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Nemaha County commissioners approve three‑year public defender contract, set poll‑worker pay and accept road and equipment quotes
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Summary
At its April 22 meeting in Auburn, the Nemaha County Board of Commissioners approved a three‑year contract for the county public defender, accepted a May fuel bid, set election poll‑worker pay at $15 an hour, and approved several equipment and road project expenditures.
The Nemaha County Board of Commissioners on April 22, 2026, approved a string of contracts, bids and purchases affecting county operations and elections.
Commissioner Mike Hall moved and Commissioner Bryan Mellage seconded approval of a three‑year contract with attorney Keith Kollasch to serve as Nemaha County public defender effective May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2029. Compensation is $72,000 for the first year with scheduled increases of $2,000 per year; the motion passed on a roll‑call vote with Commissioners Michael Weiss (chair), Mike Hall and Bryan Mellage voting aye. The motion as recorded in the minutes was “approve and sign the contract with Keith Kollasch for Nemaha County Public Defender for a 3‑year contract.”
The board also accepted Sapp Brothers’ fuel bid for May 2026 — No. 2 clear diesel at $4.22 per gallon and regular with ethanol at $3.619 per gallon — on a motion by Hall and second by Mellage. Commissioners approved a $15.00 hourly wage for election poll workers after a motion by Mellage and second by Hall.
Other approvals included a $2,200 quote from Lumberjack Company of Nebraska City to remove a tree and grind the stump near the courthouse (motion by Mellage, second by Hall) and the purchase of a new computer for the Veterans Service Office from Five Nines Technology Group for $1,528.20 (motion by Mellage, second by Hall). The board approved a $68,799.22 quote from Final Grade Construction for the Johnson Southwest Project C‑64(354), following discussion of highway projects and bridge status.
The board opened sealed bids for two Canon copiers at 9:00 a.m.; according to the minutes, no sealed bids were received. Detailed accounts payable claims across county funds were approved and authorized for payment by County Clerk Diane Johnson.
The meeting adjourned at 11:07 a.m.; the minutes were certified by Diane Johnson, Nemaha County Clerk, and will be available during regular business hours at the clerk’s office and on the Nemaha County website.
Why this matters: The contract with the public defender affects county legal services and budget planning for the next three years; setting poll‑worker pay occurs ahead of upcoming elections and affects county staffing costs; the road and equipment approvals commit funds for infrastructure and county operations.