WEBSTER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS November 3 2020

 The Webster County Board of Commissioners met at 8:30am on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020 for a regular business meeting at the Courthouse in Red Cloud. 

All  Board Members were present : Dan Shipman, Trevor Karr , TJ Vance , Keith Buschow  and Gary Ratzlaff . Chairman Buschow gave notice of the Nebraska Open Meetings Act Laws. Motion was made by Shipman, seconded by Ratzlaff to approve the minutes of the October 20th meeting. All voted in favor of paying all claims and payroll.. 

Paul Stoner met with the Board by telephone. The Board discussed a Resolution for the Board to approve vacating and abandoning a portion of Road 1800 that Highway Superintendent Lance Harter had done a road study on. Public hearing for this matter was set for December 1st 2020 meeting to be held at 9:00am. Motion was made by Shipman, seconded by Karr to approve Resolution 45-2020. All voted in favor.  Resolution 45-2020 was approved. 

The Board discussed price quotes sent by Lance Harter on the Bladen Road and Showboat Road. Crews have been working on tubing and bridge work and a culvert has been ordered for Road 500 near Inavale. Feedlot road is needing repairs also., Bids were opened for a motor grader. Bids were sent from Murphy Tractor of $249,630.00 and Cat Nebraska Machinery for $227,530.00. This would replace 1998 machine driven by Monte Garvin that had the transmission go out and had 23,000 hours on it. Motion was made by Shipman, seconded by Ratzlaff to go with bid from CAT/Nebraska Machinery for a new 2019 Caterpillar 140M3 that will be available as soon as possible. All voted in favor..

 The Board is looking into the sale of their old excavator.

     Treasurer Janet Knehans, met with the Board on public hearing to amend Budget and Levies concerning the Blue Hill Swimming Pool Bond for $40,000.00 that was not previously listed in their budget. Motion was made by Ratzlaff, seconded by Shipman to go into Board of Equalization Hearing to amend the Budget. All members voted in favor. Motion carried. Motion was made by Karr, seconded by Vance to approve this amendment. all voted in favor. . 

 Treasurer Knehans presented 16 Distress Warrants totaling $8,400.06 for the Board to review. 

A letter was received from Sheriff Troy Schmitz certifying these Distress Warrants had been received from Treasurer Knehans.

 Sheriff Schmitz presented his annual Jail Report for 2020.

 Commissioner and Veteran Service Officer, Gary Ratzlaff informed the Board the Veteran Service Committee had replaced Roger Mans with William Goosic and that Michael Barton has agreed to a term of another 5 years on this committee. The Board accepted these appointments.

 Clerk Louise Petsch submitted the Ambulance Report for July 1, 2020 through September 31, 2020. Report was favorable. There was also discussion on the Red Cloud EMTs filling in occasionally for the Blue Hill Squad when no one is available. Board agreed this was okay.

 Transfer of $40,000.00 from Inheritance Fund to Hospital Bond Fund was done by motion from Ratzlaff, seconded by Vance. all voted in favor. 

The Board went over applications received for County Attorney Position. One applicant was reviewed and the other two will be interviewed at a later time, Monday November 9th.

The Board discussed opening the courthouse again. They decided it was time to reopen the Courthouse again starting, Wednesday, November 4th . 

GENERAL FUND: Ameritas Life Insurance Corp (Retire)-$538.13; Katie Bolte (Expense)-$11.60; Ron Brumbaugh (Contract)-$1766.67; Business World Prod/Hastings (Supply)-$31.86; DAS State Accounting/Central Finance (Fee)-$448.00; Dell Marketing, L.P. (Supply)- $137.69; Duncan, Walker, Schenker & Daake, LLO (Counsel)-$3752.50; S.S. (Fica)-$603.13; Eakes Office Solutions (Supply)-$492.59; First Concord Benefits (Health)-$39.19; First National Bank Omaha (Supply)-$85.57; Franklin County Memorial Hospital (Fee)- $125.00; Great Plains Communications (Phones)-$1163.40; Hometown Leasing (Lease)-$2202.33; Elizabeth Janning (Expense)- $128.81; Jared’s Auto Expert (Repairs)-$143.24; Kenny’s Lumber & Home Center)-$52.86; Sonja L Krueger (Expense)-$148.66; Leaf (Lease)-$424.45; Mips, Inc (Supply)-$61.00; Alexa Pedersen (Expense)-$77.09; Red Cloud Chief (Publish)-$949.50; City of Red Cloud (Utility)-$1768.67; Revive Ministries/Horizon Recovery (Funding)-$2000.00; Skalka & Baack Law Firm (Counsel)-$1439.80; South Central Pub Power Dist (Utility)-$24.80; Theobald Law Office (Counsel)-$3397.45; Web Co Clk of Dist Crt (Fees)-$36.00; Web Co Sheriff-Petty Cash Fund (Petty Cash)-$74.10; Webster County Crt (Crt Costs)-$69.00; Webster County Hospital (Test)-$90.00; Williams Exterminating, Inc (Pest Control)-$88.00; WJE Consulting LLC (Fees)-$1095.00; Woodward’s Disposal Service (Utility)- $20.00; Zee Medical Service (Med. Supplies)-$66.80. ROAD/BRIDGE FUND: ACE/Eaton Metals (Culverts)-$10,049.20; Ameritas Life Insurance Corp (Retire)-$99.02; Blue Cross/Blue Shield (Health)-$6358.24; City of Blue Hill (Utility)-$104.62; Country Corner (Fuel)- $205.20; S.S. (Fica)-$112.22; Great Plains Communications (Phone)-$49.76; Hometown Leasing (Lease)-$84.86; LRNRD Rural Water Project (Water)-$22.21; Medical Enterprises, INC (Supply)-$14.00; Nebraska Machinery Company (Repairs)-$5855.42; Paulsen Concrete (Rock)-$1300.00; R&M Disposal LLC (Utility)-$53.50; Red Cloud Chief (Publish)-$17.78; Paul Stoner (Expense)-$150.00; Windstream (Phone)-$73.68. SELF-INSURED DNETAL FUND: Bush Family Dentistry (Dental)-$45.90; Webster County Dental Clinic (Dental)-$583.00. INHERITANCE TAX FUND: Webster County Treasurer (Transfer)-$40,000.00. HOSPITAL BOND FUND: Union Bank & Trust Company (Bond Payment)-$208,576.25. AMBULANCE FUND: S. S. (Fica)-$184.58; Great Plains Communications (Phone)- $49.03; Jared’s Auto Expert (Repairs)-$379.62; Olson Enterprises LLC (Fuel)-$28.00; Petsch Billing (Contract)-$400.00. Total Wages - $11,851.31. 

Being no further business, Chairman Buschow recessed the meeting at 11:50am until Monday, November 9th, 2020 for two more County Attorney interviews at 11:00am and 1:00pm.

 The next regular meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 17th, 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.