While most of the proposed work on Burt County’s 1- and 6-Year Road Plan will be done in a couple of months, about half of it will get paid for in the 2024 fiscal year.
In January, Burt County Board of Supervisors accepted a $4,634,629.67 bid from Sioux city-based Knife River to perform mill-and-overlay work on County Road 21 heading south out of Craig, County Road H running west from Craig to Highway 77, County Road L running west out of Oakland, the county road that runs past Summit Lake and patching on Lake Street heading east from Tekamah.
Work on the two roads near Craig is expected to be done by Sept. 15 while the other three jobs wrap up by Oct. 31.
According to Highway Superintendent Ann Chytka, $2.6 million of the total cost will come from the 2022-23 roads budget. The remainder will come from the 2023-24 budget.
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The four projects also top the new road plan the supervisors approved during the board’s Aug. 28 meeting.
Also on the one-year plan is the replacement of a bridge on County Road HI west of Tekamah. That job has gone out for bids twice, but were rejected both times because of the high cost.
Chytka also is planning for two major projects beyond next year. They include resurfacing Old Highway 118 between Decatur and Lyons and resurfacing County Road L between the Oakland city limits and the Bertha Road.
Before either can be done, however, a number of culverts need replaced or extended. That work also is part of the one-year plan.
In other business during its Aug. 28 meeting, the county board:
—Scheduled a budget hearing during its Sept. 13 meeting. A property tax request hearing will be held Sept. 28 before the budget is adopted.
The county is expecting a 15 percent increase in tax receipts, matching the 15 percent increase in property valuation. The total value of all property in the county now is over $2.15 billion, up from the $1.88 billion seen last year. Budget figures include an $800,000 transfer from the Inheritance Fund into the General Fund to reduce the tax request.
The tax levy is expected to be approximately 24 cents, slightly below last year’s rate.
—Following a discussion with its insurance agent, Kevin Brenneis, and Chief Deputy Jim Buck, asked Brenneis to contact each of the towns in the county to determine if they have liability insurance.
The issue arose from conversations with Tekamah city officials who had concerns over liability when police from one jurisdiction is called to assist another.
It was learned that an interlocal agreement was signed among the towns in 2009 making the requesting agency responsible for any liability. Buck told the board that the county sheriff’s office doesn’t need to sign on to such an agreement because the sheriff has jurisdiction everywhere in the county.
—Following a brief public hearing, adopted Resolution 2023-08, which updates the county’s floodplain ordinance.
The updates were precipitated by recent changes to state law. Chytka, who also is the county’s floodplain administrator, said the changes do not affect floodplain boundaries.
—Gave local approval to a request from Oakland Express for a Special Designated Permit.
The convenience store wants to host a tasting event on Oct. 7. Although it has a license to sell liquor, a different type of license to hold such an event.
The request now must be approved by the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission.
