On the agenda: Mccook Minutes — data center (Aug 8)

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND BOARD OF EQUALIZATION MEETINGS
August 10, 2026
The Red Willow County Board of Commissioners and the Board of Equalization met in the
Commissioners’ Room in the courthouse on August 10, 2026. A notice of the meetings was published in
the McCook Gazette and posted on the County’s website. The combined agenda was e-mailed to each
commissioner and the news media, uploaded on the County’s website, and kept current and available to the
public at the County Clerk’s Office.
At 8:30 a.m. Chairman Ted Gans called the Board of Commissioners meeting to order with the
following members present: Commissioners Ted Gans, Randy Dean and Charles Fritsche. Gans informed
the public about the location of the posted Open Meetings Act.
A motion was made by Dean, seconded by Fritsche, to approve the agendas as presented. Roll call:
Ayes: Gans, Dean, Fritsche.
The Board reviewed accounts payable claims.
At 9:00 a.m. Chairman Gans offered the floor for Citizens’ Comments. Benny Lashley talked about
data centers and the potential damage they can do.
Chairman Gans recessed the Board of Commissioners meeting for the Board of Equalization.
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION MEETING:
Chairman Randy Dean called the Board of Equalization meeting to order at 9:13 a.m. with the
following members present: Commissioners Ted Gans, Randy Dean and Charles Fritsche. Dean informed
the public about the location of the posted Open Meetings Act.
Lori Stevens, Assessor, presented Tax Roll Correction No. 9 for 2026 for an increase of $117.46.
A motion was made by Gans, seconded by Fritsche, to approve the tax roll correction as presented.
Roll call: Ayes: Gans, Dean, Fritsche.
Chairman Dean adjourned the Board of Equalization meeting at 9:16 a.m.
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING: (Reconvened)
Chairman Gans reconvened the Board of Commissioners meeting at 9:16 a.m.
A motion was made by Fritsche, seconded by Dean, to approve the following items on the consent
agenda: 1) minutes from the previous Board of Commissioners and Board of Equalization meetings, 2)
accounts payable claims in the amount of $246,371.16, 3) NDOT Annual Certification Form, 4) NDOT
Annual Certification of Program Compliance and Resolution No. 1602, Book 24 Page 109, 5) NBCS
Budget Report FY 25/26, 6) reappoint Darin Seligman to Health Board, term to expire July 31, 2029, 7)
Oversize Load Permit for WardCraft Homes. Roll call: Ayes: Gans, Dean, Fritsche.
The Board discussed the West Central Development District contract and comprehensive
planning/zoning regulation updates. Gans investigated the possibility of terminating the contract, and
WCNDD sent a bill for over $10,000 for work done to date.
A motion was made by Fritsche, seconded by Dean, to table the issue, ask for work done to date,
and consult with Paul Wood. Roll call: Ayes: Gans, Dean, Fritsche.
Elizabeth Aguirre, Tourism Director, presented her quarterly report. It detailed the progress of the
Visitors Board. Aguirre also presented an updated contract. The contract was edited to include an annual
bonus.
A motion was made by Dean, seconded by Fritsche, to approve the contract as presented. Roll call:
Ayes: Gans, Dean, Fritsche.
At 10:00 a.m., bids to tear down and remove the Methodist Food Booth from the Fairground were
opened. The two bids were from Daniel Stitt for $1,100.00 and James Coady for $1,026.00.
A motion was made by Fritsche, seconded by Dean, to accept the bid from Daniel Stitt. Roll call:
Ayes: Gans, Dean, Fritsche.
Lori Stevens, Assessor, rejoined the Board to present the revised commercial contract with Central
Plains Valuation. The number of parcels was corrected, changing the contracted amount from $92,000 to
$73,400.

A motion was made by Dean, seconded by Fritsche, to approve the contract as revised. Roll call:
Ayes: Gans, Dean, Fritsche.
Stevens also presented an estimate to inspect permissive exemption properties for $15,000.
A motion was made by Dean, seconded by Fritsche, to approve the estimate as presented. Roll call:
Ayes: Gans, Dean, Fritsche.
Sheriff Dalton Downing joined the Board to present the updated Dispatch Agreement with the City
of McCook. The increase is less than expected, at 2.5%.
A motion was made by Fritsche, seconded by Dean, to approve the agreement as presented. Roll
call: Ayes: Gans, Dean, Fritsche.
The budget workshop was postponed until August 24, 2026.
The Board toured the Law Enforcement Center for the Quarterly Jail Inspection. All was found to
be satisfactory.
The following reports were reviewed and placed on file: Clerk of District and County Clerk’s
monthly revenue reports
The following claims were allowed:
Abbreviations for this legal: S Supplies; SF Sheriff Fees; SC Services & Charges; LF Legal Fees; M Mileage, Meals, Meetings; D
Dues, Reg. or Subs; DN Donation; R Rent; RF Refund; T Taxes; TR Training; MH Mental Health Hearing; I Insurance; BP Bond
Payment; LP Lease/Loan Payment; C Contract Labor; WF Witness Fees
GENERAL FUND Bryn Lampe M 18.93 911 Custom SC 4,952.00 Ace Hardware SC 88.97 Applied Connective Technologies SC
2,150.86 B Street Auto Spa SC 11.90 Central Plains Valuation LLC SC 6,920.00 Clerk Of District Court Petty Cash SC 177.32
Community Hospital SC 1,222.53 Control Masters Inc SC 972.30 Delbert Blake SC 31.00 Doyle Auto Repair SC 2,760.66 Eakes
Office Solutions S 3,176.70 Farrells Pharmacy Inc SC 634.42 Frenchman Valley Co-Op SC 2,794.73 Goodwin Siegfried LLC LF
1,225.00 Great Plains Communications Inc SC 436.85 Hometown Leasing SC 1,130.00 Ideal Linen Supply SC 236.20 Jennifer Liess
SC 125.00 Lincoln County Clerk SC 12,040.74 Lori Stevens M 182.35 M I P S Inc SC 4,366.16 Marc Harpham SC 50.00 Masonic
Temple Craft Inc R 495.00 McCook Gazette SC 574.52 McCook Humane Society Inc DN 450.00 McCook Utilities SC 577.34 Mead
Lumber S 284.20 Michael T Simmonds M 134.56 Microfilm Imaging Systems Inc SC 129.00 MNB Bank SC 10.00 Modern Cleaners
SC 58.00 Mousel Brooks Schneider & Mustion LF 1,112.50 Nebraska Department of Labor SC 402.27 Nebraska Public Power District
SC 3,639.73 Nebraska.Gov SC 2.00 Nicks Distributing Inc S 200.42 NKC Tire SC 134.08 Red Willow Co Treasurer Petty Cash SC
12.90 Red Willow County Court LF 316.00 Red Willow County District Court LF 108.00 Red Willow County Sheriff LF 183.51 ShredIt Usa SC 369.75 Southwest Weed Management DN 500.00 SRK Enterprise LLC SC 546.00 Tammie Hilker SC 483.75 Teresa
Thomas M 26.01 TK Elevator Corporation SC 561.91 TKO Pest Control LLC SC 85.00 US Bank SC 6,079.39 US Bank Equipment
Finance SC 145.83 Verizon SC 114.79 TOTAL 63,441.08 ROAD FUND 20/20 Technologies LLC SC 655.00 Ag Valley Co-Op S
7,348.46 AKRS Equipment S 1,440.86 BW Telcom SC 99.34 BAC Roofing General Contracting Inc SC 6,250.00 Brooks Construction,
LLC SC 2,785.00 C&K Distributors S 39.90 Cambridge Telephone Company SC 52.24 D&S Hardware S 96.12 Fowlers LLC SC
4,703.36 Lingo Communications SC 17.47 McCook Utilities SC 92.02 McCook Concrete, Inc S 9,235.92 Mittens S 2,577.10 Modern
Equipment Heartland NH SC 1,286.00 NMC Exchange LLC S 2,011.62 Nebraska Public Power District SC 40.84 Paulsen Inc S
41,337.46 Ruggles Truck & Trailer Sales LLC SC 45.00 Southwest Farm & Auto Supply S 286.88 Titan Machinery SC 62.75 US Bank
S 119.98 Viaero Wireless SC 645.86 Village Of Bartley SC 114.88 TOTAL 81,344.06 HIGHWAY BRIDGE BUYBACK PROGRAM
FUND Croell Inc S 7,921.35 TOTAL 7,921.35 VISITORS PROMOTION FUND Honorbound IT SC 864.00 Indianola Historical
Society DN 2,000.00 SW Nebraska Leadership Institute D 575.00 US Bank SC 169.76 TOTAL 3,608.76 VISITORS IMPROVEMENT
FUND Elizabeth Aguirre C 2,059.00 Sarah Schneider C 1,500.00 TOTAL 3,559.00 FAIR FUND Ace-Yuma S 372.05 Acme Printing
SC 143.87 Caleb Dorenkamp SC 300.00 Cardmember Services SC 3,347.78 City Of McCook SC 17.48 Clarice Shields C 900.00
Great Plains Communications Inc SC 171.38 High Plains Radio KBRL SC 1,200.00 Hometown Family Radio SC 1,500.00 Hometown
Leasing R 113.45 John Deere Financial SC 340.95 Lloyd Shields C 1,070.00 McCook Gazette SC 3.71 McCook Utilities SC 702.91
McCooknet Internet Service SC 44.00 Mead Lumber S 411.87 Mid-American Research Chemical Corp S 241.00 Nebraska Public
Power District SC 2,221.05 New Frontier Ag LLC SC 601.95 NKC Tire SC 85.80 Red Willow County Fair Petty Cash SC 33,194.73
SRK Enterprise LLC SC 1,740.38 Walter Heating, Cooling & Const LLC SC 137.50 TOTAL 48,861.86 SELF-INSURANCE FUND
Lucent Health Solutions LLC I 25,424.22 TOTAL 25,424.22 ARENA FUND Cardmember Services SC 324.36 Frenchman Valley
Co-Op S 499.70 Great Plains Communications Inc SC 100.00 Maris General Construction LLC SC 1,702.40 McCook Utilities SC
396.13 Nebraska Public Power District SC 1,092.73 Raynor Garage Doors of Ce. Ne. SC 86.00 TOTAL 4,201.32 HEALTH FUND
Applied Connective Technologies SC 221.53 Culligan Of McCook S 24.00 Darin Seligman M 7.60 Great Plains Communications Inc
SC 309.10 Hometown Leasing R 86.12 Kevin Potthoff M 19.76 Matt Springer M 17.94 McCook Gazette SC 10.69 US Bank S 981.99
TOTAL 1,678.73 WASTE FUND McCook Utilities SC 57.70 Nebraska Public Power District SC 95.11 Veolia Environmental Services
SC 6,073.82 TOTAL 6,226.63 GRAND TOTAL 246,267.01

A motion was made by Fritsche, seconded by Dean, to adjourn the meeting at 11:00 a.m. to August
24, 2026.
Ted Gans
Chairman, Board of Commissioners

Randy Dean,
Chairman, Board of Equalization
Attest: Penelope Cooper
County Clerk