Meeting Minutes and Proceedings Statements

The Sheridan County Commissioners met in regular session and by Zoom (ID# 87981717732 Passcode# 625274) at 11 A.M. on March 11, 2025. All members present along with County Clerk Sindy Coburn, Weed Superintendent Melissa Grover and Interim Road Superintendent Rod Norton. Krotz stated that the meeting would be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act. This meeting was posted on the official County website and posted in the Sheridan County Journal Star on March 5, 2025.

Messersmith made a motion to accept the agenda and move the Sheriff up to the first in line. Kling seconded the motion. With a roll call vote all voted aye.

Kling made a motion to approve the minutes of 2-25-2025. Messersmith seconded the motion. With a roll call vote Krotz and Kling voted aye and Messersmith abstained.

Sheriff Brewer reported that the Jail budget is close to being depleted due to outside holds for prisoners. Two prisoners are being held in Sarpy County due to being juveniles. One male juvenile was transported to Norfolk. Another prisoner was transported to North Platte due to him causing destruction to our jail. The current cost of outside holds is around $10,000/ month. Kling made a motion to pay for the remaining juvenile/outside holds for the budget year 2024-2025, out of the Inheritance Fund. Messersmith seconded the motion. With a roll call vote all voted aye.

Brewer informed the board that the dishwasher in the jail has given out. Jeff Davis has located a new one in Chadron and is on his way to get it. The board informed Brewer that it could come out of the Courthouse Building Fund.

Rod Norton, Interim Road Superintendent informed the board that with the recent precipitation the graders have been out making progress. The gravel hauling from South Dakota is underway. The guys are going to be using the retrievers to pull the material on the sides up. Norton presented the board with information on a pothole repair material. The material comes in 50 # bags and is approximately $20/bag. Norton plans to have it in all vehicles for immediate repair when needed. The county purchased a pallet of the material for trial use.

Weed Superintendent Melissa Grover visited with the board about a checking account maintained by the Weed Department to handle funds received from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for the cost of spraying along the Cowboy Trail. The Board was unaware of the account and asked Grover to visit with the County Attorney about payments made from this fund. The board agreed that since the State now pays contractors directly that this account should be closed, and the remaining money be sent back to the State.

Derek Schwanebeck appeared to discuss with the board his application for the approval of a conservation easement on his property in Bingham. Schwanebeck presented his case for the preservation of the land in a Conservation Easement and the Board agreed to have a public hearing. The hearing will be Tuesday April 8, 2025 at 11 A.M. in the Commissioners Office. 

At 2:30 P.M. the board interviewed Timothy Bazar via zoom for the position of County Road Superintendent. No action was taken.

Adjourn: 4 P.M.
Attest: Sindy L. Coburn, Co Clerk
James Krotz, Chairman
Posted by Jack Andersen

The Sheridan County Board of Equalization met in regular session at 11 A.M. on March 11, 2025. All members present along with County Clerk Sindy Coburn, Weed Superintendent Melissa Grover and Interim Road Superintendent Rod Norton. Krotz stated that the meeting would be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act. This meeting was posted on the official website and published in the Sheridan County Journal Star on March 5, 2025.

Kling made a motion to accept the agenda. Messersmith seconded the motion. With a roll call vote all voted aye.

Kling made a motion to approve the minutes of 2-25-2025. Messersmith seconded the motion. With a roll call vote Krotz and Kling voted aye and Messersmith abstained.

Public Comment: None. No action taken. 

Adjourn: 11:05 A.M.
Attest: Sindy L. Coburn, Clerk
James Krotz, Chairman
Posted by Jack Andersen

The Sheridan County Board of Commissioners (BOC) met on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the County Courthouse. Notice of the meeting was published on the county website sheridancountyne.gov. The meeting was open to the public and a ZOOM connection was also available. Present were Chairman James Krotz, Commissioners Bruce Messersmith and Dan Kling, and Clerk Sindy Coburn.

There was no business for the Board of Equalization (BOE).

Sheriff Jeff Brewer reported that Jail budget was in imminent danger of depletion because he has recently had to house two prisoners (one of them a juvenile) in off- site facilities. The cost of housing juveniles is especially high, and the county already has had one such person housed in Sarpy county for over a year. The current cost of such off-site housing is approximately $10,000/month. The Commissioner voted to approve payment of such budgetary over-runs out of the Inheritance Fund. The Commissioners also agreed that the cost of a new dishwasher for the jail kitchen should be paid out of the Building Fund.

Interim Road Superintendent Rod Norton reported that recent precipitation has enabled graders and retrievers to make good progress. Gravel hauling (red rock) from SD is underway. Norton presented information on a pothole-repair material, packaged in 50 lb. bags, that can be deployed on pickup trucks and other county vehicles for immediate repairs of small potholes. The Department recently acquired a pallet of the material for trial use.

Weed Superintendent Melissa Grover appeared to visit with BOC about a small checking account maintained by the Weed Department to handle funds received from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for the cost of spraying along the Cowboy Trail. The Board and Clerk were not aware of the existence of the fund and agreed that, since the State is now paying contractors directly for spraying the right of way, the account should be closed and the less than $150 in the account be remitted to the state. The Board asked Grover to explore further the appropriateness of certain earlier payments from the fund.

Derek Schwanbeck appeared to discuss with the Board an application he has filed for the approval of a conservation easement on parcels he owns just NE of Bingham. Mr. Schwanbeck presented his case for the preservation of these parcels as a Conservation Easement and the Board agreed to convene a public hearing on the matter at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday April 8. At 2:30 p.m.

The Board interviewed, via a ZOOM connection, an applicant for the position of County Road Superintendent. Timothy (TJ) Bazar is a long-time employee of the Sarpy County Road Department. No action was taken.

The next meeting of the BOE/BOC is scheduled for Tuesday, March. 18 at 9:00 a.m. The minutes of this and all meetings of the Board of Commissioners will be available to the public at the office of the Sheridan County Clerk and now are available online at sheridancounty.ne.gov. All meetings of the Board of Commissioners are held in compliance with Nebraska Open Meetings Act and the public is always welcome. 

Written by James Krotz
Posted by Jack Andersen