County Steps In To Help KCTS

Kimball County commissioners Rich Flores, and Carl Stander voted to approve, if necessary, on Tuesday, March 19, the transfer of $210,000 from the inheritance fund to the general fund to pay KCTS payroll and bills due to a holdup in state funding.

The discussion prior to the vote focused on cutting transit services, such as shutting routes down. Administrator Christy Warner said, “Everything is connected,” and a public hearing must be held in order to shut services down.

The financial operation of the KCTS has been crippled because reimbursements from the Nebraska Department of Transportation are outstanding, Warner said. The KCTS has more than $440,000 in spending dating back to December that has yet to be reimbursed. December’s reimbursement has been approved but not received in the amount of $34,747.

NDOT has changed procedures for the 62 transits across Nebraska to prove their expenses. Warner said that most transits are 6-12 months behind on reimbursements and KCTS has a little more than two months outstanding.

Additional steps have been immediately implemented and are required from NDOT, such as making the transits produce bank statements, cleared checks, financial plans and many more documents. Transits must also proved how merit raises are determined, and how health insurance and retirement are charged and paid.

This change in the reimbursement policy is partially the result of a situation in Norfolk, where the theft of $740,000 occurred from North Fork Area Transit, along with many other violations.

Warner said that a reimbursement from December of $34,747 has been approved, and she is confident that almost $210,000 will arrive before the end of the month, but if it doesn’t the transit fund would be operating in the red – and that is not a sound practice for the county treasurer to have a fund in the red at the end of the month.

Warner said she talked with state Sen. Brian Hardin, who said he planned to speak with Gov. Jim Pillen about the crippling reimbursement process and how devastating it is to the transit system. Scotts Bluff County and Alliance are both awaiting more than $500,000 in reimbursements.

Lukassen was called away before the start of the commissioners meeting for a family matter. She was absent and not available to vote on the motion.

In other business on Tuesday, the Kimball County Commissioners held a public hearing on the One and Six Year Road plan for the county. Highway superintendent Randy Bymer said that the One Year plan includes three projects.

Two culverts will be installed one, 4 miles south of Bushnell, east on Road 26 and south on Road 25, and the other culvert will complete a project on Road 54. The final project is to widen and gravel south of Bushnell.

In updating the board on the department, Bymer said that they will go to four-10 hour days beginning the first Monday in April.

As spring arrived, Rick Wrangler, Kimball County weed superintendent, told the two commissioners that he was “getting ready” for the spraying season and looking for another person to help spray.

Aaron Berger, UNL Extension educator, presented the annual Nebraska Extension Impact Report.

Others having business in front of the commissioners were:

Deb Diemoz, clerk of the District Court, who received approval to purchase two cell phones for the court; Monica Todorov interim buildings and ground superintendent; and Valerio Jansante from U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith’s office, who talked about the North Platte postal service closing.

County Government Day has been scheduled for March 26, and students from civics classes in Kimball and Potter-Dix will attend,

The next commissioner’s meeting will be held on April 2 at 9 a.m.