Lancaster County
Board of Commissioners
Board of Commissioners
lancaster.ne.gov
STAFF MEETING AGENDA
Lancaster County Board Of Commissioners
County-City Building
Fourth Floor Conference Room
Thursday, July 31, 1997
8:30 a.m.
AGENDA ITEM
1 APPROVAL OF STAFF MEETING MINUTES OF JULY 22 &
24, 1997 AND BUDGET HEARING MINUTES OF JULY 15, 1997
2 ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
3 8:30am LANCASTER COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES QUARTERLY
REPORT
Gary Chalupa, County Veterans Services Officer
4 9:00am RURAL RESIDENTIAL STUDY
Tim Stewart, Lincoln-Lancaster Planning Department
Director
5 9:30am COUNTY BOARD BELTWAY DISCUSSION
(BELTWAY TASK III REPORT)
Tim Stewart, Planning Department Director;
Don Thomas, County Engineer
6 10:00am STREET NAME CHANGE NO. 97005, RENAMING DEERHAVEN
ROAD AS DEERHAVEN DRIVE, BETWEEN S. 60TH & S. 63RD
Mike DeKalb and Ray Hill, Planning Department
7 10:15am FURNITURE FOR NEW BUILDING
Steve Flanders, Project Manager
8 ACTION ITEMS
a. Building Names
b. Request from Juvenile Court for Copy Machine, Fax
Machine and Conference Room Furniture at Trabert
Hall
c. Topics for Super Common Meeting on August 15, 1997
9 CONSENT ITEMS
a. Vacation Request from Kit Boesch for Friday,
August 8 and Monday, August 11, 1997
10 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER REPORT
a. Correspondence from Senator Don Wesely re:
LR 253 (Antelope Valley Project)
b. Ecological Committee Sustainability of Natural
Resources Report
c. Letter from United States Department of the
Interior Regarding Resolution #96-101 of the
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Requesting to Place
Property in Trust
11 PENDING
a. Establishment of Special Improvement District in
Princeton
b. South Street Campus
12 DISCUSSION OF BOARD MEMBER MEETINGS
a. Lancaster Manor Advisory Committee
Tussing
b. Master Plan Steering Committee
Hudkins
c. Officials Committee
Campbell, Steinman
d. Attention Center Advisory Committee
Steinman
13 SCHEDULE OF BOARD MEMBER MEETINGS
a. Master Plan Steering Committee
Thursday, July 31, 1997, at 1:15 p.m., at the
County-City Building, Fourth Floor Conference
Room
Hudkins
b. Public Building Commission Budget Hearing
Monday, August 4, 1997, at 6:00 p.m., at the
County-City Building, Commissioners Hearing Room
Campbell, Hudkins
c. Ecological Advisory Committee
Tuesday, August 5, 1997, at 7:00 a.m., at the
County-City Building, Fourth Floor Conference
Room
Tussing
d. Stevens Creek Watershed Advisory Group
Tuesday, August 5, 1997, at 7:00 p.m., at the
LPSNRD Conference Room
Campbell, Tussing
14 INVITATIONS TO BOARD MEMBERS
a. 4-H VIP Luncheon - Thursday, July 31, 1997,
at 12:00 p.m., The Beef Pit, State Fair Park
15 CORRESPONDENCE TO THE COUNTY BOARD
16 CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE COUNTY BOARD
17 AGENDA ITEMS FOR COUNTY BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 5, 1997
18 EMERGENCY ITEMS AND OTHER BUSINESS
MINUTES
Lancaster County Board Of Commissioners
County-City Building
Fourth Floor Conference Room
Thursday, July 31, 1997
8:30 a.m.
Commissioners Present: Linda Steinman, Chair
Kathy Campbell
Steve Svoboda
Darlene Tussing
Commissioners Absent: Larry Hudkins
Others Present: Kerry Eagan, Chief Administrative Officer
Susan Starcher, Administrative Aide
AGENDA ITEM
1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JULY 22 AND 24, 1997 AND BUDGET
HEARING MINUTES OF JULY 15, 1997
MOTION: Campbell moved and Tussing seconded approval
of the minutes of July 22 and 24, 1997 and
budget hearing minutes of July 15, 1997. The
Board voted unanimous approval.
2 ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
a. Elected Officials Salary Committee
b. Health and Human Services Service Boundaries
MOTION: Tussing moved and Campbell seconded approval
of the additions to the agenda. The Board
voted unanimous approval.
3 LANCASTER COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES QUARTERLY REPORT -
Gary Chalupa, County Veterans Services Officer
Gary Chalupa, County Veterans Services Officer,
appeared and referred to the quarterly report and
annual report contained in the agenda packet.
In response to a question asked by Campbell, Chalupa
stated individuals need more help with filing claims
during the summer and financial aid is needed more in
the winter months.
Chalupa reported Veterans Service received $135,883
last year in aid and 75 percent of that aid came
from State funds.
Discussion focused on veterans burials. Chalupa
explained the State Veterans Aid Fund will be
available to peace-time veterans and because of
that they are adjusting some of the limits. Chalupa
said the State Veterans Aid Fund currently gives the
County $2,000 toward the cost of a $3,000 burial.
He reported there is a possibility, beginning October
1, they will be given the total amount of $3,000.
In response to a question asked by Steinman pertaining
to granite headstones, Chalupa stated he is in the
process of inquiring with Trump Memorials and Speidell
regarding costs and the possibility of negotiating a
special rate. Once the research is completed, the
County Attorney's Office would review the information.
ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
a. Elected Officials Salary Committee
Eagan said they need another individual on the
committee. Individuals who have agreed to serve on
the committee are Pat Kahm with Lincoln Independent
Business Association; Jerry Dimon with Ameritas, a
representative from the Chamber of Commerce and Jan Gauger.
Campbell suggested Jim Gordon serve on the committee.
Eagan stated he would contact Gordon.
4 RURAL RESIDENTIAL STUDY - Tim Stewart, Lincoln-
Lancaster Planning Department Director; Kent Morgan,
Planning Department; Mike DeKalb, Planning Department
Kent Morgan, Planning Department, distributed the
Rural Residential Development Report for Lancaster
County (attachment (1)).
Tim Stewart, Planning Department Director, gave a
brief synopsis of the report which included:
a. A map showing the various townships within the County
b. Residential Use Classifications and the four major
residential groupings which are Acreage (isolated
residential developments), Lots (suburban style
developments in a subdivision), Farms with
Residential Use and Village Residential.
c. A map of Rural Residential Uses - Parcel Overview
d. A map of Rural Residential Uses - Yankee Hill Township
e. A map of Rural Residential Uses - Grant Township
f. A map of Acreage and Lot Parcels by Township
Stewart stated there is a total vacancy rate of approximately
24.9 percent for acreages and lots. He added it does
not address the issue of buildability or marketability.
Campbell asked about the vacancy rate inside Lincoln.
Stewart said the question within the City is how much
of the land can be served now without extending the sewer.
He stated the report does not include a lot of
analysis or any recommendations. Stewart noted the
only conclusion that he had drawn was that the
character of Lancaster County is clearly changing from
primarily agricultural use to one that has a much more
urban flavor and character.
Steinman said she would like to see land use designations for
the County.
Stewart suggested a build out of the current County
Land Use Plan.
Steinman asked if the Geographical Information System
(GIS) was capable of providing information regarding
the location of good soil and water.
Stewart stated it is a project they would like to do
in the future, however, it is a large process.
Campbell said she feels they should meet with the City
Council to discuss acreages.
Stewart said the City Council will be briefed on the
Rural Residential Development Report on August 18th.
He suggested it then be placed on the agenda for the
Commons or Super Commons meetings.
5 COUNTY BOARD BELTWAY DISCUSSION (BELTWAY TASK III REPORT)
Tim Stewart, Planning Department Director; Don Thomas, County
Engineer
Campbell asked that the roads which are non-beltway
alternatives be repeated, in parentheses, throughout
the report to help the reader. She also requested a
color map be inserted for referral.
Campbell stated chapter five of the Beltway Task III
Report discusses variables which were reviewed and
said the report notes there are some variables that
have not been added. One of those variables is
compatibility with future land use. She asked Stewart
if there was any language in the existing plan which
would provide a foundation.
Stewart responded that the issue of sensitivity to
future land uses was part of the consultant's
responsibility. The direction included in the "scope
of work" requires them to look at two future land use
alternatives which were provided by the Planning
Department last year.
Campbell asked if it would be helpful to have one
graph in the report that identifies the build-out so
that the Board understands from their land use map
what that build-out area encompasses.
Stewart stated it would be helpful and recommended
that the Board make the request, in writing, to the consultant.
Discussion also focused on page 265 of the report
regarding the issue of individuals traveling the
shortest distance between two places rather than the
shortest time period. Campbell said she felt the
language addresses the way things are seen at present
and not the way they will be practiced in the future.
Campbell referred to the following statement in
Chapter 8-4, "These estimates show that a
beltway could be justified based on the land use
assumptions in the Comprehensive Plan which included
only minor growth in the beltway study area". She
asked if the beltway was being justified due to a more
conservative approach in talking about minor growth in
the Comprehensive Plan.
She also asked if the traffic projections, regarding
the south and east beltways, are based on the
build-out and not on the additional directional growth.
It was recommended that both questions be directed to the
consultant.
Stewart said there will be a number of technical
comments provided to the consultants and that they
will most likely be forwarded for consideration prior
to the August 15th Super Commons meeting.
6 STREET NAME CHANGE NUMBER 97005, RENAMING DEERHAVEN
ROAD AS DEERHAVEN DRIVE, BETWEEN SOUTH 60TH AND SOUTH
63RD - Mike DeKalb, Planning Department
Mike DeKalb, Planning Department, appeared and
disseminated a map regarding the requested street name
change (attachment (2)).
He explained there are no addresses using "Deerhaven
Road" in the Cole Directory, the Assessor's records,
at the United States Post Office or in the Lincoln
Telephone Directory.
7 FURNITURE FOR NEW BUILDING - Steve Flanders, Project
Manager; Dave Kroeker, Budget and Fiscal Officer; Don
Killeen, County Property Manager
Dave Kroeker, Budget and Fiscal Officer, reported
Gretchen Golter of All Makes Office Equipment, was
visiting departments to review their furniture needs.
He said he thought there would be a fair amount of
replacement furniture needed and that it may be
possible to receive the same discount on freestanding
furniture using the current contract. Kroeker
suggested appointing a committee to review, by
department, any existing furniture which could be
moved to the new building.
It was the consensus of the Board to appoint Steve
Flanders, Linda Steinman and Dave Kroeker to review
departments for existing furniture which could be
transferred to the new building and to also review the
new floor plan developed by Golter with each department.
Flanders reminded the Board he had given them a price
for the purchase of all new furniture in February,
1997 and that a decision must be made by the end of August.
8 ACTION ITEMS
a. Building Names
It was the consensus of the Board to retain the name
of the County/City Building for the new building and
call the renovated building the Justice & Law Enforcement Center.
b. Request from Juvenile Court for Copy Machine, Fax
Machine and Conference Room Furniture at Trabert Hall
Kroeker recommended Juvenile Court use the current
lease agreement with Automated Business Systems
regarding a copy machine. He added that a fax machine
will probably be needed.
It was the consensus of the Board not to purchase any
furniture for the temporary move to Trabert Hall
unless it is transferred back to the new building.
Flanders said they would try to locate temporary
furniture for the conference room.
c. Topics for Super Common Meeting on August 15, 1997
See Agenda Item 5.
EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING PENDING LITIGATION
Doug Cyr, Deputy County Attorney
MOTION: Campbell moved and Tussing seconded to add
an Executive Session to the agenda. The
Board voted unanimous approval.
MOTION: At 10:33 a.m. Campbell moved and Tussing
seconded to enter into Executive Session for
the purpose of discussing pending
litigation. The Board voted unanimous approval.
MOTION: At 10:48 a.m. Campbell moved and Tussing
seconded to exit Executive Session. The
Board voted unanimous approval.
9 CONSENT ITEMS
a. Vacation Request from Kit Boesch for Friday,
August 8 and Monday, August 11, 1997
MOTION: Campbell moved and Tussing seconded approval
of Consent Item 9A - Vacation Request from
Kit Boesch for Friday, August 8 and Monday,
August 11, 1997. The Board voted unanimous approval.
10 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER REPORT
a. Correspondence from Senator Don Wesely regarding
LR 253 (Antelope Valley Project)
It was the consensus of the Board to request Kerry
Eagan to return a letter to Senator Wesely thanking
him for his research on Legislative Resolution 253 (a
study of the Antelope Creek Valley project) and that
they will look forward to working with him.
b. Ecological Committee Sustainability of Natural Resources
Report
Campbell suggested requesting the Ecological Committee
attend a meeting to report their findings.
c. Letter from United States Department of the
Interior Regarding Resolution Number 96-101 of the
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska requesting to Place
Property in Trust
Eagan explained the property the Poncas want to place
in trust was the former Red Cross building. He
suggested seeking a legal opinion from the County
Attorney to determine what the land can be used for.
11 PENDING
a. Establishment of Special Improvement District in Princeton
b. South Street Campus
ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
b. Health and Human Services Service Boundaries
Campbell said the meeting regarding service boundaries
is to be informational only.
It was the consensus of the Board to invite Jessie
Rasmussen, Health and Human Services; Jack Mills,
Executive Director of the Nebraska Association of
County Officials; Kit Boesch, Human Services; Linda
Thomsen, Social Services; George Hanigan, Community
Mental Health Center; Dave Merrill, Region V; Dennis
Banks, Attention Center for Youth; Dave Kroeker,
Budget and Fiscal Officer and Reba Schafer, Aging.
Eagan suggested placing the item on the August 21st
agenda following Board of Corrections.
12 DISCUSSION OF BOARD MEMBER MEETINGS
a. Lancaster Manor Advisory Committee - Tussing
Tussing reported the advisory committee requested an
update on the South Street Campus.
b. Master Plan Steering Committee - Hudkins
No report given.
c. Officials Committee - Campbell, Steinman
Campbell reported the transportation plan and a
Comprehensive Plan Amendment (East "O" Street Study)
were approved. Linda Wilson was elected as Chair and
Linda Steinman was elected Vice Chair.
d. Attention Center Advisory Committee - Steinman
Steinman reported the staff-secure facility was
discussed as well as two proposals for the needs of
the Attention Center and juvenile justice. A meeting
will be held on August 25th for the purpose of
interviewing the two consultants.
Discussion followed regarding the staff-secure
facility. Campbell suggested she and Commissioner
Steinman visit with Jim Blue, Dennis Banks and Kit
Boesch regarding a contingency plan.
ADJOURNMENT:
At the direction of the Chair the meeting was adjourned.
Kandra Hahn
Lancaster County Clerk