WAYNE – Emergency Management updates were brought forward along with an update on the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline during the regularly scheduled Wayne County Board of Commissioners meeting.
From the Wayne County Courthouse courtroom, one agenda item pertained to the 2022-23 tax rates being set for the fiscal year during the Board of Equalization meeting Tuesday morning.
Several entities showed a decrease in their tax rate from 2021 to 2022 with a few others having an increase.
Complete 2022 Tax Rates for Wayne County can be found here: 2022 Tax Rates – Wayne County 10-18-22
Wayne County Emergency Manager, Nic Kemnitz then provided several updates beginning with a report that the air conditioner on the Emergency Operations Center trailer seemed to work well during the Missouri River Outdoor Expo in September.
An annual training was held on September 26 in Norfolk hosted by the Nebraska Pipeline Association as Emergency Managers and weather service personnel also attended the National Weather Service Integrated Weather Team meeting on October 4.
Kemnitz has finally been able to attend several training courses that many have been delayed and postponed. He attended the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency Basic Academy in Lincoln on October 6 serving has one of the panelists as well as a Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Community Technicians Course in South Sioux City October 10 – 14 where the group learned to establish basic communications following an event such as a tornado.
Wayne County Emergency Management was also requested to assist with a field fire north of Wayne on October 12 that was on the Cedar/Dixon County line. Kemnitz remained on the south side of the fire but coordinated with others to get resources.
Upcoming meetings include the FEMA Communications Unit Leader course in South Sioux City November 14 – 17 as well the FEMA Liaison Officer course in Grand Island November 29 – 30.
Rob Latimer, a representative for Summit Carbon Solutions, provided a brief update to the board before answering their questions. Of the roughly 22 miles needed in Wayne County, 35% of the land has been acquired as the construction proposal is being set for August of next year.
The group continues to obtain and educate landowners about the CO2 pipeline going through five different states. In Nebraska, 135 miles (roughly 43%) of the 318 miles for the project have also been obtained through voluntary easements. Summit Carbon Solutions will work better on their communications with non-county surveying being conducted and on private property as the Board of Commissioners would like to complete the Road Use agreement before digging up any county Right-of-Ways (ROWs).
Highway Superintendent, Mark Casey presented a resolution which needed the boards approval to receive $188,548.12 in the final reimbursement for CBMP project #4 in District 1 (Terry Sievers) for a box culvert and removal of a bridge.
The board approved the document and also signed a Quitclaim deed to purchase a 1.45 acre tract from Union Pacific Railroad Company. This would be used for an addition to the Winside County Shop (District 3 Jim Rabe).
The six Wayne County Convention and Visitors Bureau Committee Lodging Tax Grant Applications were approved with the one previously declined also denied by the Commissioners. The reason was these applications are meant to be used for advertising.
The board also denied the ARPA Grant Application from the Belden Fire Department requesting $80,000 for bunker gear and a water tender. Commissioners stated Cedar County also denied the request and according to GIS records, there is no Belden Fire Department fire district property in Wayne County.
The next regularly scheduled Wayne County Board of Commissioners meeting will be on Tuesday, November 1.
