Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Holt County Supervisors approved a resolution declaring the county a Second Amendment sanctuary during the board’s March 16 meeting in O’Neill. The resolution cites U.S. Supreme Court cases upholding an individual’s right to possess firearms and notes Article 1, Section 1-1, of the Nebraska constitution providing “All persons have certain inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep and bear arms for the security or defense of self, f...
Holt County Supervisors may declare its support of the Second Amendment of the U.S. and Nebraska constitutions during the governing body's March 16 meeting. Holt County Attorney Brent Kelly told supervisors, during the board's Feb. 26 meeting at the Holt County Courthouse, other counties have passed similar resolutions. "Basically, it's declaring this board's support for the Second Amendment ... If the state passes a law, it would preempt what you're doing. I don't have any problem with you...
Holt County Supervisors gave the nod to 33 projects with an estimated price tag of $25.9 million, during a Feb. 16 hearing for the county’s one- and six-year road plan. The plan includes bridge replacement and repairs, overlay projects and culvert replacement across the county. The Ewing area will see improvements after several projects are completed. A .2-mile stretch near the intersection of 848 Road and 509 Avenue feature a bridge replacement estimated at $400,000. A five-mile stretch of c...
Shelly Ross really treasures her new job. The 48-year-old took over the duties of the Holt County treasurer Jan. 19 and was officially sworn into office Feb. 1. The board of supervisors appointed Ross on Jan. 7 to the elected position's current four-year term that runs through December 2022. She took over as the full-time treasurer from Connie Krotter, who had served in the O'Neill-based position for 15 years. "My new role is going well," Ross said. "We have an excellent staff in our office,...
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...
After approximately 15 years as the Holt County treasurer, Connie Krotter will leave public office and take a position in the private sector. Her resignation will be effective Jan. 15. Krotter submitted a letter of resignation during Monday's Holt County Supervisors meeting. Chairman Bill Tielke read the letter to fellow supervisors. The announcement was met by surprise from members of the board. Krotter said she has been blessed and humbled to serve the county for 15 years. "I worked with a...
The voters of Holt County have spoken by casting ballots in the 2020 general election. Important local races, combined with a battle for the White House, brought 78.6% of the county's registered voters to select their choices for leadership positions. County clerk and election commissioner, Cathy Pavel, said of the county's 7,144 registered voters, 5,615 voted. "Early voters totaled 2,163 and 3,462 individuals voted at the polls. Very busy all day with voting," Pavel said. Vote counts for local...
Holt County Board of Adjustment members unanimously upheld a previous decision, made by county supervisors, to deny a pipeline application permit, until TC Energy agrees to follow proposed conditions. The decision was announced Thursday, when the board reconvened a meeting that started Oct. 30. The meeting lasted approximately 45 minutes. In February, Holt County supervisors voted to deny the permit, until conditions laid out by the county planning commission are met, noting TC Energy must have...
After representing District one as a Holt County Supervisor for 18 years, Don Hahlbeck has made a final motion: retirement. Hahlbeck was scheduled to leave for Texas, Saturday. Hahlbeck submitted a letter announcing his retirement during the supervisors' Aug. 17 meeting. Holt County Clerk Cathy Pavel placed notice announcing the vacancy in the county's official publications. Applications were accepted, with eight individuals showing interest. Pavel, along with Holt County Treasurer Connie Krotte...
A decision on an appeal regarding TC Energy's application for a pipeline construction permit in Holt County will wait a little longer. Following nearly 3 and one-half hours of testimony by 60 individuals during a public hearing Oct. 29, at O'Neill's community center, the Holt County board of adjustment recessed until Thursday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m. In February, Holt County supervisors voted to deny the permit, until conditions laid out by the county planning commission, are met. In denying the permi...
Holt County Supervisors approved fixing a drainage issue on the corner of 496 Avenue and 871 road, approximately two miles east of O'Neill. Whether Grattan Township will assist with costs for the upgrade wasn't immediately clear during the board's Oct. 15 meeting at the Holt County Courthouse meeting room. Road superintendent, Gary Connot, said concerns surfaced approximately one and one-half years ago, when homes in the area were impacted by surface and subsurface water. County road department...
The Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts released results of Holt County’s annual audit late last month. The report covers July 2019 through June 2020 and includes numerous areas of concern for internal control that were listed in a letter sent to the county board of supervisors Sept. 25. The report is a matter of public record and is posted on the APA’s website. Deann Haeffner, APA assistant deputy auditor, noted in the letter that the report is “critical in nature” as it addresses areas noted for improvement and does not include observa...
NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING HOLT COUNTY BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS October 21, 2020 Notice is hereby given that the regular meeting of the Holt County Board of Adjustments will be held, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, at 9 a.m., at the Holt County Courthouse Board of Supervisors meeting room, 204 North 4th, O’Neill. The meeting will be open to the public. The current agenda is kept continuously current and shall be available for public inspection at the office of the County Clerk in the Holt County Courthouse, O’Neill, Nebraska. /s/Gene Kelly Holt Cou...
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING HOLT COUNTY BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS October 29, 2020 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Holt County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing, Oct. 29, 2020, at 4 p.m., in the O’Neill Community Center, O’Neill, Nebraska. This meeting will be open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to hear public comment on the TC Energy Pipeline Construction Permit Application Appeal in Holt County, Nebraska /s/Gene Kelly Holt County Board of Adjustments Chairman Publish October 8 and October 15, 2020 ZNEZ...
istory, the Holt County Board of Adjustment held an organizational meeting, Sept. 24, to elect a chairman and set parameters for an Oct. 29 public hearing on the TC Energy pipeline construction permit application appeal. O’Neill resident Gene Kelly was selected chairman and presided over the meeting, which ran approximately two hours. Board members opted to hold the hearing at the O’Neill Community Center, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., with sign-up scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. A list of cri...
Holt County Supervisors tackled a light agenda when they met in regular session, Sept. 16. Holt County Treasurer Connie Krotter presented a list of personal property taxes and asked the governing board for approval to strike three parcels from the county’x tax rolls. Parcels #0010003395, 0450000275 and 10000027, totaling $642.96, were removed due to no property to levy in Holt County, perusant to Nebraska state statute. Steve Boshart made the motion, with a second by Don Hahlbeck. The motion car...
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...
Holt County Supervisors spent nearly one hour discussing force spraying, conducted by the Holt County Weed Department, during the board's July 16 meeting. Superintendent Bill Babutzke told the supervisors more than 120 inspections have been completed across the county. One property, consisting of approximatley 900 acres, will require a force spraying for leafy spurge and musk thistles. The price tag could tally between $20,000 and $30,000. "There's not a plane out there that will do it. Not a...
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 reviewed and set new parameters for daily meal reimbursement when they met at the courthouse in O’Neill last Tuesday, June 16. Staff working outside the county will be allowed $10 for breakfast, $12 for lunch and $16 for dinner/supper. The motion was made by supervisor Steve Boshart, seconded by supervisor Doug Frahm and carried on a 6-0 vote, with supervisor Don Hahlbeck absent. Mike Zakrzewski of O’Neill was appointed to the board of adjustments, with Jim Hubel of Ewing, Mark Rossman and Barb Steskal of Atk...
The Holt County board of supervisors approved more than $60,000 in courthouse maintenance projects when they met there May 29. On a motion by supervisor Bob Snyder, the leaders unanimously approved a proposal from Beckenhauer Construction for several maintenance projects at the courthouse. The proposal included replacement of a metal door and frame for $21,165; cleaning and painting 26 window frames for $22,825; and clean and paint the metal stairs for $19,085. Steve and Janene Peterson addressed the board regarding ongoing drainage issues...
The Holt County supervisors approved purchase of a vehicle for the sheriff’s department, when they met at the courthouse in O’Neill on May 18. The lease-purchase through the Nebraska Association of Counties Leasing Corporation, was approved by resolution, in an amount not to exceed $26,900, with an interest rate of not more that 2.5%. The supervisors unanimously approved a $2,722,583 bid from Knife River Midwest from Sioux City, Iowa, for asphalt overlay projects near Page, Emmet and Stuart. Knife River was the only bidder. Proposals from 10...
The Holt County courthouse, annex and road department office are set to reopen next week. The county offices, which have had restricted access since March, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume normal operations June 8, according to county clerk Cathy Pavel. The county board of supervisors, when they voted to reopen, left use of masks and social-distancing measures to the discretion of the respective official or department head of each office. The supervisors will convene as a board of equalization to hear property valuation protests June...
