​Editor’s note: This is the final installment in a long series of stories involving the York County Commissioners’ work toward formulating the budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. They have been working toward cutting $2.6 million from the preliminary budget in order to comply with budget authority regulations.
YORK – The York County Commissioners, as they went through each county fund in a search to save money, eventually focused on the inheritance fund.
From this fund, amounts are given each year to outside agencies which provide specific services for the county.
The commissioners reviewed each organization’s request and discussed whether any increases were warranted as they are trying to trim spending.
York County Commissioner Chairman Daniel Grotz went through the different organizations’ requests, noting CASA asked for $3,000 more than last year which would be a 7.1% increase. He said the Blue Valley Community Action request was the same as last year, as was request from Blue Valley Behavioral Health. Hope Crisis Center was asking for an additional $1,500 (a 11.5% increase) and York Adopt A Pet was asking for $500 more than last year (a 10% increase). Henderson was asking for the same amount as last year regarding ambulance services and the Kilgore Library in York was asking for the same allocation as last year. He also noted how the York County Development Corporation (YCDC) was asking for an increase somewhere in the realm of 3-5% and the Southeast Nebraska Development District (SENDD) was asking for the same amount as last year.
“CASA has a great piece of real estate, with the office we provide for them, for free, in the courthouse,” Commissioner Randy Obermier said. “This is a great office, upstairs, so I’m fine with staying flat with them.
“And when it comes to Adopt A Pet, their service is statutorily required for us and that’s not a huge request for an increase, especially because we are not in the dog catching business,” Obermier said.
“I’d be fine with all of that, staying flat with the organizations and then giving that small increase to Adopt A Pet,” Grotz responded.
There was some discussion about giving additional money to Region V, as the institution had requested (which would be above what is statutorily required) and Commissioner Deb Robertson asked if federal opioid settlement money (which has already been allocated to the county) could be used to give that additional request to Region V. That matter is being looked into.
“Now to YCDC and SENDD,” Grotz said. “SENDD is flat and we are fine with that. YCDC asked for a 3-5% increase. We were funding YCDC at $80,000 a year and then a few years ago we reduced the contribution some. We are behind the city currently (in the amount provided) but everything in the city is also in the county. I’d be fine with some sort of increase. I’d say stay near the 3% mark because we’ve held others to that level of increase. But as we have said before, if inheritance tax ever goes away in the state of Nebraska, it will be very, very hard for us to give funds to these organizations.”
Commissioner Andy Bowman said he “struggles with any increase for YCDC. Some of my constituents say we should give them zero. Lisa (Hurley) is very good at a lot of things, but the way there is influence on that organization and influence coming from the outside, I don’t like it.” He alleged past influence from the Omaha Public Power District during the solar zoning debate and the use of tax dollars to fund YCDC while the organization supported OPPD’s K-Junction solar project. “I may be the only one that feels this way.”
“I hear you, I hear what you are saying,” Grotz said to Bowman. “Are you thinking their current level of funding is good?”
“I definitely don’t see an increase,” Bowman said. “It’s a lot of money when we don’t see the direction of that organization. It’s not directly helping the citizens of York County, like CASA does or the library. I could live with leaving YCDC’s funding the same.”
Obermier noted “it’s hard for us to know all the details involved in the economic development process.”
“I’ve already shared with them my concerns about the budget and I’m fine with staying at the level YCDC is at now, without an increase, that is fine,” Grotz said.
“And Lisa (Hurley) understands this is inheritance tax money and it’s very volatile right now?” Robertson asked.
“Yes, they do,” Grotz said.
The commissioners continued to talk about the budget, as they changed amounts and altered line items.
At the end of the day (a literal business day, as they were in session nearly eight hours), Grotz said to the board, “You want to hear the sad news? We only found $960,000 in savings. It’s sad but it’s not a surprise.”
“Well, we still found a million,” York County Clerk Mary Melby added.
“Yes, but we still need to find another million,” Grotz responded.
“I don’t think we will, so we have to find more revenue,” Obermier added.
“Well, we are on hold right now, se need to see our final valuation,” Grotz said.
“And we need to set the wages so we know where we are at,” Melby noted.
“To me, we have to know the number, of where we are and what we need to get to within our authority to increase over last year,” Obermier said.
Grotz said with another million dollars left to be found or cut, he didn’t know what they should do with raises for employees.
Robertson suggested operating expenses be cut for departments so increases for salaries and wages could take place in order to keep employees (with the department heads then figuring out ways to run their operations with the reduction in operating expenses).
The matter of wages and salaries will be undertaken once again when the county board holds its next meeting.
 

​YORK – The York County Board will resume the long, ongoing conversation regarding the budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year and county employee wages when they reconvene in regular session on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
They are scheduled to adopt resolutions to set wages of county employees (those not working under an elected official) and having another budget workshop as they work to trim over $1 million in spending (or finding alternative revenue to cover it).
They will also talk about the position of zoning administrator.
As the board of equalization, they consider a valuation protest and act on property protests from the over/under listing.
The public is welcome to attend the meeting, which will start at 8:30 a.m., in the commissioners’ meeting room located on the main floor of the York County Courthouse, next to the clerk’s office.

Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing series about the county’s budget, after the commissioners went through each department and line item, looking for savings and cuts, in an effort to remove $2.6 million in tax asking 
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Editor’s note: This is another installment in a series regarding county budget formulation. This installment focuses on the budgets for law enforcement.
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Editor’s note: This is the second installment in a series of stories about the York County Commissioners’ long conversation this past week regarding the county’s budget and the need to trim $2.6 million in tax asking in order to comply with authority regulations. 
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​YORK – This past week, the York County Commissioners had a daunting task before them as they talked for literal hours (nearly an entire business day) about how to cut $2.6 million in spending (or find alternative revenue sources).

​NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a meeting of the Board of Equalization of York County, Nebraska, will be held during the regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners that begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Commissioners Room, on the main floor of the Courthouse (510 Lincoln Ave., York, Nebraska) on Tuesday, September 1, 2026
All meetings are held on the main floor of the Courthouse, in the County Commissioner’s Room and is open to the public. Agendas for such meetings, kept continuously current are available for public inspection at the office of the County Clerk; however, the Board may modify the agendas at such meeting. (View agenda on York County web site www.yorkcounty.ne.gov)
Mary Melby
County Clerk
York County, Nebraska

YORK – Two new deputies – Dane Garner and Kadence Velde, have graduated from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center and are now the newest deputies at the York County Sheriff’s Office.
After completing 16 weeks of intensive training, they are now in field training. Both are assigned to night shifts.

​YORK – The York County Board of Equalization took numerous points of action this week, as they convened during their regular commissioner meeting.
They approved a motor vehicle tax exemption for York University for a 2024 Ford Transit to be used taking students to athletic events.
They also approved three clerical corrections made to property cards, which will affect the properties’ valuations. Assessor Kurt Bulgrin said one property had incorrect data, one property’s square footage had to be adjusted and the third property was accidentally listed as agricultural property.
They also approved placing a property on the tax rolls now that it has been sold by the Village of Thayer to a private citizen.
Bulgrin also presented a number of tax list corrections “which are the result of an audit done by the state on homestead exemptions.” The audits showed the information was incorrect for a number of people who had applied and received homestead exemptions several years ago – and now the people will have to made the state whole in paying back whatever taxes the state says they owe. “I guess this shows people need to get as much help as possible when they are filling out those applications,” Commissioner Randy Obermier said.
The board also handled some property valuation protests. One was denied because it was filed after the deadline. One protest resulted in the commissioners staying with the assessor’s recommended value. And the third valuation protest was postponed because the owner could not be there to address the issues.
 

​YORK – Last year, York County Aging Services and Aging Partners provided 10,166 units of service to 515 local seniors, which included care management, service coordination, referrals, meals, in-home respite care and equipment, as well as senior center visits and more. And the need for support is growing as demand is projected to spike sharply as the larger 75-84 age cohort and 65-74 age cohort age into the 85-plus tier which is the most resource-intensive.
This was the sentiment this week as Jill Engle from Aging Partners and Lori Byers from York County Aging Services met with the York County Commissioners. Engle made her annual report and provided the agency’s annual budget request.
“As this population grows, more residents will need assistance to stay healthy, safe and independent in their own homes,” Engle said. “Our goal is to keep people safely in their homes as long as possible.”
In the 2025-26 fiscal year, Aging Services did the following:

• 2,423 contacts were made with older adults and caregivers to assist with questions and make referrals for services
• There were 510 hours of individualized and in-home services were designed to keep people living in their own homes. This included case management and Medicaid Waiver coordination. This was an increase of 71 hours or 16% from the previous year.
• 5,592 meals were provided which met dietary standards for older adults
• There were 463 sessions of health activities and nutrition education
• There were 10,166 visits to senior centers by consumers
• 1,098 rides were provided to older adults
• 269 units of foot care were provided to 64 consumers
• 66 units of materials and equipment were provided which allowed residents to remain in their homes
• A legal clinic was held and nine individuals were given assistance.
• Staff attended training digitize the farmer’s market coupon program.
• Aging Partners staff provided assistance with Medicare Part D enrollment, which saved York County clients thousands of dollars.

“York County partners with Aging Partners to secure vital state and federal funding for our local senior programs,” Engle said. “To maintain these services, Aging Partners is requesting $43,319 for the upcoming fiscal year.” That is a 2% increase.