Supervisors discuss future of county government da

The structure of County Government Day in Holt County may have a different look next fall.

Suupervisor Doug Frahm said for a number of years, the local veterans service officer has assisted with organizing the day’s program.

“Ken (Stenka) doesn’t feel he has the responsibility or the time to do it anymore,” Frahm reported. “And he’s right, it’s not his program, it’s the American Legion’s program. He did volunteer to do it at the time ... before Arnold Hall, the county commander or a post took charge.”

Supervisors will need to select a specific day or time period for the program and several options are available. Some counties hold the program in March or April.

"I hope we don't throw the program down the drain. It is one of our youth programs and we get a lot of positive feedback from it. I also know it's a lot of work for the courthouse, so they're going to have to be on board or not," Frahm said.

County legion officials are looking at potential changes to the program, including the addition of more hands-on activities.

"We have some ideas we want to put it, nothing that will put more work on you guys (in the courthouse)," Frahm said.

County assessor TimWallinger suggested surveying teachers involved to get feedback and ideas.

Frahm said the program relies on participation from county offices.

Treasurer Shelly Ross said she has ideas for hands-on activities to give students real-world experience.

In the past, a guest speaker has spoken following lunch, although a speaker hasn't been included for the last several years.

"It's been a positive thing," clerk Cathy Pavel said.

Frahm said he would welcome ideas for programming.

"We're looking for new ideas," he said.

In other business, supervisors:

• accepted an interlocal agreement for the provision of cooperative extenion services between Holt County and the University of Nebraska Board of Regents;

• approved an interlocal agreement for extension services for Holt and Boyd counties and the board of regents;

• set a special meeting date of Dec. 6, at 4:30 p.m., to consider a real estate purchase agreement between the county and O'Neill Public School District;

• added the "Summerland Advocate-Messenger" as another legal newspaper for the county, in addition to the "Holt County Independent" and "Atkinson Graphic"; and

• accepted the Holt County audit report for July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.