Holt County Suupervisors discuss force spraying for weed control

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 force spray," he said. "They feel it's bad business."

Babutzke expressed concern about how the cost of spraying will affect the department's budget.

"It's going to take a third or fourth of my budget," Babutzke said.

Holt County Clerk Cathy Pavel said the cost can be calculated into the budget.

Tielke said that would put the department over budget. He proceeded to ask if the budget contains a line item for force spraying.

According to Babutzke, $2,500 is allocated annually.

"We need to increase that in this year's budget," Tielke responded. "He can't use it unless it's a force spray."

The superintendent told supervisors he has documentation of all notices sent via mail and/or delivered by sheriff's department members.

"It's just been a mess all along," he said.

Babutzke reported he was contacted by the state auditor's office about tagging hay inspections. According to the auditor, supervisors will need to approve a resolution to purchase and sell tags.

Tielke said a resolution would be drawn up.

Two members of the Lake township board - Daryl Tomjack and Marty Larson - approached supervisors about possible payment for FEMA projects.

Larson said contractors had been fixing FEMA roads, getting materials from Emme Sand and Gravel and submitting bills to supervisors for payment.

"Somewhere in there, you stopped paying bills. Emme's were still sending invoices we took for copies," he said. "We never knew you set a deadline or stopped paying bills (for FEMA projects)."

According to Larson, several months passed before the township board was contacted about non-payment, sending up "a red flag."

"It's our opinion you guys own the FEMA projects and should pay the bills," Larson said.

Supervisor Steve Boshart said, "You assume we should pay them because it was part of the FEMA. Then why did you pay your contractor?"

Tomjack said the township did not pay the contractor.

Boshart asked Ron Bennetts, of O'Neill if he had received payment.

"The county paid me," he responded.

"Tomjack said the contractor was completing the work and sending bills to the county

"We weren't told those bills had to be turned in," Tomjack said. "We thought everything was being taken care of."

Supervisor Don Hahlbeck asked Road Superintendent Gary Connot why the county would not pay the bill.

Connot said bills were discussed last spring and had been submitted past the deadline.

"Ideally, we wanted the contractor to invoice us for the entire site," Connot said. "There were quite a few who did not do that so we had to piece the cost from gravel and contractors. That caused some confusion."

Connot noted that several claims were paid by the county.

"We are still sorting out the cost," he said.

Part of the confusion regarding the bills stem from the resignation of a township board member. According to Tomjack, Toby Knox resigned from the board but was still receiving bills.

"He assumed they were copies. I did not get them until the end of April. It was the first we knew about these," Tomjack said.

Larson said township board members determined the last bill sent, totaling $1,400, belongs to the township.

Boshart questioned whether board members were aware of the Sept. 1 deadline.

Bennetts said he was not. "We still had roads that were still under water."

Boshart asked a second time if the township or contractor were made aware of the deadline.

"Not until after the fact," Bennetts said.

Tielke replied that county officials should have held a meeting to review deadlines with the townships.

Connot said he was not aware of any communication being sent during August 2019.

"We did not send an official letter in August," he said.

According to Tielke, unless supervisors know townships were given a hard date, the county should pay the contractor and dirt bills.

Supervisor Doug Frahm made a motion to pay bills totaling $12,899.68. Robert Snyder seconded the motion.

Boshart asked fellow supervisors if they realized the bills will not be able to be submitted to FEMA.

"We're out. Just so everybody knows. We're out $12,000," he said.

The motion passed unanimously.

In other business, supervisors:

• approved payment of $146.41 for cleanup of a vehicle with tar damage after it traveled on a county road after road department personnel had performed maintenance;

• reviewed a bridge inspection proposal for $80 per bridge, which will be completed this fall, by Speece Lewis Engineers. Nearly 112 structures will be inspected. Updates, maintenance needs and deficiences will be recorded and photographed; and

• approved the lease of a 299D2XE Caterpillar Compact track loader, for $8,300 for one year, from NMC CAT of Norfolk.