Auburn city officials met with the Nemaha County Commissioners Wednesday, Oct. 12, regarding various services. The city and county officials want to make sure that everyone’s needs were addressed.
Auburn Mayor Scott Kudrna, Auburn Police Chief Kris Baker, Auburn Councilman Frank Critser and Sheriff Brent Lottman met with the commissioners. Officials of both the city and county want to keep each other informed.
County officials own and maintain the law enforcement building, where the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Department and Auburn Police Department are headquartered. City officials pay for two telephone lines coming into the building. Kudrna said that city officials are considering all options available, including handling their own dispatching. City officials pay about $60,000 annually, which was a good share of the budget, he said.
Kudrna said that city officials were trying to control costs but have to retain needed services. There is a need to do things efficiently and work together, he said.
Sheriff Brent Lottman said that the sheriff’s and police departments have no problems helping each other out. He said that the last month or two has been relatively peaceful.
The commissioners thanked the city and county officials for their time.
The commissioners will not advertise for the weed control authority superintendent until necessary. That followed discussion with Marvin Palmer, weed superintendent and weed board members. Palmer serves as weed control superintendent for both Nemaha and Richardson counties.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials met with the commissioners. The federal officials wanted to ensure that the process of recovery from the Missouri River flooding went smoothly. The FEMA officials will put county officials in touch with appropriate individuals. The commissioners thanked them for their attendance.
The discussion included: long-term mitigation to prevent reoccurrence; public assistance, including repairs to roads and bridges and individual assistance, including housing, medical and transportation issues.
Chairman Bob Hutton said that the 2011 flooding was the worst he had seen and was concerned about a reoccurrence next year. Commissioner Marvin Bohling said that as bad as the 2011 flooding was, it could have been a lot worse.
In action business, the commissioners:
–approved a $1,577.57 bid from Lavigne Construction Inc., Auburn, for materials and labor to install expanded metal screens over the new Amana heat pumps to protect from possible damage. Screens will be painted to color coordinate with the heat pumps. The work scope will include straightening any fins on heat pumps that may be damaged.
–approved an Omaha Public Power District proposal to install a CTP and single phase underground crossing, one mile south and 3.5 miles west of Johnson for Craig Rieken;
–appointed Amber Ryan to the Extension Board at-large position through Dec. 31, 2013, to fill the unexpired term of April Aufenkamp and appointed Loren Covington to the Extension Board District 1 position through Dec. 31, 2011;
–approved a resolution for program agreement for repair of a bridge north of Brock and
–approved a resolution which designated Joyce Oakley, county clerk, as responsible charge for federal aid project for repair of a bridge north of Brock.
2011-2012 Tax Levies Set
Meeting as the Board of Equalization, the commissioners set the 2011-2012 levies. All are per $100 valuation, with valuation listed following.
–Nemaha County, 0.379343; $678,949,473.
–Nemaha County Agricultural Society, 0.006810; $678,949.473.
–Johnson Rural Fire District No. 1, 0.035377; $90,703,024.
–Peru Rural Fire District No. 3, 0.035377; $60,012,186.
–Nemaha Rural Fire District No. 4, 0.052178; $101,703,391.
–Brock-Julian Rural Fire District No. 7, 0.035377; $71,817,796.
–Auburn Rural Fire District No. 8, 0.035377; $127,909,524.
–City of Auburn, 0.475377;     $122,034,294.
–City of Peru, 0.877936;     $8,884,482.
–Village of Brock, 0.494345;     $2,716,728.
–Village of Brownville, 0.479494; $5,471,390.
–Village of Johnson, 0.439748;     $11,529,338.
–Village of Julian, 0.500000;     $1,516,886.
–Village of Nemaha, 0.437329;     $2,908,563.
–Auburn Public Schools, 1.139936.
–Johnson-Brock Public Schools, 1.083913.
–Southeast Community College, 0.062700.
–Educational Service Unit No. 4, 0.040531.
–Nemaha Natural Resources District, 0.041477.
Dike and drainage districts special assessments: Peru Drainage District No. 6, $10; Brownville-Nemaha Levee District No. 2, $7; Little Nemaha Levee District No. 3, $3; McKissick Island Levee and McKissick Island Drainage, $1 each and Peru Dike District No. 1, $.40.