Public voices concerns to commissioners

Several members of the public attended the Jan. 25 Chase County Commissioners’ meeting to share their concerns over a number of county issues.
Mike Nelson, John Maddux and John Engbrecht were the first to speak during open forum about County Assessor Dotty Bartels, who is taking the county Board of Equalization to the Tax Equalization and Review Committee.
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program land has been a thorn in the county’s side for several years. County landowners have challenged assessment values at TERC in the past.
Last year, the commissioners, as the Board of Equalization, chose to lower Bartels’ CREP values and Bartels is choosing to challenge that decision at TERC.
Maddux said he has faith in the government to make the system work correctly.
Rational people would find a reasonable solution, Maddux said, adding the valuations are not reasonable since the BOE and TERC have both ruled against Bartels in the past.
Commissioner Jacci Brown asked the guests to not get too discouraged.
“Checks and balances are working,” Brown said.
Nelson said the battle is wasting county money to “chase this.”
Because the county is responsible for Bartels’ attorney’s fees, Nelson said, it costs everyone in the county, not just CREP owners.
Commissioner Duane Dinnel said the BOE didn’t feel there was justification to raise CREP values and chose to use the previous values which still fit into the guidelines.
This year’s values need to be set by March 19.
Dundy County feedlot
The commissioners also visited with Jayden Maris.
Maris lives 400 yards from the site of a proposed Dundy County feedlot and asked the commissioners if there’s anything the county can do to stop the 100,000-head feedlot from being built.
Because the feedlot will be completely in Dundy County, Chase County zoning doesn’t apply.
Maris said the feedlot will be a burden on Chase County taxpayers since the only entrance to the proposed site is from the north.
Dinnel pointed out Rd 727 already takes a beating from the traffic to two hog confinements along it.
Maris said he planned to be at a Dundy County Zoning hearing held Feb. 1. Dinnel said he planned on going, as well.
Anyone with concerns should contact the Dundy County Commissioners, Brown said.
Road project plans approved
After discussions with County Highway Superintendent Toney Krajewski and Jake Baker of Baker and Associates, plans were approved for the Champion and Wauneta road projects.
Baker and Associates performed tests on the roads and suggested a leveling course then fiber mat before a three-inch overlay.
The estimate provided for the Champion road was $2,370,191.33.
The estimate for the Wauneta road was $1,983,445.64 from its junction with Highway 6 to the county line. The county only wants the south three miles of the road worked on, so the actual amount will be much less.
The county also plans to do the shoulder work and seeding itself, which will lower the total.
After the county receives bids it can get the bonds for the projects.
Moving on to the Champion bridge, Krajewski recommended two 48-inch culverts that are 60 feet long to replace the bridge.
For Road 740 west of Avenue 325, Krajewski said culverts in the right spot should solve the problem and suggested two 36-inch culverts that are 48 feet long.
A bid of $3,840 from ShelCo Asphalt and Paving to crack seal Avenue 331 was also approved.
Veterans Service Committee
Members of the Veterans Service Committee recommended leaving Officer Duane Todd on salary.
The county had been considering switching Todd to an hourly wage or contracting for services with another county.
Todd is paid for two days a week, but the committee feels he puts in more time than that. Todd is basically on call for veterans, especially when there’s a short amount of time following a veteran’s death.
With that recommendation, the county left Todd on salary. He currently receives $31,750 annually.
Other business
Each commissioner has appointed a shop foreman who will receive $250 each month for that responsibility.
County Emergency Manager Duane Dreiling asked if the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds can go to six radios to be used by Dreiling and the sheriff’s office. The old radios would go to the Lamar Fire Department.
The board will check to see if the radios qualify for ARPA funds.
The next meeting of the commissioners will be Feb. 8 at 8 a.m. in the courthouse.