Gosper County commissioners approve cell tower permit, accept audit and approve Keno and permit actions

The Gosper County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously April 29, 2026, to approve a Special Use Permit allowing Industrial Tower West to construct a cell tower at 74782 Road 431 and to complete a series of routine administrative actions, including accepting the county'wide audit for the 2024'2025 fiscal year and allocating Keno funds to local services.

Chairperson Terry Lerdall, Member Bruce Bader and Member Glenn Hofman were present for the meeting at the Gosper County Courthouse in Elwood. On a motion by Member Bruce Bader, seconded by Member Glenn Hofman, the board approved the minutes of April 8, 2026 at the start of the session.

The board reviewed and recorded audit and approval of payrolls and a detailed list of claims for the General and Road funds, which include capital outlay entries such as $43,290 listed to Charles Buchholz Family Farm, LLC and a Road Fund capital payment to Paulsen, Inc. of $155,968.36. The board then accepted the 2024'2025 audit report completed by Contryman Associates and approved signing the Management Representation Letter on a motion by Chairperson Terry Lerdall, seconded by Member Glenn Hofman; the roll call vote on the audit was unanimous.

The board allocated $3,764 from the county Keno Fund to the Gosper County Senior Center after a request by Laurie Jauken, a board member at the Senior Center. The Board also approved a request from Shawn Engberg, president of Big Johnson Brewery, LLC, to register Big Johnson Brewing Company as a lottery sales outlet for the county'run component of the Nebraska Cooperative Government joint keno lottery.

Land and road items included approval of a dedication for approximately 4.81 acres purchased from Charles Buchholz Family Farm, LLC to build Road 749A (to provide access around Johnson Lake while an inlet bridge is replaced), and recorded approvals for permit-to-construct applications on county road right-of-way submitted by Chad Taubenheim and Waylon Bellamy and a separate application from Rod Reynolds. The board also approved a road closure requested by the Johnson Lake Fireworks Committee for July 3 (rain date July 5).

Zoning Administrator Nicole Atterberry and a representative of Industrial Tower West participated in a public hearing that opened at 10:00 a.m. and closed at 10:15 a.m.; following the hearing the Board approved the Special Use Permit to construct the cell tower at the 74782 Road 431 site.

Other administrative actions included approval of a Special Designated Liquor License for Crazy Marv's RV & Cabin Retreat, LLC for an event on May 16, 2026, and standard road-maintenance reporting from Assistant Highway Superintendent Kelly Lehmann.

Votes at a glance ' All roll call votes reported in the minutes were unanimous (Aye: Terry Lerdall, Bruce Bader, Glenn Hofman): approval of April 8 minutes (motion: Bader second: Hofman); allocation of $3,764 Keno funds to the Gosper County Senior Center (motion: Bader second: Hofman); approval of Big Johnson Brewing Company as a lottery sales outlet (motion: Bader second: Hofman); approval of Special Use Permit for Industrial Tower West to construct a cell tower at 74782 Road 431 (motion: Bader second: Hofman); approval to sign Dedication for Road Right of Way Purposes for tract purchased from Charles Buchholz Family Farm, LLC (motion: Bader second: Hofman); acceptance of the annual audit and signing of the Management Representation Letter (motion: Lerdall second: Hofman); approval of a Special Designated Liquor License for Crazy Marv's (motion: Bader second: Lerdall); road closure for Johnson Lake fireworks (motion: Bader second: Lerdall). Several approvals of permits to construct on county road ROW were recorded; mover/second and roll-call details for those approvals are not specified in the minutes.

The board adjourned at 11:30 a.m. and announced its next regular meeting for May 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the Gosper County Courthouse in Elwood.