BROKEN BOW, NE – The Custer County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Tuesday morning in the top floor of the courthouse in Broken Bow.
Two 2019 Caterpillar motor graders were approved for purchase by the board for a total amount of $318,000. Two motor graders, 2011 and 2014 models with 15,000 hours of use each, were approved to be put on auction.
In other highway department business, the bid awarding for 2025 paving improvement projects was tabled to this month’s next meeting in order for the board and county attorney to read contract details more in-depth.
County Assessor Elise Taylor came before the board for tax list correction business. All were approved except for one that would change the status of the City of Broken Bow’s campground from taxable to non-taxable. That discussion was tabled to the next board meeting.
County Treasurer Sheri Bryant presented a substitution of security for First National Bank in Sargent. She stated that all numbers were in line for moving forward to be okay. It was approved unanimously. Also approved unanimously was Bryant’s mailing of 2024 tax statements.
Bryant also came before the board regarding remaining ARPA funds totaling almost $28,000. The board discussed the “obligate” terminology attached to the funds and that it required an invoice that will be paid that moment. The board expressed a desire to seek an applicable invoice for the courthouse stairs project as first priority, followed by putting the funds toward the recently approved Sheriff’s vehicles purchases as second priority.
Two transfers from the general fund were approved. First was the transfer of $3,291,168 into the road fund, followed by the transfer of $600,000 to the hard surface sinking fund.
Suellen Koepke with Healing Hearts and Families visited the board asking for the boards signature on a County Aid Grant to go toward their diversion program in Custer County which helps those involved in damage, drug, and alcohol related crimes. The board approved unanimously.
Dave Haumont was approved to serve another three years on the Extension Board for District Five, his second term of that length.
Custer Economic Development Executive Director Scotti Ross and Central Nebraska Economic Development District Executive Director Carla Kimball visited the board on Tuesday as well.
Ross and Kimball spoke about Owner Occupied Rehab (ORR) housing guidelines and their desire to have an income qualifying range approved. The other subject involved outstanding CDBG loans that had been “on the books” for a considerable amount of time. Some loans were deferred, some have been being paid on regularly, and some have had little to no payment made. Ross and Kimball proposed the idea of updating these old loans into forgiveness loans.
The board approved the ORR changes. No decision was made on the subject of CDBG loans.
Before adjourning, the board approved the early closure of County Offices and departments on Christmas Eve at 1 PM.
