After several years without a county-wide option for collecting used tires, the Seward County Board of Commissioners will sponsor a two-day tire collection event in April 2024 to move an estimated 350 tons of scrap tires out of the county.
The Commissioners on Dec. 19 accepted a $48,050 Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy grant to fund the event and accepted the low bid from the Butler County Landfill, Inc, at $135 per ton.
The tires would be taken to and processed at the Butler County Landfill, where they will be shredded for alternative daily cover in the landfill. It could take up to 17 work days to load, haul and unload 350 tons of tires at the landfill, moving 20 to 30 tons per day.
Commissioner Raegan Hain is coordinating the grant and event planned for April 19 and 20, which aligns with the city of Seward’s annual clean-up days.
Matzke Highway detour advances
Also last week, the commissioners moved forward on the Matzke Highway detour request and plans to replace the pole-mounted emergency siren at the Seward Interchange, two topics that had been discussed in recent meetings.
The commissioners approved state plans to use Matzke Highway as a detour for eight non-consecutive nights during the three-year-long project to widen Interstate 80 between Lincoln and the Milford Interchange that will begin in 2024.
Commission Chair John Culver said after the meeting the county would maintain communication with the state to be prepared for the additional traffic anticipated. A low overpass on Highway 6 ruled it out as an alternative detour.
Commissioners had expressed concern about Matzke’s condition and the need for traffic controls at the Matzke Highway and Highway 34 intersection.
Emergency siren approved
The commission also voted to purchase the emergency siren and related equipment needed to update and transfer to county-owned power connections at the Seward Interchange.
A bid for a Federal Signal siren, pole and other equipment came in at $19,141, plus $9,634 for installation and $1,063 for shipping, putting the total cost at $29,838. An additional $2,000 is included in the contract for traffic control and other inspection costs if needed.
It was approved upon the recommendation of Seward County Emergency Management Director Gary Petersen whose budget will fund the purchase and installation..
The high power, directional rotating unit replaces an older model that works, but is connected to a private property owner’s power source and has been affected by development in the area.
Opiate class action settlement anticipated
The commissioners voted to remain a part of the McKinsey Opiate Class Action Lawsuit, which will likely begin distributing settlement funds throughout the state in 2024. The
deadline to commit to being part of the class action settlement is Jan. 5 and a final approval of the plan is scheduled for Feb. 2.
By remaining in the class action group, the county will receive a set portion of the settlement coming to Nebraska and could also receive a portion of the settlement going to the state.The Nebraska Attorney General is involved in two settlements. The first concerns prescription drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and the second concerns a group of prescription drug distributors.
Information provided on the Nebraska Association of County Officials’ website shows that from 2021 to 2031 Seward County could receive more than $22,876 in annual installments ranging from $920 to $4,791 as part of the settlements completed so far. Seward County’s portion of the settlement is three quarters of one percent of the whole.
Information on the NACO site indicated the state would receive an additional $2.9 million in that decade designated for the grant-making “Opioid Recovery Fund” in the Department of Health and Human Services as planned in the Nebraska Legislature’s Opioid Prevention and Treatment Act of 2020.
In other action, the board:
• Authorized the start of a year-long process to make the elected public defender’s position a non-elected position.
• Authorized the agreement with RxServices, LL DBA InMedRx for the “release medication program” related to inmates needing medications at the Seward County Detention Center.
• Asked Building and Grounds Superintendent Eric Hofer to get a revised quote for installation of county-owned outlets near the courthouse lawn statues to provide options to light the statues continuously. The quote for the outlet work from Blue River Electric was $3,985.
• Upon the recommendation of Highway Superintendent Terry Wicht and Assistant Highway Superintendent Jon Regnier, approved purchasing the low bid from RDO for a 2025 Mack Truck and pup for $263,570 with June 2024 delivery.
• Deferred action offering a hiring bonus for the Department of Roads’ Tier 1 Mechanic position until after Wicht’s retirement at the end of the year and the hiring of a new superintendent.
• Approved a Planning Commission recommendation for the Rohren 2023 Subdivision short form plat in K Precinct, which would create an 8.5 acre parcel around the existing residence out of a 160-acre tract, as submitted by Rohren Family Farms LLC, Dennis H. Rohren.
• Accepted the zoning administrator’s report for November.
