County chairman reappointed

Red Willow County commissioners reappointed their leader to his eighth year as chairman.

Earl McNutt, of McCook, was unanimously reappointed to the chairman's position Monday morning, during the commissioners' first meeting of 2008.

Leigh Hoyt will continue as vice chairman of the board of commissioners, and was re-appointed to his second year as chairman of the county's board of equalization. McNutt will serve as vice chairman of the equalization board.

Miller and Associates of McCook was re-appointed as county roads supervisor.

Commissioners agreed to continue to represent the county on these boards and committees:

McNutt: Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department, jail task force, REWARD grant program and alternate to the West Central Nebraska Development District.

Hoyt: Hillcrest Nursing Home, Veterans' Service Committee, County Visitors' Committee, fair board, county health board, Work Ethic Camp Community Involvement Committee, city/county cooperation committee and counties cooperation committee.

Steve Downer: E-911 Committee, Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), McCook Economic Development Corp., CDBG program income regional administrative board, Region II governing board and West Central Nebraska Development District board.

McNutt consented to attend the "Institute of Excellence," a leadership development course developed by the Nebraska Association of County Officials with the assistance of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The program, for which McNutt has been a coordinator, will include four training sessions -- in February, April, June and September -- designed to enhance the leadership abilities of elected officials. Graduation will be in December.

The program will cost the county $225. Coordinators hope, McNutt said, to attract at least one commissioners/supervisor from each of the state's 93 counties.

In another annual housekeeping activity, commissioners designated these banks as depositories for the county in 2008: Wells Fargo, McCook National Bank, AmFirst, Union Bank and Trust, First Central, Adams Bank and Trust, State Bank of Bartley and the Nebraska Public Agency Investment Trust.

In other action, commissioners:

* Approved motor vehicle tax exemptions applications from various churches, human services organizations, Community Hospital of McCook, the McCook YMCA and Southwest Area Training Services (SWATS); and approved corrections that will add $8,943.36 to the county's tax rolls. County Assessor Sandra Kotschwar said the corrections added LB 701 bond fund and ESU 11 insurance fund taxes to 19 railroad and communications companies's tax bills.

* Learned that Silverstone Inc. has paid in full its loan from the county's revolving loan fund, and that Pawnee Aviation is delinquent 12 months on one loan and three months on a second loan from the same loan fund. All other borrowers are current.

* Approved the continuation of a bond for Frankie Lou Nicholson, clerk /treasurer of Lebanon.

* Reviewed and filed reports from County Treasurer Marleen Garcia of changes to pledged securities for 12-18-07 and 1-2-08.