Commissioners Discuss Fairgrounds Improvements

With the Cheyenne County Fair just days away, the board of commissioners received an update Monday on work being done at the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds.

Troy Kurz reported scheduled improvements on the pavilion is nearing completion.

“I think we’re pretty much wrapped up,” he said.

He said the invoices would be submitted that day for animal panels and that the final fire alarm inspection would be done the next day (Tuesday, July 3).

Fair Board president Gerald Frerichs met with the board regarding the stage. The commissioners and Fair Board agreed that the stage would not be used by another agency unless it is transported and set up by a Fair Board member who knows how to operate the stage.

Frerichs also confirmed that Whitney Whartman of the Potter area will be filling a vacancy on the board.

“She’s very excited. I think she’ll be an asset to us, he said.

The commissioners also met at the Board of Equalization Monday. County Assessor Sybil Prosser said numerous protests have been filed by Cabela’s. There are also several clerical corrections but those properties haven’t been taxed yet, she told the commissioners. Protest hearings are scheduled for July 16-17 in Cheyenne County District Court.

The Cheyenne County Commissioners Monday also discussed whether to close, vacate, a road in part of the Northwest Quarter of Section 23, Township 14, Range 51 West of the 6th Principal Meridian in Cheyenne County.

The road came to the commissioners’ attention when a landowner adjacent to the road recently asked about closing the road. Randy Mathewson approached the board in the June 18 meeting about the future of the road. Discussion in that meeting regarded how the closure might impact local property owners. The commissioners then tabled the decision to Road and Bridge Supervisor Doug Hart could review the road.

On Monday, July 2, the commissioners again met with Hart and Mathewson regarding the road. Hart said the road is a minimum maintenance road. Mathewson said the intent is not to keep neighbors or officials out. Mathewson asked about padlocking the road. County attorney Paul Schaub encouraged posting a sign if the road is padlocked.

The commissioners also discussed a request for cement at a railroad crossing near Progress Rail northwest of Sidney. After the meeting, Road and Bridge Supervisor Doug Hart said the crossing is being rebuilt and the cement would be a tie-in between the asphalt and rubber material of the crossing. The county agreed to purchase up to $900 in cement; no county labor will be involved in the project.

The commissioners also approved the appointment of Russ Stickley as a member of the Veterans Service Committee, and re-affirmed the amount of financial commitment for warning sirens in Sunol. Most of the project is funded by a Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) grant. The commissioners also received a weed control update from Cris Burks.