SESSION OVERVIEW

On Tuesday, May 12, 2026, the Pawnee County Board of Commissioners convened in regular session at 9:00 a.m. Notably, due to ongoing elections held on the same day, the meeting was relocated to the third-floor courtroom of the Pawnee County Courthouse. Present were Chairman Ron Seitz, Jan Lang, Lavon Heidemann, and County Clerk Lindsay Kostecka. The session focused on county infrastructure scaling, employee benefits, and a significant, somewhat risky, financial commitment to a highway safety study.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

• 09:00 a.m. - Meeting commences. Unanimous approval of previous minutes (April 28, 2026), agenda, and claims. Commissioner Heidemann requests clarification on a "redemption" line item.
• 09:10 a.m. - Public comment period opens and closes with no comments. Board recesses.
• 09:15 a.m. - Session resumes. Scheduled speaker Aaron Brinkerhoff is absent; meeting held open.
• 09:25 a.m. - Kay Wissman (SENCA) presents a request for transit rate increases. Motion passes unanimously.
• 09:35 a.m. - Aaron Brinkerhoff (Washington National) presents supplemental employee benefits. No action taken.
• 09:42 a.m. - Josie Friedly (Pawnee City Development Corporation) proposes a $1.5 million Highway Safety Grant partnership with UNL. Motion passes unanimously.
• 09:54 a.m. - Emily Sisco (Safety Committee) requests a temporary wireless intercom system for courthouse safety. Motion denied in favor of exploring a permanent phone system upgrade.
• 10:04 a.m. - Chris Rauner (Highway Superintendent) presents the road and equipment report.
• 10:12 a.m. - Meeting adjourns.

ANALYSIS & EVIDENCE

Routine Approvals & Claims Ledger
The morning began with standard administrative duties. The Board reviewed the April month-end accumulated reports for the Clerk, Register of Deeds, Clerk of District Court, and Treasurer. Extensive claims were approved, totaling significant county expenditures including a net payroll of $46,265.32 and United Healthcare payments of $16,743.94. Notable General Fund disbursements included $11,814.00 to gWorks for assessor support and $3,750.00 to Nestor & Mercure for public defender services. The Road/Bridge Fund saw a massive $34,333.80 paid to Martin Marietta for rock and $19,980.00 to Midwest Engineering for bridge inspections.

First Transit Rate Hike in 17 Years
At 9:25 a.m., Kay Wissman from SENCA brought a sobering financial reality to the board: a 23% cut in federal funding for the transit system. Wissman noted that operations costs had to be slashed by 30% in November and December just to catch up. To mitigate this, she proposed the first transit rate increase in 17 years. The board unanimously approved a $0.50 increase for in-town trips (setting the new rate at $2.00) and a $1.00 increase for out-of-town trips (adjusting Humboldt/Tecumseh to $6, Lincoln to $16, and Omaha to $18). The increase is projected to yield an additional $1,000 in ticket sales.

The $1.5M Reimbursable Grant Risk
The most consequential discussion of the day occurred at 9:42 a.m. when Josie Friedly of the Pawnee City Development Corporation presented a Highway Safety Grant opportunity through the UNL Extension office. The grant focuses on Highway 50/8, specifically aiming to add high-visibility crosswalks, rumble strips, and curb extensions. Friedly emphasized the necessity of the county's involvement, as Pawnee City lacks the crash reports required to apply independently.

The urgency of the project was underscored by local industrial growth: Valley View Milling is adding 60 trucks to the roads, and the Farmers Coop is also seeing high traffic increases. This boom has made it difficult for children to cross streets safely near closed schools. The grant, up to $1.5 million, operates on a reimbursement model without a required county match. Pawnee County would pay invoices as the project progresses—for example, a $500,000 installment—and UNL would reimburse the county within 6-10 days.

Commissioner Heidemann openly acknowledged the "bit of risk" involved in fronting the cash, especially noting that there is no guarantee the county will be accepted into the program, and if they are, the county lacks the direct financial capabilities without borrowing from other allocations. However, he ultimately pushed for approval, reasoning that the funds could be temporarily pulled from the Inheritance Tax fund with the expectation of a 100% return. The board voted unanimously to partner with UNL and assume the reimbursable risk.

Courthouse Safety & Intercom Debate
At 9:54 a.m., safety took center stage. Emily Sisco of the Safety Committee highlighted a glaring vulnerability: the current courthouse phone system has no intercom capability, leaving staff without an immediate means of communication during an active emergency. She proposed a temporary fix involving six wireless intercoms.

The board recognized the inherent danger but ultimately resisted the immediate solution. Sisco highlighted that the existing phone infrastructure prevents departments from communicating internally or transferring misdirected resident calls, compounding the courthouse’s safety issues. Although Commissioner Lang moved to approve the intercoms, the motion failed following 'no' votes from Chairman Seitz and Commissioner Heidemann. Citing a preference for a more permanent solution over a temporary fix, Seitz advocated for a total system overhaul.

Highway Department Shuffles
Closing out the active sessions, Highway Superintendent Chris Rauner provided updates at 10:04 a.m. He noted that a new truck is expected by the end of May. Rauner also addressed upcoming personnel shifts due to an open position, indicating that while employee placement is dictated by seniority, he aims to keep his operators in the equipment they are most comfortable with to maintain efficiency and safety.