Nemaha Natural Resources District (NNRD) officials will advertise for bids to replace landowners fencing in conjunction with the Buck Creek dam project in the Peru area.
Bob Hilske, NNRD general manager, met with the Nemaha County Commissioners Wednesday, Nov. 28. The commissioners had asked the District what they would be responsible for.
Fencing of some landowners in the areas of 735 Road and 643 Avenue will need to be removed in conjunction with raising 735 Road, also known as Oregon Road, and replacing bridges with culverts. Fencing would not be reinstalled until the project is completed. Hilske said the NNRD does not like to bid for fencing too far in advance.
Commissioner Marvin Bohling said there is no hurry to bid fencing but he did not want to wait until next April. He said a lot of farmers want hedge fencing, not treated posts. Commissioner Dennis Wittmann said he preferred bidding fencing with a private contractor of which there are several.
Hilske suggested if the fencing was bid out, a per foot cost would be sought. It is estimated the per foot cost would be in the $1.60 to $2 range. Hilske said Buck Creek was not the first project involving fencing.
Costs of the project are being split between Nemaha County and the NNRD.
New Hospital Trustee Kay Oliver Appointed, Takes Oath
Kay Oliver of Auburn was appointed to the Nemaha County Hospital Board of Trustees. She succeeds Tom Osborne, who resigned after moving from Nemaha County earlier this fall. Oliver’s term is through March 20, 2017. She took the oath of office during last week’s meeting.
Updated Web Based Geographic Information System Approved
The commissioners approved an updated Geographic Information System (GIS) for the assessor’s office and County Assessor Jana Smith was authorized to sign the agreement with GIS Workshop, Inc.
The update was necessary because the current text software will be retired Monday, Dec. 31. The upgrade will be completed before the end of the year. Because Nemaha County is an existing client of GIS Workshop, Inc., the fees to install the updated system were waived. There is a $2,500 annual fee effective July 1, 2013.
Brenda Wilson of GIS Workshop, Inc. gave a PowerPoint presentation. Nemaha County officials are getting a tremendous upgrade at no cost now and minimal cost later, she said. The commissioners thanked GIS Workshop, Inc. representatives for giving the county a good deal.
Besides the county assessor’s office, GIS Workshop, Inc. has worked with other county offices, including the 911 dispatching map in the sheriff’s office and assisting the clerk’s office with redistricting.
Wilson said the web based GIS has easy access, leverage investment in data and applications for other departments, is easy to use and has no complicated software. It may be shared both internally and externally.
GIS Workshop, Inc., works with officials in more than 80 Nebraska counties.
Other Action Items
December’s fuel bids from Lueders Petroleum were accepted. The low bids were $3.865 for No. 1 Diesel, and $3.175 for regular unleaded, plus $3.665 for No. 2 Diesel.
The other bid, from Farmers Coop, was $3.892 for No. 1 Diesel, $3.654 for No. 2 Diesel and $3.228 for regular unleaded. The commissioners preferred not splitting the bid although the one Farmers Coop bid was lower than Lueders.
A road entrance application for Ilert Rockemann was approved and a 20 foot used tube will be installed. The area is in Bedford Precinct southwest of Auburn.
A road entrance application for Aron Hawley was approved. It is in Lafayette Precinct southeast of Brock.
An Omaha Public Power District application for a proposed single phase overhead line was approved. It is one-half mile east and two miles south of Brock.
Nemaha County officials will share cost engineering fees with Richardson County officials for replacing a culvert between roads in the two counties. The Nemaha County portion is in Bedford Precinct along the Richardson County line.
Board of Equalization
Meeting as the Board of Equalization, the commissioners renewed a motor vehicle exemption for Hearts United for Animals. The exemption is on a 2005 Chevrolet used to transport supplies used by the charitable organization. No comments were presented at the hearing preceding the action.
Miscellaneous
Renee Critser, emergency management director, told the commissioners Pictometry airplanes started flying over the county Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 27 and 28. Earlier this fall, a contract was approved for aerial photographs. The photographs will be available for use by officials of various entities, both county and non-county.
December Meeting Dates Changed
The commissioners approved changing meeting dates in December.
The next commissioners meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 11, a day earlier than normal. County officials will attend the Nebraska Association of County Officials convention at Kearney beginning Dec. 12. At the Dec. 11 meeting, the commissioners will consider closing the courthouse all day Monday, Dec. 24, for Christmas.
The second December meeting will be Thursday, Dec. 27, as the change will allow time to complete payroll.