WAYNE – A steering committee will be formed for the Community Wildlife Protection Plan (WPP) as the Wayne County Board of Commissioners took the next step in refinancing a bond to save the county money during their Tuesday morning regularly scheduled meeting.
From the Wayne County Courthouse courtroom, the board began with a short executive session which concluded with the commissioners approving the recommendation to the Liquor Control Commission on Manager Applicant for the Wayne County Ag Society Liquor License.
Wayne County Emergency Manager, Nic Kemnitz then provided information on the Community Wildlife Protection Plan (WPP). Commissioners approved Kemnitz to put together a steering committee designation. They would include the middle Northeast Counties of Antelope, Boone, Pierce, Madison, Platte, Stanton, Colfax and Wayne.
State legislature passed the Wildfire Control Act of 2013 following large wildfires in 2012 which mainly take place in western Nebraska. But field fires are classified as wildfires. Within the Wayne Fire District there are 118.13 acres of forest and over 1,700 acres of shrubs which is considered as fuel for the fire.
An upcoming training being led by Pierce Fire is scheduled for mid-March with a registration deadline being this Friday, March 5. A minimum of 16 is needed to put on this 24-hour class over a four-day period.
Andy Forney with D.A. Davison & Companies also brought forward updated information on savings by refinancing Highway Allocation Fund Bond 2015. With interest rates still moving slightly, the updated projection rate would be 0.77% with a savings of roughly $55,000. That was a decrease from the roughly $62,000 that was being projected two weeks ago.
By passing a pair of resolutions as well as the underwriting engagement and disclosure letter, D.A. Davidson & Companies will prepare the bonds. The company will look at updated rates during a preliminary call with Wayne County and make sure they’re the rates the board would like to agree upon. The rates are not locked yet and if the board feels like they’re not saving enough money, they could wait as there’ll be no charges.
The final payment for the bond remained the same as December 15, 2027 as the board just refinanced their bond.
Doug Elting with Berggren Architects provided an update on the courthouse restoration project. The locks for the doors were being installed Tuesday morning that way the keys will be able to open the doors from the outside. The group is waiting for it to rain and see where they can find the leaks in the room that were addressed coming into the winter months. Elting also provided information to the board about installing small gutters above the east entrance.
The next regularly scheduled Wayne County Board of Commissioners meeting will be on Tuesday, March 16 at 9 a.m.