HOWARD COUNTY BOARD OF EQUALIZATION MINUTES

 

MAY 27, 2008

 

 

A meeting of the Howard County Board of Commissioners acting as the County Board of Equalization was convened in open an public session on the 27th day of May 2008, in the Boardroom, Howard County Courthouse, St. Paul, Nebraska.

 

Notice of the meeting was given thereof by publication in the Phonograph-Herald on the 21st day of May 2008, a proof of publication filed in the Clerk’s office.  Copies of the agenda were posted in the courthouse, the county web site, mailed to each Commissioner, and kept current and available to the public at the County Clerk’s office.

 

Notice of the meeting was given to the County Board and a receipt of their acknowledgment is also filed in the Clerk’s office.

 

Chairman Seifert called the meeting to order at 8:43 a.m.  Roll Call:  Bill Sack, AYE; Lauren Scarborough, AYE; Rance Lierman, AYE; Gary Rasmussen, ABSENT; Larry Seifert, AYE.    Also present is County Attorney Bob Sivick, County Clerk Marge Palmberg and Assessor Deloris Heminger.   Chairman Seifert also stated to those in attendance that a current copy of the Nebraska Open Meetings Act is available for review and indicated the location of such copy in the room where the meeting is being held.

 

Agenda

Motion was made by Sack and second by Lierman to open the Board of Equalization meeting.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Motion was made by Lierman and second by Seifert to approve the agenda for this meeting.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Level of County Value

Assessor Heminger had asked for this to be placed on the agenda as it had to come before the Board by June 1st.  Motion was made by Scarborough and second by Lierman that the Assessor has presented this to the County Board.  Roll Call: All Ayes.  The Assessor had the level of value for residential, commercial and agricultural property for our county.  She will have this published.

 

Changes after Abstract

Assessor Heminger also had a list of the total changes after the abstract which amounted to $2,156,794 as of May 27, 2008.  Motion was made by Sack and second by Lierman to approve the Changes after Abstract as presented by the Assessor.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

 

 

 

Tax Correction

There was a tax correction for Diamond T due to accelerated property in the amount of $57.18.  Motion was made by Sack and second by Lierman to approve the tax correction.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Discussion was held on whether to retro on irrigated acres that was discussed at the last meeting.  The county can go back and collect back taxes but this would be a very time consuming job.  Motion was made by Sack and second by Lierman to go forward with the irrigated acres and not go back retroactive.  Roll Call: Sack, AYE; Scarborough, AYE; Lierman, AYE; Rasmussen, ABSENT; Seifert, NAY.  Motion carried.

 

There being no further business for the Board of Equalization, motion was made by Sack and second by Lierman to adjourn the meeting at 8:55 am.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Dated this 27th day of May 2008.

 

Larry Seifert, Chairman

Howard County Board of Equalization

 

ATTEST:

 

Marge Palmberg

Howard County Clerk

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HOWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MINUTES

 

MAY 27, 2008

 

 

 

 

A meeting of the Howard County Board of Commissioners was convened in open and public session on the 27th day of May 2008, in the Boardroom, Howard County Courthouse, St. Paul, Nebraska.

 

Notice of the meeting was given thereof by publication in the Phonograph-Herald on the 21st day of May 2008 a proof of publication filed in the Clerk’s office.  Copies of the agenda were posted in the courthouse, the county web site, mailed to each Commissioner, and kept current and available to the public at the County Clerk’s office.

 

Notice of the meeting was given to the County Board and a receipt of their acknowledgment is also filed in the Clerk’s office.

 

Chairman Seifert called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.  Roll Call:  Bill Sack, AYE; Lauren Scarborough, AYE; Rance Lierman, AYE; Gary Rasmussen, ABSENT; Larry Seifert, AYE.  Commissioner Rasmussen had contacted Chairman Seifert and stated he would not be at this meeting due to personal business.  The Board opened the Commissioner meeting to allow Jackie some time as she will need to leave for another meeting.  Also present are County Attorney Bob Sivick and County Clerk Marge Palmberg.     Chairman Seifert also stated to those in attendance that a current copy of the Nebraska Open Meetings Act is available for review and indicated the location of such copy in the room where the meeting is being held.

 

Emergency Manager

Jackie Mayberry presented a resolution for the Chairman’s signature for an inter-local agreement.  Motion was made by Lierman and second by Sack to approve the Chairman signing the agreement.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

LEOP Resolution

Jackie also presented the LEOP resolution for the board to sign.  Motion was made by Sack and second by Scarborough to approve the resolution.  Roll Call: All Ayes.  Resolution No. 2008-10 is on file in the Clerk’s office.

 

Chairman Seifert inquired as to why we lost some grant money.  Jackie stated that the 2005 money was lost for radios but it was not the county’s fault.

 

Courthouse Key

Motion was made by Scarborough and second by Sack to approve giving Jackie a key to the courthouse so she can work on emergency management paperwork.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

The Board recessed their meeting to convene as the Board of Equalization at 8:42 am.

 

The Board convened their commissioner meeting at 8:56 am.

 

 

 

Special Designated Liquor Permit

Ron Dvorak, representing the St. Libory Fire Department, met with the Board to request a special liquor permit for the Blues Festival to be held in St. Libory on June 21, 2008.  Motion was made by Scarborough and second by Lierman to approve the permit.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Road Discussion

There were two applications for underground permits, one for Stoltenberg Irrigation and Bob Hirschman.  Motion was made by Scarborough and second by Lierman to approve the permits.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Burial Resolution

County Attorney had revamped the resolution that had been approved at the last meeting regarding county burials.  Bill Greenway and Todd Peters had been present to provide some guidance at the last meeting.  The changes were made on this resolution which will take precedence over the initial one approved at the 5-8-08 meeting.  Motion was made by Lierman and second by Sack to approve the new resolution.  Roll Call: All Ayes.  Resolution No 2008-11 is on file in the Clerk’s office.

 

Mail

The Board received the following correspondence in the mail: letter from NIRMA regarding an insurance claim; letter from TERC; and a letter from the State Roads approving the county 1 & 6 year plan.

 

Lawn Care Bids

The Clerk had placed an ad in the local paper regarding bids for the lawn mowing plus fertilizer applications.  The following were received:

 

                        Lawn Mowing

 

            Reams Lawns                          $180.00 each mowing

            Pine Creek Service                  $248.00 each mowing

 

                        Fertilizer

 

            Brennan’s Lawn Care             $1400.00 for 4 applications

            Reams Lawns                          $  968.00 for 4 applications

 

After more discussion, motion was made by Sack and second by Lierman to contract with Reams Lawns.  Roll Call: All Ayes.  A letter will be sent to those that had applied.

 

Executive Session

Motion was made by Lierman and second by Sack to go into executive session at 9:24 am for the purpose of discussing personnel with the County Board, County Attorney, Clerk, Treasurer, and Assessor.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Motion to come out of executive session at 9:29 am was made by Seifert and second by Sack with no action taken.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

 

 

9:30 Public Hearing – Wind Generator

Motion to open the public hearing at 9:30 am was made by Sack and second by Seifert for the wind generator regulations.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Discussion was held on the wind generator regulations by County Attorney Sivick.  Zoning Administrator Franz Trumler was not able to attend the meeting this morning.  The Planning and Zoning Commission had met at the meeting on May 21st for the wind generator regulations and passed it unanimously.

Motion to close the public hearing at 9:34 am was made by Scarborough and second by Lierman.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

A motion was made by Lierman and second by Sack to approve the wind generator regulations for Howard County on this date.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Odor Footprints

The map that the zoning administrator has been working on was displayed to the Board.  This is to show the feedlots in the county that are known.

 

Veterans Service

Discussion was held on the veteran’s service budget that was on the agenda at the last meeting.  The Board reviewed the statistics that Veteran’s Service Officer Don Shuda had given them and felt our county veterans deserved the increase.  Motion was made by Seifert and second by Lierman to approve the budget request for the 2008-2009 fiscal year of $29,215.  Roll Call: All Ayes. 

 

Region 3 Behavioral Services

Discussion was held on the budget request for the Region 3 Behavioral Services.  The Board had requested information as their request was considerably larger than last year.  Beth Baxter had given them paperwork showing why the increase, that it should have been more than what the county had been paying for several years. Motion was made by Scarborough and second by Sack to approve the budget request of $l4,351.41 for this coming fiscal year.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

Blue Cross Blue Shield

The Board reviewed the figures for the county health insurance plan.  They are looking into possibly raising the deductible rate if the savings to the county will be enough to warrant it.  They will do some checking with our district insurance representative as to the amount of savings and claims from previous years.

 

Consent Agenda

Motion was made by Lierman and second by Sack to approve the consent agenda which consists of claims in the amount of $l75,718.06 and the minutes of the 5-8-08 meeting.  Roll Call: All Ayes.

 

The following claims were audited and checks drawn on their regular funds:

 

                        General Salary                                     64,087.56

                        Road Salary                                        30,994.93

                        Weed Salary                                          2,522.00

                        Emergency Management                     1,050.00

                        Communications Salary                      10,658.21

                        Federal W/H                                         8,260.55

                        State W/H                                            2,928.29

                        BCBS Insurance                                 25,545.62

                        FICA/Medicare                                   16,676.74

                        Retirement                                          12,260.84

                        OfficeMax, election supp                        257.91

 

 

St. Paul Equipment

Leon Stanczyk of St. Paul Equipment met with the Board to discuss a claim he had submitted to them at the last meeting and discuss the Sheriff’s office and the return of his dealer plate.  Sheriff Harold Schenck, State Patrol Captain Kolb, Deputy Gerald Schenck, Deputy Mike Hoff, Deputy Patty Soneson, Secretary Kim Pedersen and Dispatcher Laramie Hoff were also in attendance for this.  Mr. Stanczyk related an incident regarding a customer of his.  Discussion followed with County Attorney Sivick, Sheriff Harold Schenck and Mr. Stanczyk.

 

Budget Work Session

Chairman Seifert presented a wage comparability study he had done sending out requests to 11 counties.  Copies will be made to be distributed to the rest of the Board.

 

The County Board worked on several of the budgets with Assessor Deloris Heminger, Hwy Supt Jay Meyer and several other department heads.  The jail and communications budgets are going to be over this year.  After more discussion, motion was made by Scarborough and second by Lierman to amend the budget.  Roll Call: All Ayes.  A notice will be placed in the paper for the public hearing.

 

There being no further business to come before the Board, motion was made by Sack and second by Liermn to adjourn the meeting.  Roll Call: All Ayes.  The next meeting of the County Board will be June 12th.

 

Dated this 27th day of May 2008.

 

Larry Seifert, Chairman

Howard County Board of Commissioners

 

ATTEST:

 

Marge Palmberg

Howard County Clerk