Buffalo County Courthouse (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — With the Nebraska Legislature poised to enter into a special session, the Buffalo County Commissioners voiced their support for property tax reform but not if it takes away local control during their meeting on Tuesday, July 23.
Governor Jim Pillen has sought to call the Nebraska Legislature into a special session to address, “Nebraska’s escalating property tax crisis,” according to a statement from the governor’s office.
Efforts to tackle the issue during the Legislature’s last session collapsed on the last day. Pillen had touted his plan to cut property taxes by 40 percent before the start of the session.
“First and foremost, the most important economic issue we face is out of control property taxes,” Pillen said in his address to the Legislature, “High property taxes hurt every Nebraskan in every part of our state and must be fixed now.”
Pillen was adamant that there will be a 40 percent reduction, “no matter how long it takes.”
A special session is set to be called on July 25.
Ahead of the session, Buffalo County Commissioners Chairman Ivan Klein read a proclamation regarding the special session and stated, among other items, that they support the “good shepherding of tax dollars.”
The proclamation also noted that local county budgets have been strained by rising costs and inflation, as well as an increased demand for local services.
Klein closed saying that while the county supports property tax reform, they do not wish to see a weakening of local control regarding taxation.
Also on the agenda was the decision of granting county American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds to the Village of Shelton. The item had been up for discussion at the last meeting but was tabled until further discussion could be had between county and Shelton officials.
Commissioner Sherry Morrow said she had attended a meeting in Shelton and after discussions, community officials wished to seek the ARPA grant funds from the county. The commissioners approved the grant.
Steve Gaasch, Buffalo County Facilities Director, appeared regarding Public Defender addition bids. He noted three bids were opened at the last meeting and the low bid had come from Apple Construction of Ord.
Their bid with an addendum allowing for the removal of concrete in a parking lot near the addition came to $760,040.00.
Gaasch said the addition project includes adding four office spaces and a partial basement to allow for records storage and a storm shelter. The timeline would be for the project to start as soon as possible and finish before winter.
The commissioners approved the bid for the project.
B&B Research and Investments, LLC, doing business as The Farm appeared on the agenda twice regarding liquor licenses.
The first was the request for a special designated liquor license for an event to be held on Aug. 31, which was approved.
Alissa Kern-Pierce appeared representing The Farm to obtain a Class C Liquor License, noting the state liquor commission requested they seek one due to the amount of special designated liquor licenses they request for their events.
The commissioners approved granting the liquor license.
During the zoning portion of the agenda, the commissioners approved a special use permit which had been requested by Brent Carmody, CEO of Carmody Farms, LLC, for a dirt extraction operation north of Odessa.
While sitting as a board of equalization the commissioners approved reports of destroyed real property filed by Jenna Taubenheim and Seth Tschetter for homes damaged by fires and Duane Wirkus for flooding damage.
Motor vehicle tax exemption renewals for the Community Partnership of Mid-Nebraska, Mother Hull Home and Vetter Senior Living Kearney, LLC, were approved.
During the citizens forum, James Bamford appeared and alleged that his neighbors were using the nearby ditches for irrigation, and it was flooding his property. He also stated were noxious weeds issues that were coming from surrounding properties.
Bamford stated that he had attempted contact with commissioners and county employees but said had not heard back from them nor had they visited his property regarding his claims. Several of the commissioners contested his claims regarding contact.
Bamford left the meeting after making personal allegations against several of the commissioners, as well as Sheriff Neil Miller and Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, while leaving the board room.
