Antelope County commissioner fined for official misconduct

Antelope County commissioner Eli Jacob, 66, of Clearwater was sentenced Wednesday morning in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh.

The Honorable Donna Taylor fined Jacob $500 and ordered him to pay $50 costs for his conviction of official misconduct.

The case involved accusations that Jacob took a heating unit from the Orchard county barn Jan. 1, 2019. He pleaded no contest to the Class 2 misdemeanor last month after reaching a plea deal with special Antelope County prosecutor Joseph Smith. Smith told the judge that the heater had been removed from the Orchard location and taken to Jacob’s personal shop. It was returned to the Orchard shop, according to Smith, after an investigation into the allegations.

An investigation was conducted by the Nebraska State Patrol after the incident was reported. The county commissioners voted at their Feb. 12, 2019, meeting, unanimously (including Jacob), to engage Woods & Aitken LLC to conduct an independent investigation, and subsequently voted to make the firm’s findings public.

A theft by unlawful taking, less than $500, charge was filed by Smith at the conclusion of the investigation. Jacob pleaded not guilty March 6, 2019. He was represented by Jason Doele of Norfolk.

Jacob had been employed by the county road department for 10 years, beginning in March 2009. He was elected to the board of commissioners in November 2016, taking office in January 2017, serving District 2 that includes the Orchard shop.

Prior to his taking the oath of office, members of what was then the board of supervisors questioned Pam Bourne with the Nebraska Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency regarding his status as a road employee. At that time, Bourne advised she knew of no reason his employment would have to be terminated when he took office.

His employment with the road department was terminated by the board of commissioners following an executive session May 7, 2019, with no reason made public.

He retains his position as a commissioner and has filed for re-election. He will be challenged by two Orchard candidates, Donald Lallier and Bob Krutz, according to Antelope County clerk Lisa Payne.