Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Guests at Niobrara State Park in northeastern Nebraska have new ways to enjoy their visit. Liz and Gary Doerr of Creighton have designed and placed about 60 geocaches at the park, allowing visitors to use their GPS systems or phones to discover hidden treasures – containers of various shapes and sizes holding a logbook and, sometimes, small trinkets for trade. Geocaching is an outdoor activity available across the world, and the Doerrs have helped make sure it has a strong presence at N...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska January 10, 2023 Vice chairperson opened the meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Approved payroll. Approved vendor claims. General: AMERITAS LIFE INS CORP ins 18,615.51; ANTELOPE CO COURT ex 160.00; ANTELOPE CO SHRF ex 198.51; APPEARA ex 36.31; APPLIED CONN TECH ex 4,013.64; BLACK HILLS ENERGY ut 1,960.45; BCBS ins 77,750.80; BOB BARKER CO ex 179.96; BOMGAARS ex 230.19; DEBORAH BRANSTITER ex 29.49; CASEYS ex 582.87; CITY OF NELIGH ut 5,...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska April 12, 2022 Chairman opened meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Held minutes from April 5, 2022 BOC meeting. Pledge collateral was reviewed. Correspondence was reviewed. Treasurer fund balance and revenue report; sheriff fee reports were reviewed. Approved payroll. Approved vendor claims: General: AFLAC ins 850.00; AMERITAS LIFE INS CORP ins 16,663.18; ANTELOPE CO COURT ex 169.00; ACN ex 50.00; ANTELOPE CO SHERIFF ex 281.34; APPEARA...
PROCEEDINGS ANTELOPE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Neligh, Nebraska Sept. 14, 2021 Notice of meeting published as required by statute. A complete record of these minutes, as well as all resolutions and agreements, are on file at the county clerk’s office and are open to the public. Chairman opened meeting. Approved agenda. Minutes of Sept. 7 BOC meeting were approved. Pledge collateral and correspondence were reviewed. Review of claims. Approved payroll. Approved township claim. Zoning administrator: Planning and zoning meeting and CUP h...
The hunt for a new Antelope County zoning administrator is on, again. Jenn Kester, of Clearwater, was appointed to the part-time position at the June 22 commissioners’ meeting. Under the mentorship of former zoning administrator Liz Doerr, Kester oversaw planning meetings and presented the findings at two conditional use permit hearings earlier this month. Commissioners learned of her decision to resign from the position at the Aug. 2 meeting in Neligh. “I have resigned from the zoning adm...
Notice of meeting published as required by statute. A complete record of these minutes, as well as all resolutions and agreements, are on file at the County Clerk’s office and are open to the public. Chairman opened meeting. Notice of meeting published as required by statute. Approved agenda. Approved minutes of the March 2, 2021, and April 6, 2021 BOC meetings. Approved payroll. Approved vendor claims: General: AMERICAN FAMILY LIFE ASSUR ins, 779.88; AMERITAS LIFE INS CORP ins, 14,901.58; ANTELOPE CO COURT ex, 136.00; ANTELOPE CO SHERIFF e...
Antelope County has a new weed superintendent. The path to hiring for the position met a thorny obstacle along the way. Antelope County Commissioners' Chairman Charlie Henery said, during a Jan. 5 meeting, "The young man we proposed to hire declined." Brian Benson, of Neligh, was initially offered the position during the Dec. 8 commissioners meeting. He declined to accept the job. Bryan Cornett, of Oakdale, was the only other applicant for the full-time weed superintendent's position, which open...
Antelope County is looking into improving courthouse security to better protect its employees. County treasurer Deb Branstiter spoke to the board of commissioners Tuesday, Oct. 13, about purchasing and installing new security windows and related items for various offices inside the courthouse in Neligh. "I recently traveled to Cedar County and Knox County," Branstiter said. "In June, I called six different contractors and got varying responses." Representatives from Glass Edge Inc. of Norfolk...
As the 2020-2021 fiscal year neared its second month, Antelope County leaders started their annual budget work with a special workshop meeting last week at the courthouse in Neligh. The budget must be submitted to the state by Sept. 20, with a public hearing required prior to its adoption. Although values won't be certified until later in the month, Assessor Kelly Meuller-Oltjenbruns has unofficially reported about a 3% decrease in valuation countywide. Commissioners reviewed department's...
The Antelope County commissioners voted, last week, to issue $3 million in bonds to repair county roads. All five commissioners voted aye to a motion made by commissioner Carolyn Pedersen, seconded by commissioner Eli Jacob, late in an eight-hour meeting at the courthouse in Neligh on July 14. Proceeds from bonds will allow county employees to complete projects totaling more than $2.5 million yet this calendar year, road superintendent Aaron Boggs told the Advocate-Messenger. "Big-money" overlay...
Antelope County commissioners worked a little closer to resolving a plethora of road issues last week, although no decision was reached for bonding more work. The bulk of the July 7 meeting at the courthouse in Neligh was dedicated to county roads, in one form or another. After clearing the agenda of other business and more than an hour of discussion with road superintendent Aaron Boggs, an unofficial agreement was reached, giving Boggs direction to move forward with work on four heavily...
Charlie Henery, chairman of the Antelope County board of commissioners, told his peers, when they met at the courthouse last Tuesday, June 2, that the condition of a road north of Clearwater embarrassed him. Discussion on 854 Road began as commissioner Eli Jacob asked the road superintendent his timeline for grinding a two mile stretch of 516 Avenue, from Clearwater north to the cemetery. Road boss Aaron Boggs said he first needed to know "where we're going with it." "Well, we either have to...
The Antelope County commissioners are considering a bond to finance extensive road repairs. “I think a big topic at this meeting will be what we will do with our oil roads, after our discussion last week,” commissioner Dean Smith said during the commissioners’ May 11 meeting at the courthouse in Neligh. He had contacted Tobin Buchanan with First National Capital Markets, who had previously worked with the county, to inquire about bond terms to finance potential major repair costs, “to look at options on how we are going to go forward with th...
After seeking advice from county attorney Joe Abler, the Antelope County commissioners approved issuing a COVID-19 pandemic disaster declaration for Antelope County, beginning Jan. 31, and continuing, per recommendation of the Nebraska Association of County Officials. The attorney was called after county clerk, Lisa Payne, suggested the declaration be backdated to January. After further discussion and Abler's input, the declaration was approved unanimously and dated April 14, but covered...
June 30 retirement of longtime Antelope County clerk of the district court, Judy Cole was announced during the April 14 meeting of the Antelope County commissioners. The meeting was held via video conference, with commissioner Eli Jacob and chairman Charlie Henery present in the meeting room, along with clerk Lisa Payne. Commissioners Dean Smith, Regina Krebs and Carolyn Pedersen participated remotely via Zoom. Sheriff Bob Moore, county attorney Joe Abler, zoning administrator Liz Doerr and...
Bobbi Riser, Region 11 emergency manager, addressed the Antelope County commissioners at their Jan. 14 meeting. She said the Region 11 board had voted at their Dec. 12 meeting to cover the insurance cost for the NRIN equipment, leaving electricity to the tower being the only expense to the county. NRIN is a statewide communication system for law enforcement agencies, with cost of equipment and installation covered by the state. Riser also told the commissioners the county had been awarded a $1,000 grant through Emergency Preparedness program....
Charlie Henery was elected as chair of the Antelope County commissioners for 2020, when they met last week. Henery takes the gavel from Dean Smith, who took on the chairman duties when the former chair was removed from office. Regina Krebs, who was appointed to the board in October 2019, was elected vice chair. Henery and Krebs were each the only nominee for their positions, nominated by commissioners Eli Jacob and Carolyn Pedersen, respectively. Reorganization of the board was delayed until...
An old problem returned to the Antelope County commissioners’ table when the leaders gathered for the first 2020 meeting at the courthouse in Neligh last week. Judy Wilcox, accompanied by her husband, Dave Wilcox, was there to discuss wind turbine “ice sling policy.” County zoning administrator Liz Doerr also addressed the leaders regarding a Christmas Day icing event. Doerr described procedures followed, after she received notice from Commission chair Dean Smith and Wilcox. She referenced a text message from Smith, indicating numerous turbi...
Antelope County zoning administrator Liz Doerr issued 168 permits in 2020, according a summary she presented to county commissioners Jan. 7. Permits issued generated more than $44,000 in revenue for the county, including $250 in late fees. The value of non-wind turbine permitted projects was projected at just shy of $4 million. By township, building permits issued include: Blaine, one permit, with estimated value of $150; Burnett, two permits, $305,000; Cedar, four, $100,200; Clearwater, three, $32,700; Crawford, two, $400,000; Custer, three,...
Antelope County Commissioners adopted a new snow removal policy when they met last Tuesday at the courthouse in Neligh. Casey Dittrich, road superintendent, presented the policy that he and road foreman Aaron Boggs have been drafting over the past few weeks, with input from Tim Baxter from the Nebraska Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency, the county’s liability-insurance carrier. Input also came from road crew members and, according to Dittrich, has the “blessing” of county attorney Joe Abler. The policy establishes protocol for the order...
With a full board seated at the table, the Antelope County commissioners addressed dust issues on a county road for the second week in a row. Commissioners Carolyn Pedersen and Regina Krebs, who were appointed to fill vacancies the week prior, were sworn into office by Linda Mitchell, Antelope County court magistrate, prior to the nearly six-hour meeting at the courthouse in Neligh last Tuesday, Nov. 12. Tension appeared as issues arose regarding timing of agenda disbursement to commissioners,...
Dean Smith of Brunswick presided over his first meeting as chairman of the Antelope County commissioners last Tuesday, moving to the position from vice chairman after the former chair was removed from office. Two new commissioners had not yet been appointed, leaving Smith, Charlie Henery and Eli Jacob as seated board members to take care of business. The board addressed issues related to a road included in the Thunderhead wind farm road-use agreement. Listed on the agenda under the road...
The Antelope County Commissioners worked through their agenda in short order Oct. 8, at the Neligh courthouse, authorizing claims and payroll before hearing Casey Dittrich's road report and a complaint that had been posted on social media. "We had some complaints about south of Clearwater, grinding up the road," Dittrich said. "I reached out to some of the people who started a post on Facebook that's gained a lot of attraction," he said. The road in question is 846 Road, from the bridge...
Drama unfolded once again and the county attorney was called in for advice at a meeting of the Antelope County commissioners at the Neligh courthouse last Tuesday, Oct. 1. The final item on the agenda, taxpayer concerns/general comment/Regina Krebs, was moved up. Krebs assists various county officials and subdivisions with budget preparation and, in her capacity as a certified public accountant, has conducted audits of public entities, including Antelope County in years past. She introduced...
Attendees at the Sept. 10 Antelope County Commissioners' meeting at Neligh's courthouse found new accommodations for hearing county business. A new sound system, including microphones in front of each commissioner, County Clerk Lisa Payne and at the witness table, had been installed. Commissioner Dean Smith acknowledged Invenergy officials for the donation. "I think it is much needed, I have always felt that it was. I appreciated you doing that for the county," he said. "I think it will be a...
