GRAND ISLAND – Davis Design, the architect for the Hall County Courthouse addition project, plans to post information on the county’s website to help keep the public more informed about the project.
Steve Severson, an architect with Davis Design, said that an alternative heating and air conditioning system has been suggested that would save $300,000.
Commissioner Gary Quandt asked a number of questions and also expressed concerns about the Courthouse addition.
Quandt said he was concerned about the number of public parking spaces that would be added. Currently there is a parking lot south of the Courthouse. There would be 16 new public parking spaces added.
Quandt also questioned why a 40-foot canopy was needed at the new entrance to the building, which would be constructed with the addition to the Courthouse at the northeast corner of the building. Davis Design representatives said that the structure would help the public identify where the entrance to the courthouse was located.
Quandt also expressed concerns about the distance between the Clerk of the District Court’s office, which will be located in the entrance corridor, to the district courtrooms, which would be located in several places in the Courthouse.
In other business, the Board approved a contract by a 7-0 vote with Standard Appraisal Services of Central City for $168,100 based on 2,050 parcels in Hall County. The compensation is to be paid in 17 installments.
The county has requested the appraisal review of agricultural outbuilding properties in Hall County. The review will be completed for the budget years 2024-25 and 2025-26. Commissioners have determined that an appraisal review of agricultural outbuilding property is necessary to properly equalize property values in the county.
The Commissioners approved a conditional use permit by a 7-0 vote for Bosselman Energy for 4380 Nebraska Highway 11 in Wood River. Verlen Larsen of Dannebrog, who used to live near the property, asked Commissioners to have trucks enter the north driveway to the property.
Commissioners heard an update from Jared Reimers with U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith’s office. Reimers is a district coordinator based in Smith’s Nebraska City office. Smith also has an office in Grand Island.
Smith has not supported a request to increase the number of IRS employees, because the agency currently has positions open and retirements coming up, Reimers said. Smith supports having local education boards having choice concerning the curriculum that is offered. Reimers said that Smith believes that tariffs are an “appropriate tool” to use.