Commissioners move toward bonding asphalt road work

Antelope County commissioners approved an upgrade to security technology at the Antelope County Jail when they met at the courthouse in Neligh last week.

After hearing some security-sensitive information during an executive session called on the advice of county attorney Joe Abler, the board heard a presentation by Rick Scheer with Control Masters, an Omaha technology company.

Scheer said Control Masters is one of just a few companies in the country that provide corrections’ electronic services and he was asked to resolve some security equipment issues at the jail by sheriff Bob Moore, who then inquired about upgrade processes.

“In detention electronics, you have HMI, human machine interface … touchscreen. Somebody pushes a button on the intercom, it pops up on the touchscreen (monitor), they hit that button and a whole series of events starts. You have a couple of those stations in the jail that are due for an upgrade,” Scheer said. “We can meet with everybody that’s going to use it and say, ‘What works? What doesn’t work? What would make your life easier? What would make it safer to run the facility?’ Then we program, we reprogram all those controls, we have a meeting again and present it to the owner and say, ‘Is this exactly what you want?’ If yes, then we proceed to do the install.”

With an estimated “worst-case” cost of $84,702, proposed upgrades would result in two systems that can run concurrently, as well as an increase in storage, from seven to 48 terabytes. Staff training is also included.

“The cost could come down as he finds things that are usable still, and that was the unique thing in finding him,” Moore said.

Scheer said the current video system is at the end of manufacturer support.

“The good news about all this is your big pieces, your PLC as it’s called, your programable logic controller, is fine. It’s an Omron, it’s a great system…I’ve never seen one fail and the guys I work with, in 30 years maybe have seen one or two fail…At some point, you might look at upgrading the firmware on that, but that’s not necessary for what you are doing right now, and those are the big expensive pieces - really expensive pieces.”

He said he was a phone call away, in addition to working with Ed Knott from Applied Connective Technologies in Albion, for any issues that may arise.

A motion was made by commissioner Carolyn Pedersen, seconded by commissioner Eli Jacob.

An item placed on the agenda by Pedersen to address use of the controversial 2940 account, the Law Enforcement Center Fund, was tabled until June 23. Pedersen said a resolution to provide guidance on how the funds are used, should have been adopted when the account was created, but never had been.

“It has become an arguing point for too long and it’s time to get it settled,” she said.

Listed on the agenda as “discussion, guidance and motion (or resolution),” the matter was introduced by commission chair Charlie Henery, who asked county clerk Lisa Payne to read a resolution that had been drafted by Abler.

Other commissioners had not been provided a copy nor seen the document. Payne was asked to provide copies to all commissioners. They were then asked by Henery for a motion to approve the resolution, with none offered.

The leaders made some steps toward resolving the county’s road woes.

The commissioners unanimously approved a Krebs motion, seconded by Pedersen, to have bond attorneys prepare a resolution that will authorize issuance of up to $6 million dollars in bond loans.

Tobin Buchanan with First National Capital Markets presented a brief overview of highway allocation fund bonds and addressed commissioner questions.

He said the type of bond is attractive to investors because they can see the county gets “a little above $1.8 million a year” in state allocation funds, that are available as security for bond payback.

He provided snapshots of terms for a $6 million bond with 10-, 15- and 20-year maturity dates, to show how much the annual debt service would be on principal and interest.

Buchanan said the county can opt to use other resources for payment of the debt service and provided possible levy impact figures as well.

Addressing Henery’s worry that the county would not be able to accomplish the entire amount of work in a single year, Buchanan said there are two approaches, dependent on the type of bond resolution adopted. A bond can be issued for a lesser amount, with a new resolution to be required for future bonds or the county may adopt a resolution that would include parameters including up to $6 million in bonds to be issued in “one or more series” over time.

“The resolution will be parameters, so it might say 20 years, that doesn’t mean by passing it you have to have that decision that day, you can still do 10 and 15,” he said. “If that parameter says $6 million, you can do ($2 million) under that parameter. It just establishes the authority for you to issue within, kind of a ceiling of parameters.”

Commissioner Dean Smith said, “I guess I’m not going to get real tied up in if we decide to issue a $2 million and we only get $1 million worth of work done this year and we don’t get the rest of it done ‘til next year…Aaron (road superintendent Boggs) knows that next April, ‘I have the ability to start doing all of this, until I get it done,’ rather than like he is, even yet now, this far into the season, still wondering for sure what he can do.”

Henery said he was not comfortable issuing bonds without a plan in place to eliminate more oil roads.

“Passing a resolution doesn’t obligate you, you don’t owe anybody any money or anything like that, it really just allows everything to get ready,” Buchanan said.

“I think we have to see if we can have it ready to go on (June 23)” said Krebs. “We got to keep this moving, or we won’t get anything done this summer.”

Jacob concurred, “We need to get started on these roads.”

The commissioners also heard from a taxpayer.

“Do you guys have a real feel for the county, how people feel about bonds and basically going in debt and overspending, throw $85,000 in a brand new jail just like nothing, and now we’re talking bonds, you guys can do this without a vote of the people I guess,” said Tom Kester of Clearwater. “It’s costing more money in the long run, instead of staying within your budget.”

Smith said he was looking for a way to get oiled roads fixed faster and keep road employees at work taking care of gravel roads, without increasing the tax impact on taxpayers. He said the levy could remain the same, by keeping what was to be a one-time increase of two cents imposed last year to repair flood damaged roads. He estimated .43 cents in levy per million dollars debt, to pay the bond off in 10 years.

“A couple meetings ago I kind of asked for a show of hands how everybody would feel about a bond to do the roads and I guess I didn’t get a negative response,” he said. “I would like to hear your input…I’m glad you came and that’s what I want to hear.”

Former road superintendent Casey Dittrich said $750,000 was budgeted for asphalt roads repairs last year and opined half of a $6 million bond payment could be made from the road department budget by eliminating patching costs. Construction of a new road, on land purchased from Ron and Jeanne Crumly in the northern part of the county, is on hold while road department heads await word from FEMA on funding. Construction was anticipated as an alternate project with funds received from FEMA for two area bridges damaged during the 2019 flood.

Boggs, when asked by Smith at the May 11 meeting, said work was set to begin the following week. Last week the commissioners learned work had not yet begun, when they were asked to authorize advertising for bids on the Weinrich bridge that lost approaches during the flood.

Dittrich told the commissioners the county had received two “determination memos” from FEMA regarding bridges. The Weinrich bridge was one of them. FEMA indicated a tree in the channel may have led to loss of the approach to the bridge.

“Brian (McDonald) said that this had absolutely nothing to do with it,” Dittrich said. “Brian is confident that they will stand behind that project and they will fund the north bridge.”

The second bridge is one of the two that are the source for funding for the road construction. According to Dittrich, the project is under review by FEMA due to a report filed by a third-party engineer after an inspection a few years ago that indicated rotting plank.

“They didn’t say we had to have action on it, but we don’t have any proof of any maintenance since then,” he said.

If the project is not approved by FEMA, cost of constructing the new roadway will come from the road department’s budget.

Dittrich explained, “We can build that road a lot cheaper if we do it ourselves, but it’s going to be pulling our guys off a project.”

The commissioners voted unanimously to advertise for bids for the Weinrich bridge, on a Smith motion.

The county received letters, dated May 27, from Nebraska Emergency Management Agency stating the state portion of two FEMA claims is under consideration, and the 75% FEMA payments were being processed, in amounts of $76,644.31 and $68,594.42.

TC Energy’s Dan Forbes and Lenisha Cummings were back at the table to present an amended road-use agreement and map, including provisions for dust control. The documents, which were received by Abler, Dittrich and Boggs the previous evening, and by the commissioners, during the meeting, included several items that did not meet county approval. Forbes and Cummings agreed to make additional changes, including the addition of approximately 15 miles of oil road along with a preconstruction survey; answers to 20 denied access permits; a plan for upgrades to several minimum maintenance roads or their removal from the agreement; and a change in verbiage for the dust control measures, as recommended by Abler.

The additional oil roads - Neligh Pierce Road, Copenhagen Road and a county line road between Pierce and Madison counties and Antelope County - are expected to encounter high volumes of pipeline traffic as workers travel from a proposed residential site at Plainview to locations in the southern portion of the pipeline project.

“I’m kind of looking for some backing from the board for adding those stretches of miles we requested several times, kind of kick around, then it comes back without ‘em on the map,” Dittrich said. “The other option is to set up policing and start fining, I would rather set it up for success.”

Henery suggested an amended agreement be presented the first meeting in July, with board action at the second July meeting.

“We need to get this thing underway,” he said.

David Owenby with Invenergy asked the commissioners to schedule a public hearing July 2, regarding a request for abandonment of county right of way.

“The project is looking to pursue a right-of-way abandonment on 841 Road, (between Holt County line and 511 Avenue, per agenda),” he said.

County clerk Lisa Payne old Owenby, “I think Joe Abler is telling us that we need to present a petition…the petition needs to come from you.”

Judy Cole and Angie Mortensen addressed the commissioners regarding appointment of Cole’s replacement as clerk of the district court. Cole reminded them her last day is June 30 and there are jury trials scheduled in July.

“Especially with the coronavirus stuff, and they are talking about having jury selection in a different facility and then coming up here and so there is going to have to be more than one person involved in this,” Cole said. “It’s kind of like crunch time as far as having only one person in the office.”

Payne said three applications had been received, but no interviews had been scheduled. Henery suggested conducting interviews during the June 23 meeting and appointing Mortensen as interim clerk. Abler advised that Mortensen, as deputy, would automatically act as clerk in the interim.

“But, you guys have to appoint and hire a clerk of the district court to take that office officially, that’s why you have the applications,” he said. “Angie, as an interim, will not be able to do it herself.”

A special meeting was set June 16, restricted to interview applicants and appointment of a clerk of the district court.

A single application was received for the position of county emergency manager that was advertised following the resignation of Moore from the position. Although indicating no interest in a voluntary position, Dittrich indicated interest should the board decide to make it a compensated position.

Rick Schuchardt of Elgin was appointed to the Antelope County Visitor’s Committee.

Members of the Antelope County Library Association presented annual library reports and the commissioners heard a request to increase funding by $500 each. Henery said the request would be considered during budget discussion.

Commissioners voted to allow the extension office to move its old office copier to the fair grounds for use by the county ag society and by the extension staff during the county fair activities.

Commissioners approved two access permits for Freys, one from 534 Avenue in Elm Township that had been tabled last week, and one from 526 Avenue in Neligh Township.

Eleven underground permits were approved for Invenergy, eight access permits and two right-of-way trenches, all contingent on Dittrich’s final inspection.

Boggs presented resolution drafts dealing with interlocal agreements with towns and adjoining counties and trees and crops growing in county right of way. He asked the leaders to review the resolutions and make notations for what they would like added.

Minutes of the May 5 meeting that were tabled the previous week for corrections, and minutes of the June 2 meeting, were both approved on 4-1 votes, with Smith voting nay. Approval of the May 23 meeting minutes were tabled for a second time.