Supervisors learn about building repairs

Holt County Supervisors learned about multiple building updates and concerns when they met in regular session, July 17.

Courthouse custodian Rick Slaymaker presented estimates for three styles of windows available through Carhart Lumber.

Supervisors approved the purchase a wood core, double-hung Anderson windows, which will be installed. The cost was unavailable at press time.

Slaymaker said Holt County Deputy Ed Nordby requested a speckled garage floor paint, covered with a top coat, be used on all cement floors in the jail.

"I'm just mentioning that he wants to do that," he said.

Since the west entrance steps to the courthouse have been fixed, Slaymaker will paint stripes on the steps and finish dirt and grass work. The underground sprinkler system was damaged when the steps were installed.

"I could see that," supervisor Doug Frahm noted.

The elevator quit operating earlier this month after a motor failed and a door stuck open.

"We need new motors. We don't need them right away," Slaymaker said.

According to Holt County Clerk Cathy Pavel, a new computer board and door motors may also be necessary.

Chairman Bill Tielke asked when the elevator was installed.

According to Pavel, it went into operation in 2005.

The air conditioning and heat unit in the public defender's office quit recently s after a mixing valve failed.

"We have another one downstairs in a box so we'll swap it out," the custodian said.

A hot water valve stuck open in the jail and will need to be rebuilt.

"It's 87 years old so it's kind of hard to find parts for that stuff," Slaymaker said.

Concerns about a drain on the roof of above the jail's holding cell were shared. According to Slaymaker, the roof and drain are okay.

"Further inside, it's leaking. It's not sheet rock, so we'll have to cut a hole in that to get in there to see what's broke" he said.

A heater and AC unit quit working and an exhaust fan burned up bearings in the jail.

"I don't know if we got hit by lightning up there or what," Slaymaker said, noting he had reached the end of his list of concerns.

"Sounds like there's plenty of them," Tielke said.

Supervisors took care of other business including:

• Liquor license approval. Supervisors unanimously approved the application for Sheryl L. Winkler, to the Nebraska Liquor Commission, as the manager for O'Neill Lanes, LLC.

• Contract renewal. Following a presentation from North Central District Health Department Miles of Smiles coordinator Sara Twibell, supervisors approved renewal of a five-year commitment. Twibell said the health department was asking for $2 per child per semester, based on the number of potential students who could receive the service, to offset the cost of the program.

"We have a 45% total average of all our schools in the nine-county area," Twibell said.

In Holt County, potentially 1,159 children, ages 4 through 12, the district could see. About 44% of Holt County children utilize the program and received an oral screening.

NCDHD executive director Heidi Kulis said permission slips must be turned in for services to be rendered.

"Sara's done a good job of trying to make things more electronic. We've tried to progress with the times. There's a digital link parents can use," Kulis said.

• Listening session. Holt County resident Joe Pongratz requested a stop sign be erected at the intersection of 874 Road and 488 Avenue. Pongratz said he had spoken to the township board and they indicated they didn't oppose a stop sign.

Following a 28-minute discussion debating pros and cons of conducting a traffic study and determining it may boil down to an enforcement issue, supervisors agreed to conduct an engineering study.

"Every situation is different," Tielke said.

• New lease. Supervisors approved a government equipment rental agreement through Nebraska Machine Company with Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation on a 2023 289D3 Caterpillar compact track loader. For $8,500 for 12 months or 250 hours.