Lancaster County commissioners approve traffic-data contract, jail DBT classes and $75,000 cultural grant

Krista Yocom, chair of the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners, convened the board on July 7 in the County‑City Building, and the board approved a slate of routine contracts, grants and permits affecting county transportation, corrections programming and cultural services.

The most consequential item for county transportation was a two‑year contract with Urban SDK to purchase traffic‑count data at a cost not to exceed $68,000. Pam Dingman, Lancaster County engineer, said the county lacks the labor to manually count traffic across roughly 1,400 miles each summer and that the Urban SDK data will be both more accurate and safer for county employees. “This will get us the data which will be much more accurate, over the next couple years that will help us immensely,” Dingman said. Commissioners approved the contract by roll call.

The board also approved a supplemental agreement with the Nebraska Department of Transportation and Lancaster County Transit to increase transit funding by $88,278. A commissioner noted the adjustment responds to a recent drop in federal and state support for that service.

In corrections programming, Maria Hatfield, reentry administrator at the Lancaster County Department of Corrections, asked the board to approve a contract with Gender Family Services to deliver dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) classes to inmates at a cost not to exceed $31,200. Hatfield said the provider will take over one WISER DBT class and add three new DBT classes for the general inmate population — two for men and one for women — expanding evidence‑based programming available in the jail. “They would be taking over one of the current classes for WISER and then bringing in three new classes for general population inmates,” Hatfield said. The board approved the agreement.

Sarah Hoyle of the Department of Human Services announced a $75,000 grant contract with the Cultural Centers of Lincoln to fund a part‑time welcoming coordinator shared between the county and the Cultural Centers; Hoyle said the coordinator began work the prior day and will split time between the Cultural Centers and county duties. The contract is a joint city‑and‑county effort and carried on a vote of the board.

Other routine items approved included a memorandum of understanding with McKesson Medical Surgical Government Solutions LLC for medical supplies (estimated cost not to exceed $6,000), a contract with Mahoney Fire Sprinkler Inc. for inspection and maintenance (not to exceed $10,000), and multiple right‑of‑way pruning contracts with a combined cap of $15,000.

Dave Oshlow of Nebraska Public Power District requested and received approval for a special event permit to close part of 42nd Street on July 17 for a groundbreaking ceremony on a new power station. Chrissy Salda described a first‑time Renaissance Fair at Cornhusker Council camping grounds and obtained a special designated license for the event on July 18–19.

The board opened but heard no public comment. Commissioners announced upcoming budget and staff meetings and adjourned; the Board of Equalization then convened and completed routine business, including approval of assessed valuation notices, several greenbelt valuation changes and a motor vehicle tax exemption for Youth for Christ Lincoln area (vote carried with one abstention). Brian Grama, Lancaster County Assessor/Register of Deeds, explained valuation changes for several parcels and noted some industrial parcels reverted to agricultural valuation after greenbelt applications.

The board’s actions were procedural and majority approvals of contracts and permits; no formal controversies or litigation items were raised during the meeting. The board scheduled its next regular meeting for July 14 at 9 a.m. in Room 112 of the County‑City Building.