[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6074570,"mediaKeyId","2983598-a214a918689937543364935794a9a978","parentId",2983598,"title","Votes at a glance: key actions from the Scotts Bluff County commissioners' meeting","audioSeconds",8066,"startMs",188000,"endMs",8254000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2983598-a214a918689937543364935794a9a978&start=188&end=8254","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2983598-a214a918689937543364935794a9a978/thumbnail_188000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6074570/Scotts-Bluff-County/Nebraska/Votes-at-a-glance-key-actions-from-the-Scotts-Bluff-County-commissioners-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6074570-30e6e7da4df9d101535dd6a81045c236/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810827&Signature=DrcFgBhrvnbjbcu3HHlyoBQAWgP7s~BcvX6FuxIAxigkjKmbzRZ278tdCk5Da8gMw9q1Hp~sM7OlN5OJwtEUPChEeudJOo3rPGMeT6x2e0oO1tmtIV5ysGLaJZMKgrZf6oqHDwdGySPi34VdBUaKIlTBYTIsJc8gko-wkqSu2iJBp9RMZcB0pbEP22WsDRT0S8TVyjJYSUFaFP6dy~e1AG2vOXKxsTGwwBHFbNB~kRLjj7mkf2vaRHbIFYIpnyAR9onpzTNJk4~0bTsEJuukuVW5XOK958HWH99Jgr6aqXIpkmAUuPTfjww1aVfLuud3UvoZQ3EBZQilWXkdYeNhkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Scotts Bluff County, NE","date","2025-04-14T16:58:24.753Z","article","The following is a concise record of formal motions, votes and outcomes taken during the Scotts Bluff County Board of Commissioners meeting.

• Approve agenda as printed — Motion carried (vote announced: \"You have 5 yeses.\")
• Approve consent agenda — Motion carried (vote announced: \"You have 5 yeses.\")
• Board of Equalization: Enter and exit Board of Equalization — Motions carried (votes announced: \"You have 5 yeses\" for each procedural vote)
• Motor vehicle tax exemptions for BSL Gearing (five exemptions discussed; total tax loss reported as $347.60; four vehicles did not have motor-vehicle tax and therefore were not tax-exempt): Motion to approve exemptions carried (vote announced: \"You have 5 yeses.\")
• Receive tax list corrections — Motion carried (vote announced: \"You have 5 yeses.\")
• Accept Scotts Bluff County weed superintendent annual report — Motion carried (vote announced: \"You have 5 yeses.\")
• Table four weed-authority items (two resolutions, fee schedule and related forms) pending attorney review — Motion carried (vote announced: \"We have 5 yeses.\")
• Approve shared service agreement between Scotts Bluff County and Twin Cities Development to purchase one-year access to Placer AI location analytics platform (shared cost; county and TCD each to pay half) — Motion carried (vote announced: \"You have 5 yeses.\")
• Enter executive session re: pending litigation — Motion carried (vote announced: \"You have 5 yeses.\"); commissioners returned and announced that no action was taken in executive session.

Notes on recordkeeping: Where a vote tally was announced by the clerk as \"You have 5 yeses,\" this summary records the outcome as approved; the board did not record roll-call vote-by-name for every procedural item in the transcript. For several items the mover and seconder were not identified in the audio or transcript and are therefore listed as \"not specified.\"","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Scotts Bluff County Commissioners Meeting, Monday, April 7th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","This at-a-glance list summarizes formal votes and procedural outcomes from the Scotts Bluff County Board of Commissioners meeting, including agenda approvals, Board of Equalization actions, weed-authority items and the Placer AI shared-service agreement.","taxTitle","Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska","taxId",69685,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6074585,"Scotts Bluff County approves one-year shared service agreement with Twin Cities Development for Plae r AI location analytics",3663,4593000,8256000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2983598-a214a918689937543364935794a9a978&start=4593&end=8256","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2983598-a214a918689937543364935794a9a978/thumbnail_4593000.jpg","/articles/6074585/Scotts-Bluff-County/Nebraska/Scotts-Bluff-County-approves-one-year-shared-service-agreement-with-Twin-Cities-Development-for-Plae-r-AI-location-analytics","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6074585-48c9556dc00f5bc139fc26f1c33e9a66/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810827&Signature=nWhw3E~7WmkQLooTU3blyXAhjljXOEQOgUCn2cyG6M0B7O25QuXUYzwbdpH433oOHyesdeSdoQ7G0YUsfngLn7QT5dFC4U2BShCLWATrEm9Dz2Eorzwb2SNo9ZIIRAoxtTV01RLA7plVaFq0hpBnjUX3uqrgfPi0pqMS9rcNQStyrZoTPk41G3hKdKO5GrsR~MuF~T8PCeyGy4QRVPcElUNqCqa0XQ~ypTx3C~-BAvQQrt-1DonhNNGxqiR9v0DzXRwWWxJA8fjbHLv5Z2WnPWhzaMpfLUWrb7v59zy~mTNsMkKhFk0sRoyC289jJeY40ckZqfd1~d1EGw1Oy9HH0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Scotts Bluff County commissioners voted to approve a one-year shared service agreement with Twin Cities Development (TCD) to purchase access to Placer AI’s location-analytics platform. The board approved the shared arrangement after public discussion about what the platform collects, who will access it and how the county and partner organizations will use it.

The agreement covers a one-year license to Placer AI data and tools the county said will help analyze visitor behavior and foot-traffic patterns to guide tourism spending. Under the approved shared-service arrangement, the county will fund half the contract and TCD will fund the other half; the county will have four user logins and TCD one, and the parties agreed TCD will follow the underlying Placer AI confidentiality and use provisions.

County attorney Jason Ocean said at the meeting that the tourism committee originally recommended a longer term but the board chose a shorter pilot. \"My memory of this was that it went to the tourism committee regarding an agreement between the county and Placer AI and the recommendation came back to this board for a 3 year term of the contract,\" Ocean said, adding that the commissioners elected a more conservative one-year trial instead.

Why it matters: County staff and tourism officials said access to historical and near-real-time location analytics could help answer questions about where visitors come from, which events draw out-of-county or out-of-state attendees, and whether marketing investments are increasing overnight stays. Supporters told commissioners the platform can analyze multi-year baselines and event-level activity to better measure return on investment for lodging-tax expenditures.

What the board decided and next steps: The board approved the shared-service agreement at the meeting. Commissioners and staff described the first year as a pilot; county staff said the platform can query multiple past years of anonymized device data so the pilot will include retrospective analysis as well as forward-looking reports. County staff said they plan to assign logins to county tourism staff and requested that TCD hire or assign a data analyst to work with the county and tourism staff on interpretation if the partner prefers.

Public questions and data protections: Several residents asked how Placer AI collects and anonymizes data and whether the platform disproportionately represents particular device types. Staff said Placer AI derives movement data from third-party mobile applications; the company provides aggregated, anonymized reports rather than personally identifying information. Several commenters urged caution and asked what recourse the county or third parties would have if a partner used data inappropriately. County counsel said the underlying contract requires anonymization and limits onward use to authorized purposes; the separate shared-service agreement requires TCD to follow the same obligations and to pay its share of the fee.

Commissioners also discussed, and a presenter referenced, federal and state procurement and foreign-adversary questions after a member of the public raised concerns about the vendor’s ownership. Staff pointed out the Foreign Adversary Contracting Prohibition Act lists certain countries that are barred; at the meeting a commissioner noted Israel (the vendor’s country of origin was raised by members of the public) is not listed in that act.

Vote and practical details: The motion to approve the shared service agreement passed with five yes votes. County staff said the contract will give the county access to multi-year, event-level and origin-destination analytics and that TCD will be a named, accountable partner under the county’s Placer AI license.

What the county will track going forward: County and tourism staff said they plan to use the platform to quantify lodging-night impacts of major events, analyze visitor origins for targeted marketing, and evaluate whether particular advertising or incentives drive overnight stays. Staff also told commissioners they expect to pursue data interns to assist with analysis during the summer season.

Ending: The board characterized the agreement as a data-driven pilot to inform lodging-tax spending and event funding going forward; commissioners said they will review results after the one-year trial and decide whether to renew, expand or change the approach.","Scotts Bluff County commissioners approved a one-year shared service agreement with Twin Cities Development on Oct. 12 to buy access to Placer AI’s location-analytics platform, splitting the $30,000 contract so the county and TCD each pay half, and designating user access and confidentiality responsibilities.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6074575,"Weed superintendent reports improved Department of Agriculture scores; county tables enforcement resolutions pending legal review",700,572000,1272000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2983598-a214a918689937543364935794a9a978&start=572&end=1272","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2983598-a214a918689937543364935794a9a978/thumbnail_572000.jpg","/articles/6074575/Scotts-Bluff-County/Nebraska/Weed-superintendent-reports-improved-Department-of-Agriculture-scores-county-tables-enforcement-resolutions-pending-legal-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6074575-f508bbe88409e7da79fc05e8221f2162/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810827&Signature=bKa~zgm-O5c9KLP~x9YHyFfYDDOFun21jm~05Go9~zfM1E7owqUcEYhInJWQabuhPEouPgYtYtJF76kQabZCNgVI2WB101V7SowzniWAPBmKx~ORB-KspCrkkep0SyqhyDKL0m1qrV8UZ0zLZ6HjSiuzOxbh6urFBDHivRxJrxDiJNTljBqEHbpuRZV7vG8oHYE6cH6w6xbKPx5yaMVaHLqeFfNx4O7WiSJcwqVN42iYtmiuHbdtmGa7Hz2YL2MVeDMzJPVdY0Droa16fmicHFHcudIlDoZKZjy6U-W-T5szMZLfS1tfDpWmA3b1HPStmqzf6n1EKs4jr4SPHs8v2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Scotts Bluff County Board of Commissioners accepted the county weed superintendent’s annual report and then tabled four follow-up items — two resolutions and related forms — until county legal counsel reviews the documents.

Steve Baird, weed superintendent, reviewed the county’s annual report to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the department’s evaluation. Baird said the county received high marks for inspections and roster accuracy but was docked points in other categories for items such as county follow-ups, activity reports and continuing education. \"We had 8 open files with the NDA. I did not know we had them. We've had them since 2020,\" Baird told the board, and he said he has followed up on those cases this spring and sent letters to property owners.

Nut graf — why it matters: The Department of Agriculture review affects future state support and oversight of county weed-control programs. Commissioners accepted the report and Baird said he has completed required continuing education and licensing updates that should improve next year’s score.

Board action and tabling: The board voted to accept and sign the report to indicate the board had discussed the matter. Later in the Weed Authority portion of the agenda Baird presented four draft items developed after statewide weed training: two resolutions delegating enforcement notice authority to the superintendent (10- and 15-day notices), a fee schedule to impose doubled rates for enforced control, and related forms. County counsel had not completed a legal review and Baird recommended the items be reviewed by counsel. The board then voted to table the four weed-authority items until the attorney’s office provides recommended wording; the motion passed by a 5-0 vote.

What was discussed about grants and funding: Baird told the board that Scotts Bluff County does not receive Department of Agriculture funding for the weed program; the county program is funded by local tax dollars. He said some point deductions stemmed from missing zeros entered on forms and a need to flesh out the county control plan with more detail, and he reported he had completed additional continuing-education hours since the report was written.

Ending: The board accepted the annual report and directed staff to bring the two resolutions, fee schedule and forms back for approval after attorney review. The board scheduled no further immediate action on enforcement authority or fee changes until legal language is finalized.","Scotts Bluff County weed superintendent Steve Baird reported improved scores on the county’s Department of Agriculture report card but acknowledged past open files dating to 2020. The board accepted the annual report and tabled four proposed resolutions and a fee schedule pending legal review.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6074580,"Scotts Bluff tourism advisory committee presents updated strategic plan; commissioners call for joint work session",3311,1279000,4590000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2983598-a214a918689937543364935794a9a978&start=1279&end=4590","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2983598-a214a918689937543364935794a9a978/thumbnail_1279000.jpg","/articles/6074580/Scotts-Bluff-County/Nebraska/Scotts-Bluff-tourism-advisory-committee-presents-updated-strategic-plan-commissioners-call-for-joint-work-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6074580-6dfd9908e8339b18b6e27722d1c999ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810827&Signature=VVjXXzvOU9nZ21YoAsaaeBmJsVWG813ik7IQYYItCGaPC2Qga60A0e--YmSIQm3RVmabl9SUbH-g6e5Q7S3kkRgff82qmGbnFhFBvZ9vn0aINqAfRmh54xwcYHk0TPaQ9VxZL78U4DskmjexgoFukwF2itczBdJK9zkflmr6rGVXlMTdiny0-Mx-nwR4IwQkmci5g~3cfaeapDUL3g3lYsqDViN7a0n3dFhIrH9-jwfzHK84s~uYIVbRI-qZJqTkHX~hQo4PEExixUA8QerFtFY~kitfe3IcCEONs-nMgKi3NWwpXaH5Y-cU3tNS2Whl6Uxrgl97X5u7sTkn6PQCWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Scottsbluff Area Visitors Bureau and its tourism advisory subcommittee presented updates to the bureau’s strategic plan during the Scotts Bluff County Board of Commissioners meeting, and commissioners agreed to pursue a joint work session to develop a new, shared strategic planning process.

Chuck Heeman, a member of the tourism advisory committee and an owner-operator of a local small business, told the board the document shows changes made since the plan’s 2017 inception and an update in 2022. \"I am a member of the tourism advisory committee and I run a small business in town,\" Heeman said when he introduced the packet. He described the yellow highlights in the document as items added or addressed in 2022 and said some highlighted items are ongoing while others are complete.

Nut graf — why it matters: Commissioners and tourism leaders said the county’s lodging-tax revenue is intended to boost overnight stays and local spending; both sides said they want clearer priorities and shared metrics before committing funds to events and marketing. Commissioners emphasized that tourism is an advisory function of the tourism committee but that final spending decisions rest with the elected board.

Discussion and key points: Heeman listed areas of emphasis — including leisure-group travel, ecotourism (noting birding and Wildcat Hills), agritourism and astrotourism — at the suggestion of state tourism staff. Multiple commissioners asked for clearer, itemized outcomes and for documentation of previous data collection, including the summer surveys the tourism committee said had been completed by interns and by rural-fellows projects for the monument, Legacy of the Plains and the fair.

Commissioner remarks repeatedly returned to two themes: (1) the county’s lodging-tax revenue should be allocated with an eye toward return on investment measured primarily by additional paid overnight stays, and (2) any new strategic plan should be developed jointly so commissioners and the tourism committee align on priorities, timelines and measurable outcomes. One commissioner proposed a \"pre-plan\" exercise in which stakeholders submit individual priorities so a facilitator can synthesize them into a work-session agenda.

Public input: Several members of the public spoke in favor of expanding ecotourism and astrotourism. Campground host Eleanor Schimick said visitors often praise local stargazing opportunities; she told the board that travelers who \"get away from street lights\" are frequently surprised by the night sky. Legacy of the Plains Museum executive director Dave Wolf described existing visitor counts at museum events and asked how Placer AI and other analytics would be used with existing door-count methods.

Board response and next steps: Commissioners and tourism staff agreed there is not an immediate request to approve the packet as written; instead, the board offered consensus to move forward with a staged process: compile the tourism committee’s prior planning documents and data, gather hotel and event calendars and occupancy patterns, and convene a jointly facilitated strategic-planning work session that includes city partners, hotels and other stakeholders. Commissioners said they expect a facilitator to synthesize feedback and return a draft strategic plan for review.

Ending: The board indicated general support for a joint strategic-plan work session rather than immediate formal approval of the packet; staff and committee members said they will prepare baseline data and convene stakeholders for a facilitated planning session.","The Scottsbluff Area Visitors Bureau presented updates to its strategic plan that the advisory committee completed in 2022. Commissioners and tourism members agreed to schedule a facilitated work session to align county priorities and the bureau’s priorities before drafting a new multi-year plan.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: key actions from the Scotts Bluff County commissioners' meeting

Scotts Bluff County approves one-year shared service agreement with Twin Cities Development for Plae r AI location analytics

Weed superintendent reports improved Department of Agriculture scores; county tables enforcement resolutions pending legal review

Scotts Bluff tourism advisory committee presents updated strategic plan; commissioners call for joint work session