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Nemaha County commissioners approve public defender contract, accept fuel bid and authorize multiple purchases
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Summary
At their April 22 meeting the Nemaha County Board of Commissioners approved a three-year public defender contract, accepted a Sapp Brothers fuel bid for May, set poll-worker pay at $15 an hour and authorized equipment and property expenditures including a courthouse tree removal and a Veterans Service Office computer.
The Nemaha County Board of Commissioners on April 22 approved a series of administrative and procurement actions, including a three-year contract for the county public defender and acceptance of a fuel bid for May 2026.
The board voted to approve a contract with Keith Kollasch as Nemaha County Public Defender effective May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2029. The contract calls for compensation of $72,000 in the first year and increases of $2,000 in each subsequent year. The motion to approve the contract was made by Commissioner Mike Hall and seconded by Commissioner Bryan Mellage; the roll call vote passed unanimously among members present.
For county fuel procurement the board accepted the sole bid from Sapp Brothers for May 2026, with pricing listed as #2 clear diesel at $4.22 per gallon and regular with ethanol at $3.619 per gallon. The motion to accept the bid was made by Hall and seconded by Mellage and carried by roll call vote.
The commissioners also set the hourly wage for election poll workers at $15.00. That motion was made by Commissioner Mellage and seconded by Hall and was approved by roll call.
On buildings and grounds the board approved a $2,200 quote from Lumberjack Company of Nebraska City to remove a tree and grind the stump near the courthouse. The board approved purchase of a new computer for the Veterans Service Office from Five Nines Technology Group for $1,528.20. Both motions were moved by Commissioner Mellage, seconded by Hall and approved by roll call.
Road and bridge business included approval of a $68,799.22 quote from Final Grade Construction for Johnson Southwest Project C-64(354); that motion was moved by Mellage and seconded by Hall and approved by roll call.
County Clerk Diane Johnson presented the accounts payable and payroll claims for authorization. The meeting record contains a detailed vendor and payroll list spanning several funds; the consent authorization included notable entries such as a $200,000 payment to the Nemaha County Treasurer and other vendor disbursements across general, road and grant funds.
Treasurer Gerdes told the board that Wednesday, April 29, 2026, will be the last day a Nebraska Drivers Examiner will be in Nemaha County until further notice; the change was shared as an operational update rather than a formal board action.
The meeting adjourned at 11:07 a.m. following a motion by Chairman Michael Weiss and a second by Hall. Commissioner Bryan Mellage had left earlier in the meeting and was absent for the adjournment vote.