Courthouse, Law Enforcement Building Lawn Mowing, Maintenance Accepted by Nemaha County Commissioners

Tuesday morning, Dec. 16, the Nemaha County Commissioners approved the proposal from Green Care Lawn Service for lawn maintenance and mowing the courthouse and Law Enforcement Building grounds.
Its bid was the lowest of three obtained. The cost will be $110 per mow, $475 fertilizer and $50 per hour labor and irrigation. Green Care is the county’s current contractor.
Additional offers were:
--Great Plains Lawn Care: $170 per mow of courthouse grounds and $80 per mow Law Enforcement Building, including lawn fertilization, weed spraying, trimming and edging.
--Berglund Lawns: $175 weekly mowing and trimming; $250 spring maintenance and fertilizer application and $250 fall maintenance.
Additional Action Items
Also accepted by the commissioners were:
--two resolutions. One designated Union Bank & Trust as a depository for county funds. The other created a new revenue fund, drug law enforcement forfeiture.
Regarding the latter, Treasurer Jana Gerdes indicated it is the county attorney’s responsibility to create a four-person board. It will include the county attorney; as well as representation from the sheriff’s department, State Patrol, and city or village law enforcement. If there is money in the fund, the board will meet annually to decide where the funds will go to.
--a couple of applications from the Omaha Public Power District allowing work in county road right of ways. One is at 723 Road and 638 Avenue south of Auburn. The other is at 73424 633 Avenue south of Brock.
--five warrants/claims as an obligation to pay individuals or entities after Nebraska Emergency Management Agency funds are received for the Southeast Planning Training and Exercise Region. They are: $16,307.38 to Midwest Card & ID Solutions; $190.23 each to John McKee and Chad Korte; $660.60 to Lancaster County Emergency Management Agency and $220.20 to Colt Farringer.
The 14-county region includes Nemaha and Johnson counties; as well as Cass, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Lancaster, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline, Seward, Thayer and York counties.
--the annual signing the memorandum of understanding with the Nebraska Public Power District to maintain a radiological plan at Cooper Nuclear Station. It is unchanged.
--the resignation of Justus Walters as Nemaha County weed superintendent. He has served in the position since Monday, March 24, 2025.
Semiannual Hospital Report
Marty Fattig, CEO of Nemaha County Hospital, gave the semiannual report.
November statistics from Stacy Taylor, chief financial officer, indicated admissions decreased while total days of care increased during the month. Observation volumes decreased. Inpatient Medicare volumes decreased while Medicaid remained at zero. Ancillary service volumes decreased for inpatients and increased for outpatients. Surgery volumes remained consistent. It was noted in the financial report from Taylor that cash and investment balances remained stable. The days in accounts receivable is above the target, but staff is continuing to complete education and bring new staff onboard to help resolve delays.
Nemaha County Hospital provides in person pulmonary services, the CEO stated. Fattig continued elderly patients prefer to see a specialist in person.
“Our physicians, patients and (hospital staff) prefer in person. It’s a big help to our providers,” he related.
Pulmonary services are delivered remotely at most facilities, including Johnson County Hospital in Tecumseh and CHI Health St. Mary’s in Nebraska City. The CEO said telehealth is more secure. The only telemedicine procedure in Auburn is emergency behavioral health screenings.