Webster County Board of Commissioners

 The Webster County Board of Commissioners met at 8:30am on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 for a regular business meeting at the Courthouse in Red Cloud. The following Board Members were present for roll call: Dan Shipman (District One) by phone call, Trevor Karr (District Two) by phone call, TJ Vance (District Three) by phone call, Keith Buschow (District Four) and Gary Ratzlaff (District Five) were present at the Courthouse. Chairman Buschow gave notice of the Nebraska Open Meetings Act Laws. Motion was made by Ratzlaff, seconded by Vance to approve the minutes of the March 17, 2020 meeting. Voting in favor: Buschow, Ratzlaff, Vance, Karr and Shipman. Voting no, absent or abstaining: None. Motion carried. Other people on the phone conference meeting were Sheriff Troy Schmitz, Deputy Sheriff Ron Sunday, Assessor Sonja Krueger and Attorney Sara Bockstadter. Clerk Petsch, Treasurer Knehans and Deputy Tami Scheuneman were present in the Board room. At 8:35am, Paul Stoner, Highway Manager met with the Board and reported box culvert over at Woodward’s place has been completed. Seeding will be done soon. They are working at Walnut Creek finishing up that project. The Road crews are continuing to clean out ditches, blading dirt roads and putting gravel on roads all over the County. At 8:40am, motion was made by Vance, seconded by Shipman to approve of Resolution 11-2020 to transfer $40,000.00 from Inheritance Fund to Bridge Bond Fund in order to make annual payment for the Bridge Bond Fund. Voting in favor: Buschow, Ratzlaff, Vance, Karr and Shipman. Voting no, absent or abstaining: None. Motion carried. Resolution 11-2020 was approved. Chairman Buschow presented the Clerk of District Court Report and the Sheriff’s Quarterly Report for the board members to go over. He reported to the members on the phone a summary of both of them. At 8:45am, the Board discussed the Windstream claim that had been sent to NIRMA for review. NIRMA advised the Board not to pay this claim as Webster County was not at fault on this matter. At 9:00am, Paul Stoner presented a claim on a box culvert project for Keith to sign and it will be submitted at the next meeting for payment. Chairman Buschow presented a letter from the State of Nebraska reporting after their Jail inspection on March 9, 2020, they are pleased to report the Webster County Jail is in full compliance. At 9:20am, a Public Hearing was held with Tami Scheuneman, Planning & Zoning Administrative for the purpose of approving a new anhydrous plant in Webster County. If the Board approves of this, they will proceed with this project. Motion was made by Karr, seconded by Shipman to approve. All members voted in favor. Motion carried. Tami also presented a Conservation Preservation Easement for Brandon and Kami Meyer for the Board to look over and approve. Motion was made by Ratzlaff, seconded by Karr to approve Resolution 12-2020. Voting in favor: Buschow, Ratzlaff, Vance, Karr and Shipman. Voting no, absent or abstaining: None. Motion carried. Resolution 12-2020 was approved. At 9:35am, Attorney Bockstadter submitted two Resolutions for the Board to approve and sign pertaining to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). She explained laws to protect the public, employees and citizens of Webster County. Giving employees paid sick leave when needed. Clerk Petsch and Treasurer Knehans stated the public has been very understanding about the situation and has accepted the limitations of doing their business by mail or by appointment. Motion was made by Shipman, seconded by Vance to approve of Resolution 13-2020 and Resolution 14-2020. Voting in favor: Buschow, Ratzlaff, Vance, Karr and Shipman. Voting no, absent or abstaining: None. Motion carried. Resolutions 13-2020 and 14-2020 were approved. At 9:50am, Chairman Buschow stated to the Board that Brenda Knehans and Family wanted to donate a Bench for the Courthouse in memory of Lonnie Knehans. The Bench was made by Brad Young and is beautiful. Keith thanked the family for this memorial gift. It was placed on the 2nd floor between the Board Room and the County Clerk’s Office. Motion was made by Vance, seconded by Ratzlaff to pay all claims and payroll. All members voted in favor. At 10:00am, Assessor Krueger informed the Board of LB271 which pertains to City of Red Cloud and City of Blue Hill protesting taxable and exemption status of city owned properties. She also mentioned the State is protesting the Republican Valley Trap Club. Claims and payroll totaling $370,306.11 are listed below: GENERAL FUND: Ameritas Life Insurance Corp (Retire)-$338.75; Anderson, Klein, Brewster & Brandt (Counsel)-$665.25; Black Hills Energy (Utility)-$83.58; Blue Hill Leader (Publish)-$239.54; Bockstadter & Glen Law, LLC (Contract)-$1705.00; Katie Bolte (Expense)- $23.78; Ron Brumbaugh (Contract)-$1766.67; Charm-Tex Inc (Supply)-$114.36; DAS State Accounting/Central Finance (Fees)- $448.00; Fica (S.S.)-$383.90; Eakes Office Solutions (Supply)-$1121.35; Election Systems & Software (Ballots)-$1144.34; Energized Electric LLC (Repairs)-$161.17; First Concord Benefits Group (Fees)-$186.00; First National Bank Omaha (Supply)-$482.58; Glenwood (Phone)-$10.00; Great Plains Communications (Phones)-$1154.35; Holiday Inn Express (Lodging)-$96.00; Hometown Leasing (Lease)- $129.00; Hometown Market (Supply)-$169.51; Elizabeth Janning (Expense)-$85.10; Jared’s Auto Expert (Repairs)-$873.00; Leaf Capitol Funding, LLC (Lease)-$424.45; Marc (Supply)-$1316.46; Med-Teck Resource Inc (Supply)-$496.12; Meyer Laboratory, Inc (Supply)-$696.19; Mips Inc (Support)-$2248.33; Morris Press (Supply)-$209.12; Nebraska State Patrol (Fees)-$430.50; Sydney O’Daniel (Expense)-$53.36; Alexa Pedersen (Expense)-$10.29; Protex Central (Inspections)-$92.00; R&M Disposal LLC (Utility)- $115.00; Red Cloud Chief (Publish)-$1016.51; City of Red Cloud (Utility)-$1551.34; Region 3 Behavioral Health Services (Funding)- $2344.25; Sam’s Club (Supply)-$41.02; Tami Scheuneman (Supply)-$13.76; Troy Schmitz (Supply)-$15.00; Robert Schulz (Repairs)- $1382.00; Skalka & Baack Law Firm (Counsel)-$427.50; South Central Pub Power Dist (Utility)-$19.60; Sullivan Shoemaker P.C. L.L.O. (Counsel)-$171.00; Theobald Law Office (Counsel)-$2303.75; Ken VanWey (Repairs)-$575.00; Webster County Court (Crt Costs)- $68.00; Webster County Sheriff’s Dept (Fees)-$51.95; Williams Exterminating, Inc (Fees)-$88.00; Woodward’s Disposal Service (Fee)- $20.00. ROAD/BRIDGE FUND: Ameritas Life Insurance Corp (Retire)-$75.94; Barton Pipe & Rod (Repairs)-$91.89; Black Hills Energy (Utility)-$227.30; Bladen Sand & Gravel, Inc (Gravel)-$3662.11; Village of Bladen (Utility)-$120.48; City of Blue Hill (Utility)-$130.21; Cencon of Kansas Utility Contractors (Rocks)-$5438.13; Century Lumber Center (Repairs)-$105.16; Country Corner (Fuel)-$161.19; Fica (S.S.)-$86.06; Eakes Office Solutions (Supply)-$52.36; Fastenal (Repairs)-$12.70; Glenwood Telecommunications (Phones)- $165.45; Great Plains Communications (Phone)-$49.12; Linda Grummert (Prior Service)-$57.00; Hastings Outdoor Power LLC (Repairs)-$149.02; Hometown Market (Supply)-$23.96; Jim’s OK Tires (Repairs)-$200.00; John Deer Financial (Repairs)-$84.02; Lawson Products, Inc (Supply)-$796.11; Mips Inc (Support)-$108.98; NAPA Auto Parts (Repairs)-$20.89; NCK Quarries LLC (Rocks)- $365.30; Nebraska Machinery Company (Repairs)-$520.30; Oak Creek Engineering, LLC (Fees)-$1954.30; Olson Enterprises LLC (Fuel)-$3653.09; Power Plan, Dept. 77871 (Repairs)-$46.52; R&M Disposal LLC (Utility)-$47.50; South Central Pub Power Dist (Utility)-$264.07; Timm’s Service (Fuel)-$703.73; Michael Todd & Company (Grader Blades)-$2136.98; Windstream (Phone)-$73.97. ROAD/BRIDGE CONST FUND: Oak Creek Engineering, LLC (Fees)-$5995.04; Van Kirk Contracting (Culverts)-$56,979.00. MODERN RECORDS FUND: Eakes Office Solutions (Supply)-$1096.16; Mips Inc (Support)-$112.00. SELF-INSURED DENAL FUND: Bush Family Dentistry (Dental)-$248.50; Timothy Lebsack (Dental)-$44.00; McCann-Carpenter Dental LLC (Dental)-$160.00. COUNTY MEDICAL/RELIEF FUND: NE Health & Human Services System (Beatrice/Lincoln)-$174.00; Williams Funeral Home (Cremations)- $3000.00. INHERITANCE TAX FUND: Webster County Treasurer (Transfer)-$40,000.00. HOSPITAL BOND FUND: Union Bank & Trust Co (Payment)-$3554.88. BRIDGE BOND FUND: Union Bank & Trust Co. (Payment)-$197,612.07. NOXIOUS WEED FUND: Ameritas Life Insurance Corp (Retire)-$12.62; Fica (S.S.)-$14.30. AMBULANCE FUND: Black Hills Energy (Utility)-$184.04; Village of Campbell (911 Fee)-$210.00; Fica (S.S.)-$278.20; Great Plains Communications (Phone)-$48.52; Olson Enterprises LLC (Fuel)-$97.41; Petsch Billing (Contract)-$350.00. Being no further business, Chairman Buschow adjourned the meeting at 10:05am. The next regular meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 21st, 2020 at 8:30am. A current agenda and complete minutes are on file in the County Clerk’s Office and at www.co.webster.ne.us. Dated this 7th day of April, 2020 Webster County Board of Commissioners ATTEST: Louise Petsch Webster County Clerk