Submitted by Mary Kay Schultejans, County Clerk

The Board of Nemaha County Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, June 13, in the Commissioner’s Room of the Nemaha County Courthouse. The meeting was called to order with Chairman Dylan Keim leading the flag salute. Present also were Commissioners Jason Koch and Gary Scoby, and County Clerk Mary Kay Schultejans recording the minutes.

Department Reports

Road and Bridge/Solid Waste Supervisor Adam Kuckelman, along with Office Manager Kathy Haverkamp, advised the board that:

• The guys are blade patching again today. Kuckelman stated that they are working on the Goff-Oneida Road right now. Kuckelman also stated they will be finished with all blade patching this week.

• They may start chipping and sealing roads this week. Kuckelman stated he plans to chip and seal 22 miles of road in the county this year.

• The contractor plans to start the Bern-Sabetha Road overlay project around July 4.

• They will be replacing Bridge U-31 in Wetmore Township with a seven-foot tube.

• The county’s share of the 80/20 bridge project with the State of Kansas to replace Bridge N-5 has increased. The board advised Kuckelman to go ahead with this project.

• Kuckelman has hired Cameron Swart as a truck driver for the Road and Bridge Department. Swart will begin work for the county on July 5 at a rate of pay of $18.43 per hour.

Register of Deeds Roxann Holthaus came before the board to share quotes she received with the commissioners to microfilm some records in her office. The commissioners advised Holthaus to get additional quotes of what it would cost if the companies did not work through the night.

Emergency Preparedness Director Eddie Aldrine advised the board that:

• He had bids to share with the commissioners for new tires for the Emergency Preparedness truck. Following discussion, the commissioners approved the bid from Commercial Tire Solutions in the amount of $844 for four new tires with installation. Keim abstained from the vote.

• Aldrine is working on getting the agreement for use of the Visser Tower renewed.

• The Kelly tornado siren is currently inoperative. Aldrine stated that Haug Communications is working on this issue.

• Aldrine will be attending a KEMA meeting in Basehor on June 14.

• He helped the Marshall County Emergency Preparedness Director over the weekend following the tornadoes in that area.

Undersheriff Bob Cross advised the board that:

• They booked three individuals into the jail this past week.

• They are currently holding four inmates in the jail.

• They cleaned debris off of the roof of the new jail recently to make sure it continues to drain well after rains.

• They need to pick up an inmate in Missouri on drug charges sometime soon.

• A taser training class was held this past week for officers.

Senior Services/Public Transit Director Tammy Epple came before the board to request the hiring of an additional relief driver in the Transportation Department. The board agreed to allow Epple to advertise for this position at this time. Epple also requested to use the bus in the Nemaha County Fair Parade. The commissioners agreed to this request as well. Epple presented quotes she received for new furniture for the office. The board voted 2-1 to approve a payment of up to $10,500 for the county’s share of the cost of the furniture. Scoby and Keim voted aye and Koch, nay.

Health Officer Heaven Schuette called in to speak to the commissioners. County Attorney Brad Lippert also was present for this discussion. The board held a 30-minute executive session to discuss the proposed contract for Nemaha County Community Health Services with the county’s attorney. Present for the executive session were the three commissioners, Lippert and Schuette by phone. The commissioners requested to extend the executive session for an additional 10 minutes. The meeting returned to open session with no action taken by the board following the executive session.

The board agreed to form a Nemaha County Health Department. The commissioners appointed Schuette to serve as the Health Department Administrator beginning July 1.

Also at the meeting:

Dana Schmelzle and Alexandra Clark came before the board on behalf of the Nemaha County Soil Conservation District. Schmelzle provided an update to the commissioners concerning this organization. Schmelzle also let the board know that this organization is requesting $35,000 in funding for their 2023 budget, which is the same amount that they were appropriated for their 2022 budget.

Sam Rottinghaus and Amanda Mueting came before the board on behalf of the Nemaha County Fair Board. This organization is requesting a total of $26,000 for their 2023 budget, which is $1,000 more than the amount appropriated to this organization in 2022.

Nemaha County Treasurer Janell Niehues came before the board to speak to the commissioners about acquiring credit cards for the Department Heads through one of our local banks. The board advised Niehues to move forward with getting the cards through Community National Bank.

Chad Leiker with INA Alert came before the board to speak about security products that they could provide for county buildings.

County Attorney Lippert came before the board. Lippert let the commissioners know that he received a proposed contract from Martin Mishler for Nemaha County Community Health Services. The commissioners held a 15-minute executive session to discuss the proposed contract with the county’s attorney. Present for the executive session were the commissioners and Lippert. The board requested to extend the executive session for an additional five minutes. The meeting returned to open session with no action taken by the board following the executive session.

Dick Horton and Galen Ackerman with the Nemaha County Planning Commission came before the board to discuss the Nemaha County Comprehensive Plan survey. Horton let the commissioners know what information he will need from them before the survey can be finalized.

Seneca Mayor Joe Mitchell, Seneca City Administrator Tami Haverkamp, Seneca Council Member Jim Mitchell, Cross, Dispatch Captain Amber Rieger and Lippert came before the board to discuss the contract with the City of Seneca for the county to continue to provide dispatch services for the city. The new contract will continue to be considered along with a new contract for the county to lease the ambulance barn from the City of Seneca.

The board reviewed pay vouchers submitted by the different departments that were paid at the end of May. The commissioners approved the warrants and pay vouchers for May 2022 as presented. 

The board reviewed and approved the minutes from the June 6 regular meeting with the corrections noted.

The board reviewed and approved the June 7 special meeting minutes. 

The next regularly scheduled meeting was held on Monday, June 20. These minutes were not available at The Herald’s press time.