Hall County Board of Commissioners discuss the courthouse addition. (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – The Hall County Board of Commissioners had a public hearing Sept. 24 about its budget and buget summary. The hearing turned chaotic, with Commissioner Jane Richardson leaving the meeting early in the hearing until 10 a.m. after multiple people began speaking at one time.
The hearing started at 8:40 a.m. Sept. 24. The issue that drew the most comments was construction of an addition to the Hall County Courthouse and the $40 million in bonds that have been issued to pay for the project.
As has been asked in past meetings, people questioned why the courthouse addition had not gone to a public vote.
The answer is that commissioners have been elected to represent a group of constituents, and the commissioners should be able to make that decision. Commissioners have said they were concerned that the courthouse addition would not be approved if an election occurred; however, Commissioners didn’t feel they could wait any longer because more space is needed at the Courthouse.
During a public hearing, one speaker is supposed to sit behind a small table in front of the Commissioners and make comments. However, people from the audience were making comments at the same time, so more than one person were talking at once.
This is the second public hearing regarding the county’s budget. A public hearing occurred Sept. 18. Commissioners Ron Peterson and Scott Sorensen were at the hearing, but by state rules, could not respond to questions asked during the hearing, leading to frustration among those attending.
Ron Nitzel of Grand Island asked if the cost of the Hall County Courthouse exceeded the $40 million in bonds that have been issued, would the matter result in an election. Commissioner Chairman Ron Peterson said that that the project cost would not exceed the $40 million in bonds issued.
Linda Merrick of 2307 Cottonwood Road asked why the bond had to be issued for 20 years. Chairman Ron Peterson said that after five years, the county would be able to pay money to reduce the bond amount. Merrick said “we just keep taxing and taxing.
Sarah Nelson of 3905 Mary Lane said that large companies are not paying their fair share of taxes. She said she would like to see the State Fair pass an audit.
John Nowicki of 4127 Norseman Ave. wondered how much the county had spent on the Hall County Courthouse in the last 10 years.
“You waste and waste money,” he said. “We’re still spending money and spending money.”
He said the Commissioners should have done something about the Courthouse 10 years ago. Now, it is that much more expensive. Nowicki said that Commissioners should not have county and district judges telling them how to construct the courthouse addition.
Randy Gibson of Alda said although he liked the idea of his property being worth more, instead he was concerned about paying more taxes.
“It’s time to say no,” he said.
He said that people are struggling just to make ends meet by paying for things such as gasoline and groceries.
A question was asked why the Commissioners were not using the former Principal Financial Group building for the Courthouse addition. Commissioners have considered using the building. Commissioner Scott Sorensen said that the building cost after renovations would be $70 million to $75 million.
Ron Nitzel of Grand Island said he is an insurance agent. With the property valuations increasing, insurance rates continue to rise.
Suzanne Schank of 3040 Roselawn Drive said that she is a landlord, and tenants are struggling to pay their rent. She said that many only get a 50 cent per hour raise.
“They may have to leave Hall County,” she said. “They don’t get good raises here.”
She said that evictions are increasing because people are unable to pay their rent.
Commissioner Gary Quandt called the Hall County Courthouse addition a “joke.” He said because of the proposed design of the courthouse addition, the district court clerk office’s staff would be “running all over the place” to do daily tasks.
Commissioner Karen Bredthauer said that the public needs to look at how Commissioners have voted on various motions related to the Courthouse. She and Quandt have voted on one side of a motion, and the remaining Commissioners have voted for the other side of a motion.
During the course of the discussion, Commissioner Chairman Ron Peterson reminded people that bonds have already been issued for the project.
It was mentioned that Commissioners considered building a new courthouse near the Hall County Jail east of Grand Island. However, space next to the jail is reserved for future expansion of the jail.
Commissioner Pam Lancaster said that architectural firm Davis Design of Lincoln was recommended to the Board for the courthouse addition project.
“We know taxes are high,” Lancaster said. She said the majority of the commissioners thought that the planned courthouse addition was the most cost-effective way to proceed with the project. Lancaster said that architects are considering the aesthetics of the two buildings – connecting a building with construction completed in 1904 to a new building.
Commissioner Ron Peterson said the bonds have been issued, and the decision has been made to proceed with the Courthouse addition.
Quandt said the courthouse addition should have been planned to last 50 years.
A motion to close the public hearing was approved by a 6-0 vote at 10 a.m. Sept. 24, with Commissioner Jane Richardson absent. Richardson reappeared in the Board room after the vote was cast.
Commissioner Gary Quandt said that property taxes increased $20.04 per $100,000 of valuation. He made a motion that Bredthauer seconded to have money taken from the inheritance fund so that property owners would not have a tax increase. The motion failed to pass by a 3-4 vote, with Commissioners Quandt, Bredthauer, and Sorensen voting for the motion, and Commissioners Peterson, Lancaster, Hurse, and Richardson voting against the motion.
During Commissioners’ individual reports at the end of the meeting, Commissioner Scott Sorensen talked about the Sept. 18 public hearing.
“I think that was probably the biggest waste of time and money,” he said. He noted that he and Commissioner Ron Peterson, because of rules for the hearing, were unable to respond to people’s questions.
“It was pointless,” Sorensen said.
He noted that people were receiving the pink postcards inviting them to the hearing after the hearing.
In another matter, Brad Mellema, Grand Island Tourism and Visitors Bureau Executive Director, appeared to get permission for an out-of-cycle grant application from EPIC Discovery Center for $218,068. EPIC is trying to raise funds for a $5 million matching grant. The Tourism and Visitors Bureau funds would be used for installation of an elevator from the first floor to the second floor and for a sound and video studio. Commissioners approved Mellema’s request by a 7-0 vote.
Commissioners also voted 7-0 to approve a juvenile diversion grant application request for $17,500 for a supplemental enhancement grant.
Hall County Transit Manager Bob McFarland gave a report. The county began providing services on Aug. 12. During 15 days in August, the service provided 56 rides. The service is averaging 5 rides a day in rural areas. McFarland said he plans to visit Doniphan, Wood River, and Cairo to distribute promotional literature about the transit service.
“We are up and running. Things are going pretty smoothly,” McFarland said. It was pointed out that McFarland was the transportation manager when the service was provided through Senior Citizen Industries.
Commissioners voted 7-0 to approve an $8,600 bid from Caterpillar for an annual lease for a skid steer for the Public Works Department.
Commissioners voted 7-0 to deny a request to allow people to use metal detectors to search for coins and artifacts on the Courthouse addition property. Chairman Ron Peterson said that any items found in that location would be county property.
A man (standing) attending a Halll County Board tax hearing talks from the back of the Commissioners’ meeting room. A person is supposed to sit at a chair behind a small table when talking to the Board, but multiple people were talking at one time during parts of the hearing, (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
