Menu
NRDs urged to better track costs
McCOOK, Nebraska -- A representative of the Twin Platte Natural Resources District urged members of the Nebraska Cooperative Republican Platte Enhancement Project to "get a CPA on board" to keep track of the finances for the N-CORPE project that is designed to augment flows into the Republican and Platte rivers and ensure Nebraska's compliance with two inter-state water agreements.
Jerry Weaver, a board member of the NRD that represents the Platte River in the project, said during N-CORPE'S monthly meeting in McCook Wednesday morning, "We're talking big dollars, and lots and lots of dollars." He wants a CPA to catch up on the first year of the project, and then make available monthly and year-to-date reports to N-CORPE board members and to the board members of the four NRD's that are involved.
Even though N-CORPE finances are available through each of the four NRDs' books, Weaver said, he wants N-CORPE's finances "properly accounted and properly presented."
The item will be placed on the board's October agenda.
Kent Miller, also of the Twin Platte NRD, said he wants discussion to continue on the subject, but he's not ready to jump into a contract with a company that wants to place a meteorological wind tower on the N-CORPE farm in southern Lincoln County.
Miller suggested that if the board is interested in such a project on the farm that they make requests for proposals, "and not just jump on the first proposal that comes in."
Gary Aksamit of Bruning, Nebraska, is an energy broker and a developer of small and large wind projects in Nebraska and chief executive officer of a company called Saline Vetrna Farma LLC. He has made a presentation to and offered a contract to N-CORPE to place a sample wind tower on the farm.
An invoice in the financial report indicates that Dawson Public Power District will charge $225,405 to install some new overhead power lines and replace existing transformers to new, bigger transformers.
The invoice will be paid with funds available from the proceeds of the $92.5 million bond sale in August. The bond sale will provide N-CORPE with long-term financing for the purchase of the 19,000-acre farm, reimburse N-CORPE members for down payments made and establish cover crops on the land. About $3.25 million will be held in a debt reserve account.
Proceeds from the bond sales are held by a trustee, Union Bank and Trust of Lincoln, and paid to N-CORPE on an invoice for funds.
N-CORPE directors instructed Mike Keller, a long-time employee of the farm and the project's site manager, to develop a list of surplus property, which will include 30-some pivots that the water farm won't need.
Other pivots will remain to water grass, some of which will be drilled this fall -- depending upon the availability of grass seed. N-CORPE has applied for a $1.5 million grant from the Environmental Trust to help pay for grass seed and drilling.
Concrete feed bunks that aren't broken may be declared surplus and sold. However, they may be needed as "fencing" in the corral area -- as they are now -- if board members decide at some time to put cattle on the land, "to mob graze," board member Jasper Fanning said, "to do our mowing for us."
Board members will discuss the list at their October meeting.
Keller told board members that what appears to be a county road through the farm "is not a public road. It's not a through-road."
Board members were reluctant to go as far as padlocking gates across the road, because neighbors use it to access their pastures, and law enforcement and firefighters may need that access in emergencies.
Fanning said there's "no need to overreact," but there is a need to protect the farm from liability.
Keller was asked to start with "Private Property" signage first, and move to gates and on to locks if they become necessary.
Dan Estermann of rural Wellfleet, whose land lies next to the N-CORPE farm, asked that the board consider mowing strips through cane growing as high as the pivots, to act as firebreaks as the cane dries and potentially becomes a fire hazard.
Dan Smith, manager of the Middle Republican NRD, told Estermann that he is still working on negotiations concerning wetlands on Estermann's land, through which part of the south pipeline will pass.
Fanning said that N-CORPE must "create wetlands two-to-one for each wetland disturbed" as it builds the pipeline. As plans are now, the pipeline will impact .35 of an acre, or about one-third of an acre, he said.
The board went into closed session to discuss real estate acquisition and easement negotiations.
The next meeting will be Oct. 16. Board members decided to plan their monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of each month, with flexibility for scheduling conflicts.