Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Outgoing Holt County Supervisor Don Butterfield and planning and zoning administrator Mike Durre were guests of honor at a reception, held Friday, at the Holt County Courthouse. Butterfield served 16 years as a supervisor and Durre has overseen the county's planning and zoning efforts for nearly 19 years....
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for road upkeep during potential pipeline construction, signed by TC Energy and Holt County officials, is no longer in effect.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...
Details about a proposed pipeline that would push carbon dioxide from ethanol plants in Nebraska and surrounding states to North Dakota were presented to county officials during December meetings in Antelope and Holt counties. Dayton Murty, representing Summit Carbon Solutions, an Ames, Iowa-based company, provided on overview of the pipeline and outlined environmental and economic benefits, to Antelope County Commissioners on Dec. 7 and Dec. 30, to Holt County Supervisors. If the pipeline is...
Holt County Supervisors approved Resolution 2021-33, redistricting of the seven supervisor districts, using an equal population, based on the 2020 U.S. Census, during its Dec. 30 meeting, on a 5-1 vote. District seven supervisor, Don Butterfield, cast the dissenting vote. District four supervisor, Scott Keyes, was absent. According to Census results, the population count totals 10,127, which would put 1,447 residents in each district. The biggest concern expressed by Butterfield was losing a por...
Holt County Supervisors denied nuisance claims regarding trees and shrubs growing in the right of way along township-maintained roads at its Sept. 30 meeting in O'Neill. Supervisors spent approximately 55 minutes discussing the issue involving complaints filed against landowners in Rock Falls Township. Supervisor Don Butterfield proposed a resolution which would have spelled out the procedure for townships to recommend which rights of way would need to be cleaned and stipulated the county and...
If a tree grows in the right of way, along a township road, and needs trimmed or removed, who is responsible for tree trimming? Holt County Supervisors listened to public comment on the topic, Thursday, during a public hearing held in the supervisors' room at the Holt County Courthouse in O'Neill. While the hearing focused on written notices, sent by the county attorney's office, to landowners in Rock Falls Township,the question of responsibility first sprouted earlier this year, when the Emmett...
Damage from a lightning strike that ignited grassland and spread to a five- to six-mile-wide fire is still being assessed. Holt County Emergency Management director Deb Hilker presented a map of damaged acres and buildings to Holt County Supervisors at the group's June 30 meeting in O'Neill. Hilker said an estimated 6,600 acres were affected. The topographical map is interfaced with a plat map to highlight people and acres affected by the fire, which started June 24, in the river bottom between...
Holt County emergency manager, Deb Hilker, provided supervisors with an update about the vaccination process during the board's Jan. 29 meeting at the Holt Count Courthouse. Vaccines developed by Moderna are being distributed in the area. Hilker said the North Central District Health Department requested use of the county's emergency response trailer "to push out the vaccine to the district," beginning the week of Feb. 7. According to Hilker, the vaccine must be kept at a temperature of minus...
Holt County supervisors selected who will fill leadership positions during the board's Jan. 7 meeting. Bill Tielke was re-elected to serve as chairman and Doug Frahm will oversee the board of equalization. Per board policy, when a chairman is absent, the other chairman will preside. Four individuals were reappointed to positions they currently hold, including Gary Connot, road superintendent; Mike Durre, planning and zoning administrator; Deb Hilker, emergency manager and Ken Stenka, veterans...
Holt County Supervisors faced a Shakespearean-like conundrum during the group’s Aug. 31 meeting at the Holt County Courthouse. To include $2.5 million, monies promised by TC Energy for a road-use agreement, or not to include that amount in the upcoming road and bridge budget, dominated more than an hour of discussion. Without payment in hand, the proposed levy would cost taxpayers an additional eight pennies, jumping to 36.25 cents, a 31% increase. In the end, supervisors agreed to pursue a $...
Approximately 35 Holt County residents crowded the supervisor’s meeting room and adjoining hallway, Monday, to listen to discussion about whether the county should dissolve townships and move to a seven-member board of commissioners. A motion to the effect, made by Steve Boshart, would have placed the item on the November ballot, giving the people of Holt County the ultimate decision. Prior to the motion being made, supervisors spent more than 90 minutes hashing over the item, which was added t...
The Holt County supervisors finalized seating of a board of adjustment when they met at the courthouse in O’Neill last Tuesday, June 30. Vice chair Steve Boshart presided, due to the potential for board of adjustment action related to TC Energy matters, with which chairman Bill Tielke has a declared conflict of interest. Clayton Goeke of Atkinson was selected, by written ballot from a pool of three interested citizens, to serve as the alternate board member. Goeke garnered three votes, Cheri Frisch of Atkinson, two, and Tom Schaaf of Lynch, non...
The Holt County supervisors approved a road-use agreement for duration of potential construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, despite the county leaders’ denial of a construction permit in February. Consideration of the road-haul agreement was on the agenda when the supervisors met in the courthouse for an in-person meeting April 30. The agreement had been drafted by Omaha attorney David Domina, with Brent Kelley, Holt County attorney, proceeding, at the request of the supervisors, to negotiate terms with TCE officials. Kelly was present in t...
The Holt County supervisors approved hiring a human resource firm when they met at the courthouse in O’Neill on April 16. With all seven supervisors in attendance at the meeting, the leaders voted 5-2 to contract with Zelle Human Resources of Lincoln to provide consulting services for an initial six-month term, after holding a phone conference with Zelle representative Chad Thies. Supervisors Bob Snyder and Don Butterfield voted nay. According to Thies, the firm would update the county’s employee handbook, making sure it is relevant and mak...
Holt County supervisors are considering the engagement of a human resources firm to help navigate employment issues. A telephone conference was held with Chad Thies from Zelle Human Resource Solutions in Lincoln during the March 16 meeting at the courthouse in O'Neill. After hearing what the firm offered in services, chairman Bill Tielke asked Thies to submit a proposal. Supervisor Steve Boshart estimated an annual cost of $36,000 to $40,000. "It will be high," Tielke said. "But the thing is, if...
Six Holt County supervisors listened as nearly 50 citizens presented testimony last Friday afternoon. A public hearing regarding TC Energy's application for a pipeline construction permit was held in the district courtroom at the Holt County courthouse. Pipeline opponents, from elementary students to 90-year-old grandparents, packed the courtroom, filling approximately 100 seats, and spilled out to the second-floor hallway. Speakers were called in order of sign-up, which had begun in the morning...
The Holt County supervisors spent nearly two hours at a meeting last week, reviewing a road-haul agreement brought to the table by TC Energy representatives last October, paragraph by paragraph, despite having a new agreement drafted by Dave Domina in hand. The scrutiny came after Holt County attorney Brent Kelly presented a preliminary agreement drafted by the Omaha attorney who was hired by the county officials on a 4-2 vote Oct. 31, 2019, to negotiate a road-haul agreement with TC Energy. At Kelly’s suggestion, the supervisors held an execut...
Holt County citizens filled the county supervisors’ meeting room in the courthouse last Friday morning as the county leaders took care of business. Bryan Steskal of Steskal read a letter penned by his wife, Diana Steskal, who was unable to attend the meeting. In the letter, Steskal wrote the Holt County zoning board members denied TransCanada’s conditional use permit until two conditions are met, including one that requires obtaining easements. Many, she said will most likely be appealed. She also cited three federal court cases filed aga...
Bill Tielke and Steve Boshart will retain their leadership positions on the Holt County Board of Supervisors. Tielke was re-elected by his peers as chairman of the supervisors, while Boshart was re-elected to chair the board of equalization. Pursuant to traditional policy, the two leaders will serve as vice chair for each other. County clerk Cathy Pavel presided over the election process until a chairman was elected, then turned the gavel over to Tielke for the balance of the annual organization meeting Jan. 9, at the Holt County Courthouse. Pa...
The Holt County supervisors addressed cyber security at their final 2019 meeting. The leaders met Dec. 31 at the courthouse in O'Neill. Steve Anson with Anson Insurance Services was invited, by chairman Bill Tielke, to present information about insuring the county against "hacking" of county computers. Tielke indicated cyber security concerns were raised at a recent convention he had attended. "I don't think it's a matter that we can keep beating around the bush and not doing something about,"...
The Holt County supervisors met Monday, Dec. 16, in front of a crowd of concerned citizens. Agenda items regarding a TC Energy road-haul agreement and some township road concerns drew the visitors. The supervisors heard an update on a bronze statue planned for the courthouse lawn by the “Finian Women.” They are a group headed by daughters of longtime Holt County resident, Doc Cook, who referred to himself as a Finian, according to county clerk Cathy Pavel. Natalie Cook Butterfield addressed the leaders regarding fundraising and planned placemen...
