beatrice 6 are anticipated. One in September, coming from the 2022 budget, and one in May, coming from the 2023 budget.I thank former Senator Roy Baker for submitting the first bill requesting state assistance from the Legislature for this judgement. I was one of only three Wymore residents who testified at the committee hearing supporting Senator Baker’s bill; no others from within Gage County testified. It did not make it out of committee. Baker then prepared the bill for the next Senator of District 30 to submit. I thank Senator Dorn for following up with submitting this bill and for presenting the bill for a county sales tax.A resolution to end the half percent sales tax on Jan 1, 2023 passed unanimously. Chairman Tiemann said nearly 40% of the sales tax collected came from outside the county.The county budget will be published. The public hearing will be on Sept 7th at 8:00 am, Supervisors Room, County Court house. The budget has a 6.7% decrease from this year’s budget at $11.7 million. Valuations have increased 6.5% in assessed value. Unused budget authority is 1.2 million, but the board is not going to ask for it.The current county mill levy of 50 will be reduced to 45. The plan is to reduce it more next year barring any unforeseen issues. Prior to the judgement it was 38.The board reviewed property valuations and tax levies of government entities for townships, schools, rural fire departments, cities, and villages. Resolutions to accept the levies passed unanimously.Beatrice Area Chamber Director Angie Bruna gave the tourism report. She advised getting in touch with the Chamber office for grant applications for tourism improvements in the county.UNL Extension Educator Nicole Stoner gave a report to the Supervisors on Gage County Extension activities.Public Health Solutions Director Kim Showalter addressed the board. Now that PHS is not in the extreme pandemic response mode due to COVID, they are focusing on mental health and health equity. The pandemic has highlighted mental health issues. PHS wants to provide more services for environmental health and safety issues. PHS is in the process of reassessing the 5 counties it serves: Gage, Saline, Jefferson, Thayer and Fillmore. They serve 53,000 people in these counties. I am a board member of PHS and serve as secretary/treasurer.

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