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...
Holt County Supervisors approved the purchase of a new pickup, Monday, when they met in regular session at the courthouse in O'Neill. Deputy Ed Nordby presented a bid of $49,446 from Anderson Auto Group through the State of Nebraska purchasing Bureau. The new vehicle will be a 2024 Ford F150 Super Crew XLT 4x4, with a push bumper, full-length running boards and driver-side spotlight. Nordby said, "Sheriff Matchett has it in the budget." County Clerk Cathy Pavel said American Recovery Plan Act...
Holt County Supervisors gave the nod to VRDG, LLC, for construction of a commercial solar conversion system, following a public hearing held Monday in O'Neill. Opponents expressed concerns about setbacks, environmental issues and health concerns, while proponents touted the tax advantages, seeing the system as a way to keep the family farm viable. The 325-megawatt nameplate capacity site will cover 300 Holt County acres, with the balance of construction set to take place in Knox County. It is...
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...
A section of 510 Avenue, between 869th and 870th Road, will be the subject of a road study following action by Holt County supervisors, Feb. 5. The board accepted a petition to close/vacate the road and ordered county highway superintendent Gary Connot to conduct the study. The motion was unanimously approved, with the exception of supervisor Scott Keyes, who was absent. Supervisors also approved a lease for a skid steer, with NMC CAT, for $8,500 for one year or 250 hours. In other business,...
Two Antelope County commissioners will face opponents in the 2024 election. Incumbent Charlie Henery of Neligh, who serves District 4, will face Harlan Brandt, Republican. Matthew Klabenes has filed on the Democrat ticket. In District 2, incumbent Eli Jacob is the lone Republican running. Merlin Bolling, who registered on the Democratic ticket, also filed. One incumbent filed for reelection to the Summerland School Board. Nate Schwager, of Orchard, tossed his hat into the ring again. Three...
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...
Regulations regarding construction and operation of solar energy conversion systems were approved, Friday, when Holt County supervisors met in regular session. County planning and zoning administrator Marv Fritz provided an update via phone. According to Fritz, planning and zoning board members suggested using the property line as the setback because “it’s the cleanest.” “If it’s the property line, it only deals with a house. Any of the other stuff isn’t going to have an effect,” Fritz said. ...
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,...
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...
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....
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Local races in the 2020 general election may pique voters' attention this year. Holt County voters have until Friday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m., to request ballots by mail or fax a request to vote early in this year's election. Individuals may request a ballot in person by Nov. 2, at 5 p.m., at the Holt County Clerk's office in O'Neill. Holt County Clerk Cathy Pavel said 1,900 early voting requests have been received, as of Tuesday morning. All early voting ballots must be received by the county...
In what may well become Antelope County's first election by mail resulted in voter turnout of 47.62%, according to county clerk Lisa Payne. Of the 4,488 registered voters in the county, 2,137 individuals cast their choice for candidates, with 1,751 early voting ballots. Three hundred eighty-six were cast at polling sites across the county. Incumbent Eli Jacob, of Clearwater, received 153 votes for district two commissioner, while Bob Krutz, of Orchard, finished with 132 votes. Donald Lallier, of...
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...
