The Custer County Board of Supervisors met in their regular session Tuesday Morning, September 30. District 3 Supervisor Barry Fox was the lone absence.
Recycling Center Discussion Ongoing
After hearing from local citizens on the topic of recycling at both the last Supervisors meeting and the recent Budget Hearing, the Supervisors had a heated, though civil, discussion on the fate of the Recycling Center located in Broken Bow. Custer County Recycling Manager Kelly Flynn appeared before the Board as a part of the discussion.
Opinions vary widely as to the usefulness and cost of continuing to support the Recycling Center. However, all Supervisors agree that for Custer County to continue as the sole funding source is untenable.
District 6 Supervisor Lynn Longmore reported on his attendance at the Nebraska Recycling Council Annual Conference on September 16 to gather ideas for funding the Center. Longmore and Flynn noted grants are available, though the timing of the grants means they would not be available until late spring 2026 at this point.
Flynn informed the board that much of the equipment at the Recycling Center was purchased with grant assistance. He conceded after questioning by District 1 Supervisor Anne Gibbons however that it is unlikely that operating costs could be fully or consistently covered by grants alone.
Those on the Board supporting the ongoing operation of the Recycling Center generally favor establishing agreements with area communities to expand funding sources. Others however expressed doubts that most, if any, communities would be willing to help foot the bill for the facility.
Even if community leaders were willing, an oft-expressed opinion on the board is that recycling is an activity that is not supported by numerous individuals in Custer County. The question asked is, “why am I paying taxes to support something that I do not use myself?”
To move forward, District 4 Supervisor James Markham moved for Custer County to cease funding the Recycling Center in 6 months time. In discussing the motion, it was noted that the County would need to continue paying rent for the building housing the facility under a current contract with Myers Iron Salvage. The motion was seconded by Gibbons, but defeated with Parliament, Longmore and Kleeb voting against.
In the end, the Supervisors agreed to hold small-group meetings with the leaders of area communities to begin working toward ascertaining interest or support for agreements to continue to fund the Recycling Center. Expect the discussions to continue through the winter with a renewed push to defund the Recycling Center in March.
Prairie Hills Wind Farm Progressing
Lead Developer Mary Burkett and Alex Chandler of energy company Invenergy provided the Supervisors with an update on the status of the Prairie Hills Wind Energy Center project.
The new wind farm is planned for an area to the west of Mason City, Litchfield and Hazard. Project permits were extended over the summer in order to complete FAA approvals according to Burkett. Construction start is now slated for mid-2026, with power flowing in 2028.
Full capacity construction will not begin however until early spring 2027. This allows connection to the Nebraska Public Power District electrical grid during a low-use season, minimizing potential power outages for consumers.
While tax implications for renewable energy in the One Big Beautiful Bill act are being reviewed, Chandler informed the Board that Invenergy is widely diversified and should not encounter financial difficulties due to decreased federal assistance. The most important piece at the moment is securing an “off-take agreement” from a large power user such as a utility or large commercial concern that utilizes large amounts of electricity for their operations.
Once such an agreement is in hand, funding for the wind project will no longer be a concern, according to Chandler.
Final Tax Request Approved
The final item of business for the supervisors was the public hearing to complete the 2025-2026 fiscal season actions. The Board opened the hearing to public comment, however, no members of the public were at the meeting, and the comment period was closed.
The Supervisors voted and approved the 2025-2026 Tax Levy at 21.0301 cents per $100 of property valuation. This results in a 4.66% increase over the prior year’s operating budget. Supervisors Chairman Blowers noted of the overall tax ask for area residents, the county levy represents only somewhere 12% and 24% of that total.
Members of the Custer County Board of Supervisors noted their disappointment that community members do not attend more of the regular meetings to provide input and be informed. It was felt a greater engagement in regular meetings would help citizens understand the thought and processes behind the decisions the Supervisors have to make.
Committee Reports
In other action, the Supervisors had been busy with committee activities since the last regular meeting.
District 2 Supervisor Tammy Kleeb reported on the Nebraska Association of County Officials (NACO), Central District meeting recently attended. Operation Greenlight for Veterans was discussed at the meeting. In honor of area veterans, the courthouse will be illuminated in green light at night from November 4 – 11.
District 1 Supervisor Anne Gibbons is assisting Sargent with its Entrepreneurial Communities Activation Process (ECAP) survey. The ECAP survey is designed to help communities set action-based goals by tapping into their unique culture and past successes.
District 4 Supervisor James Markham reported on removal of a dead tree on the courthouse grounds and noted a few more trees need trimmed or removed soon.
Other Supervisors Business
- Claims and Expenses were reviewed and approved. Gibbons voted against approval of general fund expenses.
- County Assessor Elise Taylor appeared with a correction of taxes for the Board of Equalization and approval of a contract to Central Plains Valuation to review the Assessor’s Office work. The regularly-budgeted item ensures compliance with state requirements. Gibbons was the sole no vote to approve the contract.
- The Board approved installation of gates across road 452 to the northwest of Sargent.
- The Board voted to continue movement toward abandonment of Road 1094 in Cliff Township. Cliff Township now has the opportunity to either take over maintenance of the road, or return the matter to the Supervisors for final action. Local landowners were on hand and told the Board the road has been impassible since at least the 1990s and recommended the road be formally vacated.
- Supervisor Markham discussed bids received for roof replacement on the Department of Health and Human Services Building in Broken Bow, including additional ventilation. The shingles have been damaged by temperature variations under the roof, but show little sign of hail damage.
Bids currently are $44,111 from Buffalo Roofing, $42,003 from Ridgeline Exteriors, and $39,770 from Rod Sell Construction. So long as bids remain under $50,000 a formal request for bidding is not required.
Markham recommended not starting the replacement until warmer weather in the spring to ensure the new shingles seat properly. The bids will be reviewed in more detail in the next Supervisors Meeting.
- The Custer County Supervisors will host the next NACO Central District Meeting on March 19, 2026. Due to the number of expected attendees and need for multiple break-out rooms for training, the Supervisors expect to hold the conference at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney.
