Commissioners name port and directors

Vince Dugan, Dwight Porter and Kirk Olson will serve three-year terms on the new board. Jim Hawks, J. Patrick Keenan and Kimberly Steger will serve two years terms. And Michael Steele, Leann Ellis and Kevin Tighe will serve a one-year term.

After the motion to accept the name was made and seconded, each commissioner, in turn, voiced “aye,” until Board Assistant Tammy White said, “Woodruff,” at which time Commissioner Chair Jerry Woodruff called out, “Damn right.”

That ended several weeks during which people submitted applications to serve on the board, and suggested names for the port through the county’s website.

It’s a “truly historic and monumental task in front of us,” said Commissioner Chris Bruns, before commissioners made the selections. He and Commissioner Kent Weems serve on a subcommittee tasked with developing the application protocol and accepting applications.

Bruns said all the candidates understand the vision and potential impact on the entire region of the port as it develops and all are very civic minded. As to the idea of selecting only nine to serve on the board, “I’ve wrestled with this over the last couple of weeks,” he said.

“This is a difficult choice,” Woodruff agreed.

There were nearly two dozen applicants, Bruns said. A couple had to drop out after consulting Nebraska Accountability Commission guidelines and determining there were potential conflicts of interest.

The pool of candidates had “outstanding credentials,” said Gary Person, president and CEO of North Platte Area Chamber and Development. Person, who had a role in advocating for the formation of the port, was also at Monday’s meeting.

It was the commissioners who made the final selection. Each had had an opportunity to review carefully the candidates’ qualifications. They each went through the short list of candidates, ranking their selections on paper before showing agreement by voice vote.

They followed a similar ranking process before settling on a name for the port. In discussion prior to the ranking, commissioners said they wanted the name to clearly identify to people worldwide the port’s location and that it is an international port.

Normally board members will serve for three-year terms, and there is no limit on the number of terms to which each may be appointed. However, three of the initial appointments are for one year, three for two years and three for three years. Each year hereafter, three members will be up for re-appointment or replacement.

All other applicants were going to be encouraged to remain in a pool for consideration in case a vacancy would need to be filled, Bruns said. County commissioners will retain appointment authority.

“It’s just the beginning,” Bruns said.

“The benefits will extend into other states and regions,” added Commissioner Micaela Wuehler.

Hewgley expressed appreciation to “a lot of individuals in the Legislature (who) made this possible,” by establishing protocols and allocating funding.

“There was broad consensus” in the Legislature, and a “lack of the rural/urban divide,” that so often expresses itself in legislative proceedings, Bruns said.

He said he felt the selection of candidates to serve on the board will answer collective needs for expertise related to rail, trucking and air logistics; legal, auditing and accounting skills; construction and infrastructure experience; knowledge of agricultural industry that would be involved; and planning, zoning and industrial development expertise.

They will need to establish bylaws, and may establish a non-voting advisory board.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved claims and treasurer’s receipts.
• Approved cancellation of the June 12 budget hearing on matters related to the current year’s budget, as it was determined that the hearing was not needed.
• Approved certificates of correction and refund as submitted by County Assessor Julie Stenger. The adjustments were due to action originating in 2014-15 Tax Equalization and Review cases — disputes regarding several rental properties. The cases were settled and the eight resulting “confessions of judgement” allowed the adjustments to be made.
• Approved 18 Homestead Exemption adjustments. Homestead exemptions reduce or eliminate property taxes for residents over 65 years old who meet income parameters.
• Approved two valuation changes on real property, due to clerical corrections or adjustments based on property tax protests. Stenger said state law requires residential and commercial property to be assessed at 100% value and agricultural land to be assessed on 70% of its actual value.
• Approved one-year renewals of the WebGIS subscription and technical support for the assessor’s office.
• Tabled setting a date to accept bids for a multi-use building for Region 51 Emergency Management and other county offices. Commissioner Joe Hewgley had developed preliminary drawings for a 60 by 40 foot building that would sit near the noxious weed office on the county’s property at 1621 W. 10th St.

The building would include space for the sheriff’s office to store evidence, including vehicles, and for various county offices to store materials.

Commissioners felt they needed to gather more information before soliciting proposals from contractors. The money for the building will come from the current year’s budget.

• Voted to decline a contract amendment from Summit Foods for meals at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Sheriff Jerome Kramer, speaking to the commissioners, said they serve approximately 450 meals per day, and Summit’s proposal would place the cost of each of those meals about 26 cents higher than other Summit clients.

He also said Summit has “never held up their end of the contract,” since the county began using their services in 2019.

Deputy County Attorney Tyler Volkmer recommended refusing the amendment and advising Summit Foods that any increases need to be based on increases in the Consumer Price Index.

The vote not to approve the contract authorized the sheriff and county attorney’s office to negotiate with Summit Foods based on the wording of the contract.