County Backs Memorial Basketball Court

The Alan Hartzler Memorial Basketball Court is a step closer to reality.

In the Oct. 5 meeting of the Cheyenne County commissioners, the commissioners were asked to consider a donation from Keno Funds.

On Jan. 28, John Phillips and Sidney Parks/Aquatic Center/Cemetery Superintendent Tom Von Seggern first presented the proposal of constructing a memorial basketball court to the city council.

The site will be at 519 Toledo St., east of the Cheyenne County Community Center. In February, a project was announced in memory of Hartzler who died in December 2019. Earlier this year Phillips credited Hartzler as having strong ties to youth sports and developing travel basketball teams in the area before it was an accepted practice.

Since then, supporters have held fundraising events, including a trap shoot and silent auction, to raise funds toward the cost of the basketball court.

The proposed basketball court would be constructed of concrete about 84 feet long and 50 feet with, the specifications of a high school basketball court.

The court would be equipped with a goal at each end, allowing for the option of full- or half-court games. The court would be oriented to play north and south. The site is adjacent to the sand volleyball court east of the Cheyenne County Community Center.

On Oct. 5, the county commissioners approved $10,000 toward the project. According to the commissioners, supporters have raised about $22,000 with a goal of $49,000. The county's Keno donation brings the project up to $32,000, about $17,000 short of the goal. The plan is to break ground on the site in spring 2021.

In other business, the commissioners met at the Board of Equalization, approving the 2020-2021 tax levies. The mill levy for Cheyenne County is .4072627, in addition to tax levies requested by villages, cities an taxing districts including schools and cemetery and fire districts.

A request for exemption on Motor Vehicle Owned by Qualified Nonprofit, Cheyenne County Hospital Association, was also approved. Sidney Regional Medical Center CEO Jason Petik said the 2020 Jeep will be used to transport patients to the facility for out-patient treatment in lieu of home health services.

Returning as the board of commissioners, the Cost Allocation Plan from WJE Consulting LLC was approved as was a contract with Pritchard & Abbott, Inc., for appraisal services for mineral properties. A public hearing was held for the county's One- and Six-Year Highway Improvement Plan with no one from the public in attendance.

Sheriff Adam Frerichs met with the commissioners regarding a plan to contract for the jail's daily hot meal. Frerichs is considering an agreement for Sidney Regional Medical Center's Extended Care Center to provide the hot meal daily Monday through Friday.

He said the cost is slightly higher than doing it in-house but it will save wear on the jail's kitchen appliances and allow department staff to do other duties.

One of the issues is scheduling time for vehicle inspections. He said all meals would be dietician approved.

The commissioners said as an elected official, Frerichs has the authority to do what is best for his department within his budget.