Nemaha County commissioners approve fuel bid, grant application and disaster declaration; reject Road District trailer replacement
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Summary
At their Aug. 27 meeting, Nemaha County commissioners accepted a September fuel bid from Sapp Brothers, adopted resolutions including a disaster declaration and levy allocations, authorized a veterans van grant application, approved surplus vehicle sales and a courthouse drop-box replacement, and rejected a proposed Road District #2 trailer replacement.
Auburn, Neb. — The Nemaha County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 27 approved a package of procurement and administrative actions, adopted multiple resolutions and set budget hearing dates while rejecting a proposal to replace a Road District #2 trailer.
Chairman Michael Weiss and Commissioners Mike Hall (District 1) and Bryan Mellage (District 2) handled routine business and several substantive votes during the meeting. The board accepted Sapp Brothers’ fuel bid for September 2025, approving #2 clear diesel at $2.92 per gallon and regular (with ethanol) at $2.56 per gallon.
The commissioners adopted Resolution #2025-16 finalizing levy allocations for the Nemaha County Ag Society and rural fire districts and adopted Resolution #2025-19 declaring storm damage from Aug. 8–11 a county disaster. The board also approved inventories for county officials for 2025 and accepted a bid of $167.99 per ton from Tire Cutters Inc. (Centralia, Kan.) for the State of Nebraska DEQ Scrap Tire Collection Grant event to be held in 2026.
Commissioner Bryan Mellage moved and the board adopted Resolution #2025-17 authorizing an application to the Nebraska Department of Transportation for FTA Section 5310 capital grant funds to purchase a vehicle to transport Nemaha County veterans. The action authorizes county staff to pursue federal grant funding; the grant’s award and vehicle purchase remain contingent on state and federal approval.
The board approved replacement of the courthouse secured drop box at a cost of $2,869.60 and declared two county vehicles surplus: a 2014 white Chevrolet Tahoe used by the Veterans Service Office (to be sold via Big Iron) and a 2016 Chevrolet crew cab pickup from the sheriff’s department (to be sold at a later date).
A personnel motion approved a $1.00-per-hour pay increase for county employee Suki Fischer, citing additional duties including courthouse repairs and updates; the raise is effective Sept. 29, 2025. The board tabled an appointment of Nahum Winder as Assistant EMA Director (full time, with benefits) until its Sept. 10 meeting.
A divisive vote occurred on a motion to replace Road District #2’s 1989 Cornhusker Rock Pup trailer. Commissioner Mellage moved to replace the trailer; the roll call was Hall, nay; Mellage, aye; Weiss, nay, and the motion failed. The minutes record this defeat as the primary instance of dissent during the session.
In highway matters, the board approved a driveway agreement for property owner Shawn Peck on 725 Road (owner to pay for culvert cost) and voted to begin the process to replace Bridge C006423450 (722 Road east of 650 Avenue) with a box culvert; the bridge has been closed since 2019.
County Clerk Diane Johnson presented claims and payroll for approval. The board set the public hearing for the 2025–2026 county budget for Sept. 10, 2025, with adoption scheduled for Sept. 24, 2025. With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 11:03 a.m.