Gage County supervisors approve engineering, environmental deals for Adams Bypass and Hickory Road; close ARPA fund and refer app bids

The Gage County Board of Supervisors met June 24 in Beatrice and approved a series of motions and resolutions authorizing preliminary engineering and environmental services for two county road projects, closing an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund and moving forward on a county mobile app procurement.

The board unanimously adopted Resolution No. 26-09, authorizing Chair Erich Tiemann to sign a Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement with Bowman Consulting Group, Ltd. for NDOT Project No. DPS-34(37) — the Adams Bypass, and separately adopted Resolution No. 26-10 authorizing an Environmental Services Agreement with HDR Engineering, Inc. for the same NDOT project. Both resolutions passed by roll call vote 7-0. The board later approved Resolution No. 26-11 (Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement, Bowman Consulting) and Resolution No. 26-12 (Environmental Services Agreement, HDR Engineering) for NDOT Project No. DPS-3220(7), Hickory Road Improvements; both were adopted 7-0.

The meeting record shows the board also approved routine business on a consent agenda, including a claims audit and fund transfers. The published claims audit totaled $2,270,888.35 (excluding claim #2606000234 to Johnny’s Welding Inc. for $95.26). After the board separately approved the Johnny’s Welding claim (motion by Supervisor Eddie Dorn, seconded by Rick Clabaugh), with Supervisor Terry Jurgens abstaining due to a conflict of interest, the total claims paid through June 24 rose to $2,270,983.61.

By motion the board closed fund #2580 (COVID ARPA funding); that motion carried 7-0. The board approved a Visitors Improvement Grant of $3,000 to Beatrice Leadership Class 20 for a Beatrice Heritage Walk. On the procurement front the board set a 9:15 a.m. bid-closing time for the Gage Connect App RFP and received bids from App Maisters, Inc.; Simpalm; and Don’t Panic Labs, then voted to refer those bids to the App Committee for review and recommendation.

During committee reports, Planning & Zoning matters were raised: Derrick Damrow reported the P&Z commission recommended a moratorium on data centers. The board took two separate closed sessions: one in the morning at 9:47 a.m. for possible litigation and negotiations (entered 9:47 a.m., exited 10:57 a.m.; some supervisors left during the session), and a second at 2:29 p.m. for contract negotiations following the Board of Equalization meeting (exited 2:54 p.m.; attendance changed during the session). The board adjourned until July 8, 2026.

Actions taken at the meeting — including multiple authorizations to sign NDOT-related engineering and environmental service agreements, the ARPA fund closure, the visitors grant, and the referral of app bids — place the Adams Bypass and Hickory Road projects into their preliminary engineering and environmental review stages and move county procurement and small grant activity forward.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: approved (motion by Eddie Dorn, seconded by Gary Lytle) — 7-0. - Johnny’s Welding claim #2606000234 ($95.26): approved (motion by Eddie Dorn, seconded by Rick Clabaugh) — 6-0-1 (Jurgens abstained due to conflict of interest). - Resolution No. 26-09 (Bowman Consulting — Preliminary Engineering, DPS-34(37) Adams Bypass): adopted — roll call 7-0. - Resolution No. 26-10 (HDR Engineering — Environmental Services, DPS-34(37) Adams Bypass): adopted — roll call 7-0. - Resolution No. 26-11 (Bowman Consulting — Preliminary Engineering, DPS-3220(7) Hickory Road Improvements): adopted — roll call 7-0. - Resolution No. 26-12 (HDR Engineering — Environmental Services, DPS-3220(7) Hickory Road Improvements): adopted — roll call 7-0. - Close ARPA fund #2580: approved — 7-0. - Visitors Improvement Grant to Beatrice Leadership Class 20 ($3,000): approved — 7-0. - Gage Connect App bid closing and referral to App Committee: approved — 7-0.

The board record includes detailed vendor claims and transfers in the published claims list (including a $400,000 transfer from the General Fund to the Road Fund), and county staff recorded that all proceedings were electronically recorded and are available on the county website. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 8, 2026.