New commissioner sworn in; board reorganizes for year
PIERCE — Duly elected District 1 Pierce County Commissioner Tom Kuether took the Oath of Office on Thursday, Jan. 7. The ceremony was held in the courtroom at the Pierce County Courthouse at 9 a.m. County Court Clerk Magistrate Kristina Sehi administered the oath.
Kuether won the Nov. 3, 2020, General Election and will serve a four-year term. His first official meeting was Monday, Jan. 11. Kuether replaces Marvin Elwood Jr. on the County Board of Commissioners. He joins District 2 Commissioner Jim Schmit and District 3 Commissioner Terry Wragge on the three-member board.
Reorganization January 11
The Pierce County Board of Commissioners conducted its annual board reorganization on Monday, Jan. 11. Newly-elected District 1 Commissioner Tom Kuether participated in his first county board meeting on Monday.
District 3 Commissioner Terry Wragge was unanimously reelected as board president for 2021. District 2 Commissioner Jim Schmit was elected as chairman of the Pierce County Board of Equalization (BOE) for 2021. This will be Schmit’s first year serving as BOE chairman.
Other Matters Addressed
Extension Agent Ann Fenton was present and presented the 2020 Annual Report and asked for approval for the appointment of Lori Wragge and Mary Kruger to the extension board for a three-year term, which was given.
Pierce County Economic Development (PCED) Director Susan Norris was present to update the board on the happenings with PCED in 2020-21 and on the updating of the Comprehensive Plan. Region 11 Emergency Manager Bobbi Risor updated the board on available grants and Region 11.
The board approved the machine hire rates for 2021 with the following stipulations: (1) that adjustments in rates may be made at a later date, depending on the cost of fuel. (2) that Pierce County set these rates and does machine work only on request for a small job and when it would be difficult and impractical for a private contractor to haul his machinery to a location for such a small job and the County is already in that location. Rates are as follows: $200 per hour for Backhoe/Excavator with man; $150 per hour for Motor Grader with man; $150 per hour for Loader with man; $200 per hour for Scraper with man; $125 per hour for 10-yard Dump Truck with man.
The board approved the fee reports as submitted by Vickie Prince, clerk of District Court, and Shannon Wragge, county clerk, for December 2020; approved the 2020 Jail Standards Report; approved treasurer’s receipts for various funds for Christine Bahr, county treasurer, for December 2020 and placed on file in the county clerk’s office, total $639,217.55.
In other business, the board:
— approved the Gerald and Paula Starkel Lot Split in pt of the SE ¼ SE ¼ 34-25-1, 7.58 acres. — approved County Burial No. 2021-1.
— discussed old and new collateral with County Treasurer Christine Bahr; approved the release of old collateral and the pledge of new collateral at Elkhorn Valley Bank & Trust and Security National Bank.
— approve Resolution #2021-1, an Interlocal Agreement with Region 4 Behavioral Health.
— appointed members to various county boards.
— approved the Osmond Republican, Plainview News and Pierce County Leader as the legal newspapers for Pierce County for 2021.
— approved the County Web Page www.co.pierce.ne.us as an additional method of providing notice for Pierce County for 2021.
— appointed LaVern Schroeder as the County Surveyor for Pierce County for 2021.
— appointed Brian McDonald, License No. S1132 Class A, as the County Highway Superintendent for Pierce County for 2021.
— approved the reappointment of Dr. Lane Handke as County Physician and County Coroner Physician for Pierce County for 2021.
— approved the appointments and pledged collateral of Midwest Bank, N.A., Pierce, Security Bank, Osmond, Midwest Bank, N.A., Plainview, Nebraska Public Agency Investment Trust (NPAIT), and Elkhorn Valley Bank and Trust, Pierce as Pierce County Bank Depositories for county funds for 2021.
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