WAYNE – After several attempts of making sure the specs were correct for a motor grader, one was approved during Tuesday morning’s Wayne County Board of Commissioners regularly scheduled meeting.
From the Wayne County Courthouse courtroom, the meeting featured a bid to be awarded for a motor grader in District #3 (Jim Rabe).
After hearing more information from both Nebraska Machinery and Murphy Tractor, the board approved the bid of $339,920 from Nebraska Machinery for a 2020 Caterpillar. This contract also came with a $13,000 parts credit from Caterpillar, Inc. that can be used until it’s gone as the estimated delivery time would be up to 10 days.
Highway Superintendent, Mark Casey also provided more information on the One and Six Year Road Improvement Plan. He stated the county is making good progress with another nine projects completed this past year and a few more which have been awarded a bid. Among the one-year list, there were 20 projects scheduled and 46 total projects on the one-year and six-year.
Commissioners also approved redistricting software through Gworks with the advanced package for $5,650. With redistricting to begin with the legislative districts, county clerk Deb Finn stated Wayne county could see their turn being as early as June. This will allow the resident to vote for which commissioner who takes care of their road. Wayne county currently uses the GIS system in the county assessor’s office, roads department and clerk office as the prices were based off population less than 9,999 and with the 2020 census in the its final stage. The redistricting lines must be drawn by December of 2021 for the next voting cycle.
Other action items which saw approval included a new computer for Wayne County Extension based on specs from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for $1,686.59 and an agreement with the Nebraska Department of Transportation. This agreement is to replace a bridge on State Highway 57 and 857 road as the state wants to raise the structure. Concerns were brought forward from the board since this will be a main road that a wind farm would be using. Access to the bridge will be closed for eight months during the replacement as it plans to be done half at a time.
Wayne County Commissioners also agreed upon the terms for a two-thirds and one-third split with the City of Wayne for the design and engineering cost share of Centennial Road and 21st Street. This is regarding a shovel-ready project in case there is a high percentage of federal funds coming in with the new president administration. Initial estimates have this project costing %2.3 million with a contingency of $2.7 million that includes gutter and sewer, making 21st Street 32’ wide, Centennial Road 36’ wide and more. City Council has this item on their agenda Tuesday night.
Another update from Doug Elting with Berggren Architects was also provided for the courthouse restoration project. Commissioners were also still waiting on getting the keys for the main door and if they don’t have an answer along with a tracking number saying when the parts will be at the courthouse by the end of the week, they plan on going another route.
The next regularly scheduled Wayne County Board of Commissioners meeting will be on Tuesday, February 16.