Stephanie Croston

    The Nebraska Public Power District will be conducting soil borings along parts of its proposed transmission line route.
     The Seward County Commissioners approved permits for approximately 30 locations by a 3-1 vote during the Dec. 18 meeting. Commissioner Mary Koci voted against the motion, and Commissioner Larry Dedic abstained.
     Russ Daehling, county highway superintendent, asked that the drilling be done outside the lateral obstacle clearance zone, which is 12 feet from the shoulder. Brian Havens, soil engineer from Kleinfelder-Central, Inc., the company that will be doing the borings, said they would be out of the roadway at the majority of the locations.
     The borings will be used to help the NPPD design the bases for its poles. Once the holes, which will be four to eight feet in diameter and approximately 50 feet deep, will be left overnight to determine groundwater encroachment.
     The holes will be refilled, either with the material bored out or with sand, Havens said. The locations will be capped with either compacted clay or bentonite.
     He said the company hopes to start boring in two to three weeks.
     Daehling told Havens and the board that he would prefer to wait because of the weather and icy conditions on the roads. He said spring would be a better time to do the drilling.
     Larry Holthe, project manager for the NPPD's transmission line, said their goal was to have the easements acquired by spring, so delaying the boring would push their project back.
     In other business, the board:
     • awarded the bid for 911 address sign installation to Sign Up Limited of Webster City, Iowa, for $33,750;
     • discussed the E-911 interlocal agreement and possible solutions for budget deadlines, including adjusting the timing for when the E-911 budget is due;
     • met with Joe Bolabash and Michael Lawson of Wells Fargo to discuss possible financing options if the county chooses to build a new jail, including bonds, private placement, which works like a bank loan, and lease purchase; and
     • scheduled discussion of the architect proposals for a jail for Tuesday, Jan. 8, with a possible decision by Tuesday, Jan. 15.
     Meeting as the Board of Equalization, the commissioners:
     • heard protests from two landowners whose land was disqualified from the greenbelt designation;
     • met in executive session to discuss pending litigation; and
     • approved tax list exemptions for vehicles owned by Concordia University, Fitz Family Ministries, Grace Missionary Church, Memorial Health Care Systems, Milford Assembly of God Church, Nebraska District Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, St. Gregory the Great Seminary, St. Patrick's and Sacred Heart churches, St. John Lutheran School, East Fairview Mennonite Church and St. Vincent de Paul Church and School.
     At the Dec. 21 meeting, the board awarded the motor grader bid to Case for $188,336. The county will not trade in its John Deere, which will be sold on the open market, and will exercise the five-year buyback option. The commissioners chose to go with the Case, which was not the low bid, because of continuing problems on the county's New Holland and the buyback price.
     In other business, the board:
     • approved the claims of $1,153,749 for December;
     • signed an agreement with Health and Human Services for marriage license processing; and
     • as the board of equalization, accepted the assessor's recommendation on a greenbelt disqualification protest, which was to disallow the greenbelt designation on a 20-acre parcel.