Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Holt County's road department will receive two new motorgraders following approval from county supervisors at the Sept. 30 meeting in O'Neill. Representatives from Murphy Tractor and NMC CAT presented bids. Murphy Tractor's bid package was for a JD 772G Motorgrader with six-wheel drive and a snow wing, off the state bid, for $487,500, which includes a service agreement for $63,221. NMC's bid was for a 140-15AWD Caterpillar, with snow wing off the Sourcewell quote, for $432,900, which includes a...
Hand counting of election ballots will not take place in Holt County anytime soon, despite a request from citizens made at the Sept. 16 supervisors' meeting in O'Neill. Grace Coleman of Atkinson presented petitions discouraging use of electronic tabulators and encouraging a return to hand counting of ballots at the precinct level. She said individuals from Holt, Boyd, Antelope, Cedar, Knox, Dixon and northern Pierce counties signed the petitions, which were circulated over the summer months....
An O’Neill man suffered minor injuries, Sunday, following a one-vehicle accident approximately one-quarter mile east of 481 Road and Highway 20, in Holt County. HCSO did not identify the individual. At approximately 5:50 a.m., a 2006 Saturn Vue was eastbound on Highway 20 when the vehicle left the roadway, entered the north ditch, running through two fence lines on property owned by Bill Tielke. The vehicle continued through a popcorn field, coming to rest approximately 60 yards into the field, after becoming stuck. The driver of the vehicle w...
The District 6 shop, located in Stuart, will eventually have a new home. Holt County Supervisors approved the purchase of eight acres, from the village of Stuart, for the project. The county will pay $6,400 per acre. The motion, presented by Darrin Paxton, and seconded by Duane Neiman, passed unanimously, Friday, during the board's regularly-scheduled meeting. Chairman Bill Tielke said the property is located on the north edge of the village, across from the rodeo grounds. A project timeline...
Holt County’s coffers have an extra jingle following the March 4 tax sale, held at the courthouse annex in O’Neill. County supervisors learned the results at the board's March 18 meeting. “We actually had a lot less on the sale then we typically do,” said Shelly Ross, county treasurer. “I don’t know if that’s because of the names being in the paper, that people came in.” A new state statue requires property owners’ names to be included in the delinquent tax list, which is printed in the co...
When it comes to allowing conservation easements, the answer is clear for Holt County supervisors. Conservation easements cannot be approved, based on language in the county’s comprehensive plan. Whether the State of Nebraska understands that message isn’t so crystal clear. When the board met in regular session, Feb. 29, in O’Neill, chairman Bill Tielke said he’d been approached by a constituent asking if the board will support conservation easements. Holt County Attorney Brent Kelly reminded th...
To quote Benjamin Franklin, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” I am positive that most of us would agree we pay too much in taxes, including inheritance tax. The question is, can counties afford to do away with inheritance tax revenue? Eliminating the tax would increase the tax levy by several cents. That means you and I - all taxpayers - will be required to mak...
Dear fellow citizens of Holt County, For the past months, the Nebraska Association of County Officials has been an integral part of Gov. Pillen’s tax working group, along with many other entities, state senators, Pillen and his key staff, and other stakeholders such as the cities, Farm Bureau and the realtors.. We have had many meetings striving to craft Nebraska tax policy, to cut taxes, to more equitably define policy and to ensure we have the revenue necessary to provide essential services to our citizens. LB 1067, introduced by State S...
Leadership in Holt County will remain the same. Supervisors elected Bill Tielke, of Atkinson, to serve as chairman for 2024. The vote was taken Friday when the group met for an organizational meeting at the courthouse in O'Neill. Doug Frahm, of Amelia, will lead the board of equalization. In addition to designating committee assignments for the year, supervisors set salaries and/or hourly wages for county employees. Sheriff Ben Matchett said a three-year plan for deputies' wages, with a $2...
Holt County Supervisors held a listening session, Monday afternoon, allowing members of the Holt/Boyd E-911 board to present their perceptions of operations in the dispatch center and the role of the board. In late July, supervisors Duane Neiman, Scott Keyes and Bill Tielke and Holt County Clerk Cathy Pavel met with Boyd County officials to hear public comment about day-to-day operations at the center. The meeting arose following a June 20 meeting, where fire department representatives,...
Holt County Supervisors learned about multiple building updates and concerns when they met in regular session, July 17. Courthouse custodian Rick Slaymaker presented estimates for three styles of windows available through Carhart Lumber. Supervisors approved the purchase a wood core, double-hung Anderson windows, which will be installed. The cost was unavailable at press time. Slaymaker said Holt County Deputy Ed Nordby requested a speckled garage floor paint, covered with a top coat, be used...
Individuals whose irrigation systems water Holt County roadways may find themselves in hot water. On May 31, supervisors approved to continue enforcment of Nebraska Revised Statute 39-302, regarding sprinkler irrigation systems and water on public roads.Failure to comply with the law may result in a Class IV misdemeanor. Chairman Bill Tielke told supervisors, “What we’ve found is putting names in the minutes is as effective as anything. They don’t like having their names in the paper.” Followi...
A resolution regarding perpetual water and conservation easements will go back to the Holt County Planning and Zoning Commission. The directive was given by Holt County Supervisors, Friday, following a public hearing about the 2021 resolution. The easement resolution was sent to planning and zoning for a public hearing, based on a recommendation from county attorney Brent Kelly, who was not in attendance at Friday’s public hearing. During the supervisors’ March 31 hearing, interim planning and...
Bill Tielke will serve as chairman of Holt County Supervisors, who elected him to the position for 2023 during a statutory session, Jan. 5, at the Holt County Courthouse. Doug Frahm will chair the county's board of equalization. Supervisors approved board of representatives and delegates, as well as committee assignments for 2023, including: • Bonds: Darrin Paxton, Frahm, Tielke; • Bridge: Frahm, Paxton and Scott Keyes; • Claims: Frahm (chair) and the entire board; Courthouse: Frahm, Dusti...
After sifting line by line through proposed zoning regulations, Holt County Supervisors approved changes for regulations regarding pipelines, carbon pipelines and wind energy. Proposed regulations for solar energy were sent back to the county's planning and zoning board for additional information during the Nov. 16 meeting. Pipeline regulations Proposed regulations update the definition of pipeline to include crude oil, tar sands and affluents. Per regulations, a pipeline will be "any pipe with...
A decision on proposed planning and zoning regulations in Holt County will wait until at least Nov. 16. That's the next time county supervisors will meet in regular session, at 9:45 a.m., at the courthouse in O'Neill. For more than two and one-half hours area residents presented testimony, covering carbon dioxide pipelines, solar farms and wind energy, during an Oct. 31 public hearing. At the conclusion, county lawmakers failed to advance a motion, by Doug Frahm, which would have accepted all...
A group of individuals concerned about voter integrity addressed Holt County Supervisors, Aug. 31, about the possibility of handcounting ballots. Chairman Bill Tielke told the gallery of 35 visitors the board was not required to make a decision following public comment. Grace Coleman, of Atkinson, told supervisors she is concerned about the safety of this November’s election. “If we cannot be assured that our elections are secure and no one has changed any results, then we just as well con...
Holt County Supervisors tackled several topics during a regular meeting, May 31, in the supervisors’ room at the Holt County Courthouse in O’Neill. A quick discussion was held about watering of roads. Chairman Bill Tielke mentioned that people are watering their roads with sprinklers. He instructed county clerk, Cathy Pavel, to send a notice out to inform the public that it is against the law to saturate any road: including the use of all sprinklers; it is not limited to just irrigation end gun...
An agreement outlining responsibilities for road upkeep during potential pipeline construction, signed by TC Energy and Holt County officials, is no longer in effect. County supervisors voted to terminate the road haul agreement, April 28, during the board's regular meeting. Holt County Attorney Brent Kelly said TC Energy lawyers, from MacGrath North, in Omaha, reached out regarding the agreement. "To make sure their I's are dotted and T's are crossed, they want to go ahead and terminate those...
Holt County Supervisors voted unanimously to deny a perpetual easement application for Graham Crowe Ranch, LLC, during its March 16 meeting. Supervisor Doug Frahm was absent. After a Feb. 28 public hearing, supervisors voted to table a decision until the 16th. Prior to the vote, landowner Les Graham told supervisors, “I guess it’s one of those deals we feel we have the right to do it and it would be good for our ranch. I guess it’s up to you guys to make the decision whether we have the right to...
A decision on a perpetual easement for the Graham Crowe Ranch, LLC, in northeastern Holt County, will be revisited at 10:30 a.m., during a March 16 meeting of the Holt County supervisors. Supervisor Don Butterfield, of Atkinson, made a motion to table a decision, Feb. 28, following a public hearing which lasted more than 90 minutes. "I need to have a little time to mull this over," Butterfield said. Chairman Bill Tielke said it's unfair to make a quick decision. "Don, I'll agree with you. This...
The filing deadline for the 2022 primary election was Tuesday, March 1. While several incumbents and new faces have entered races, a few offices are left without anyone filing. Antelope County Clerk, Lisa Payne, said the following individuals have filed as candidates for county offices: Robert Moore, sheriff; Angela Mortensen, clerk of the district court; Deborah Branstiter, treasurer; Kelly Mueller-Oltjenbruns, assessor; Rachel Shrader and Robert Lewis, weed control authority board. Four...
Holt County Supervisors will hold a public hearing, regarding a perpetual conservation easement will be held, Feb. 28, at 1:30 p.m., at the courthouse in O'Neill. Chairman Bill Tielke set the date during the board's Jan. 31 meeting after Les Graham, of Graham Crowe Ranch, LLC, told supervisors he would like a public hearing scheduled as soon as possible. "It's been going on for awhile. It's been a month since you've had a chance to look at the easement," Graham said. Supervisor Doug Frahm said...
Several Antelope and Holt county officials have filed for the 2022 Primary Election. In Holt County, officials refiling for office include Brent M. Kelly, attorney; Timothy L. Wallinger, assessor; Cathy Pavel, clerk; Shelly Ross, treasurer; Junior Young, clerk of the district court; Ben Matchett, sheriff; Josh Treptow, supervisor district one; Bill Tielke, supervisor district three and Doug Frahm, supervisor district seven. Two Atkinson-area residents - John W. Vogel and Duane Neiman - have...
Longtime Holt County Supervisor Bill Tielke will continue to preside over the board after he was elected to serve as chairman for 2022, on a 5-0-1-1 vote, when the board met Jan. 6 to reorganize. Supervisor Scott Keyes was absent from the meeting and Tielke abstained. Doug Frahm, of Amelia, was elected to chair the county's board of equalization. After approving board of representatives, delegates and committee assignments for the upcoming year, supervisors approved the reappointments of and...
