BEATRICE – Gage County officials have approved a 9-1-1 services agreement with the City of Beatrice, provided through the Southeast Communications Dispatch Center. The five-year agreement includes 2.5% increases over each of the five years.


The first-year cost to the county in the new agreement, effective July 1st, totals $245,906. Gage County Supervisors expressed intent to seek discussion of the agreement toward the end of the five-year contract, which has a 90-day notice provision. Otherwise, the contract is automatically renewed for another five years.


County officials say the service provided has been very good, but there were concerns expressed about whether new government entities will be sought that could reduce the cost, somewhat. The Southeast Communications Center formerly also provided service to the City of Crete and Richardson County.


The agreement includes all dispatching, plus services such as vehicle tracking and data management.
Gage

County has selected a company to provide metal culverts to be installed at six locations in the coming months. The Board of Supervisors awarded the bid to Ace Eaton Metals, of Kearney, at a cost of $256,815. The company was one of three suppliers submitting bids.  It was a materials-only contract, with county highway department staff doing the installations.


Highway Department Superintendent Mark Kuhnke says the metal culver projects are in the western part of the county. Three project locations are south of Nebraska Highway 8, between Southwest 61st and Southwest 117th road. Three others are located northwest of Beatrice and west of Pickrell…Southwest 61st to Southwest 89th Road.


Board member Emily Haxby says progress remains slow in completing several concrete box culvert projects that a private company is doing, in northwest Gage County.


"Out of the six culverts we started with, only one is complete. They're incurring liquidated damages at this point. It is $300 per day, per structure....and the people in the area are very unhappy about the constructor's lack of performance." Traffic has been detoured around the construction sites.


In other action Wednesday, the supervisors voted to authorize the chairman to sign a grant award for juvenile justice services, totaling $54,405….and renewed an agreement with a local law firm to provide child support enforcement services.