County employees granted floating holiday following National Day of Mourning

Since Antelope County Courthouse offices were open Jan. 9 on the National Day of Mourning, in honor of the death of former President Jimmy Carter, employees will receive a floating holiday.

During a Jan. 7 meeting, commissioners approved a motion outlining the decision to remain open on Jan. 9, with a floating holiday for all county employees to be used by Feb 28.

Antelope County Clerk Lisa Payne said since it’s a federal holiday, the state follows suit in declaring the holiday.

“Our motion last January said if a federal holiday is declared, we will follow suit,” she said.

Chairman Charlie Henery agreed.

“In our policy manual, it says if feds do a holiday, we have to do a holiday.”

Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith said he didn’t feel the day of mourning qualifies as a holiday since it is not a recurring day.

“My opinion is you can do it either way,” Smith said.

Payne said courts were not going to close. County assessor Kelly Mueller-Oltjenbruns noted that all state offices will be closed.

“So basically, if you need to get anything from Lincoln, they’ll be closed,” Henery said.

Payne said several counties planned to work with a skeleton crew and give employees who work a floating holiday.

After approximately 20 minutes of discussion, commissioners approved the motion.