​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.
 

​You are required to control noxious weeds on your property.
 
The noxious weeds are:  Musk Thistle, Plumeless Thistle, Canada Thistle, Leafy Spurge, Knapweed (spotted and diffuse), Purple Loosestrife, Saltcedar, Phragmites, Knotweed (Japanese and Giant) and Sericea Lespedeza.  Notice is hereby given this _18th__     day of ___   August           _______, 2026___, pursuant to the Noxious Weed Control Act, section 2-955, subsection 1(a), to every person who owns or controls land in ___York______ County, Nebraska, that noxious weeds being grown, or growing on, such land shall be controlled at such frequency as to prevent establishment, provide eradication, or reduce further propagation or dissemination of such weeds.
 
Upon failure to observe this notice, the county weed superintendent is required to:
 
1.           Proceed pursuant to the law and issue legal notice to the landowner of property infested with noxious weeds and giving such landowner 15 days to control the noxious weed infestation.  Conviction for noncompliance may result in a $100 per day fine to the landowner, with a maximum fine of $1,500; or
 
2.           Should more immediate control be required, proceed pursuant to the law and have the weeds controlled by such method as he/she finds necessary, the expense of which shall constitute a lien and be entered as a tax against the land, and be collected as other real estate taxes are collected, or by other means, as provided by law.
 
Also, the public is notified that noxious weed seed and propagative parts may be disseminated through the movement of machinery and equipment, trucks, grain and seed, hay, straw, nursery stock, fencing materials, sod, manure, and soil as well as articles of similar nature.  Methods of treatment have been prescribed by the Director of Agriculture and may be obtained from the county weed control authority.
 
                               
 
By Order of __York______ County Weed Control Authority
 
 

​YORK – The York County Commissioners will be considering wages of certain county workers, as well as budget details, when they meet in regular session on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
They will talk about the wages of the county department heads (who are not elected), the highway superintendent, the weed supervisor, the 911 communications director, the Area on Aging/Transportation director, maintenance supervisor, veterans supervisor, the visitors bureau supervisor and the zoning administrator – as well as all the employees who work in departments which are not overseen by elected officials.
They will also be considering wages for the deputy county officials, which must be a certain percentage of the salaries earned by the elected officials who oversee them.
A budget workshop will also be held, as they continue to narrow down spending priorities before the budget is finalized in September.
Also on Tuesday’s agenda:

• The board will meet with Jill Engel from Aging Partners.
• A special designated liquor license will be considered for Blended Distilling LLC for an event on Sept. 26.
• They will consider a vehicle purchase agreement for York County Public Transit.
• As the board of equalization, they will consider a motor vehicle tax exemption for York University, receive information regarding a clerical error report, and act on property protests from the over-under report.

The public is encouraged to attend the meeting which will begin at 8:30 a.m., in the commissioners’ meeting room, located on the main floor of the courthouse next door to the clerk’s office.
 

YORK – During their last meeting, the York County Commissioners met with Carrie Rodriguez, director of District 5 Probation as she made her annual report and budget request.

Editor’s note: This is the third and final installment regarding conversations the York County Commissioners had with department heads and elected officials regarding their proposed budgets for the 2026-27 fiscal year. 
​

​YORK – Each county is required to hold a “pink postcard meeting” if one or more taxing entities within the county (school district, village, city, or the county itself) is increasing its tax asking by more than 2%.
One meeting is held and then the taxing entities present details about their budgets and information as to why the tax asking is increasing.
The budget process for most entities is now underway, but the county commissioners said two school districts in the county will need to participate.
That said, it is up to the county board and the clerk to set the meeting time and place, even if the county doesn’t have to participate.
During this week’s county commissioner meeting, Commissioner Randy Obermier asked where the meeting would be held as the courthouse basement meeting space had been pretty tight when other pink postcard meetings were held there. He also suggested maybe it would be worth asking the participating school districts if they would host the meeting in a gym, as they would already be participating and their patrons would be the ones interested in attending.
Also during this week’s meeting:

• Commissioner Daniel Grotz reported how a meeting was held with everyone from the roads department, which he called very productive.
• It was noted there would be a planning and zoning meeting on Aug. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
• Names were changed on the veterans service office checking account as it was realized a former commissioner was still listed as a designated signer.
• Barb Koester was appointed and John Prusia and Becky Green were reappointed to the York County Aging Services Board.
• A special designated liquor license was approved for an event taking place at Blended Distilling on Aug. 29.