Buffalo Co. sheriff notes higher medical bills, mental health needs, food costs in jail | 1340 KGFW

Buffalo County Courthouse (Brian Neben, central Nebraska today)

KEARNEY — The Buffalo County sheriff says rising medical costs, increased mental health resources and rising food prices are driving the need to transfer additional funds to the budget during of the commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, June 24.

Sheriff Neil Miller appeared at the meeting because there was a request to transfer $75,000 to the jail budget from the general miscellaneous fund to cover a shortage.

Miller said it has been a “difficult” year due to rising medical expenses, rising food prices and the growing number of people in prison.

It was noted that inmates are coming to prison with more medical problems and need more mental health resources. Miller said this is a trend seen in prisons not only in Nebraska, but across the United States.

Miller said they have to meet the medical needs of inmates housed in the county and its share of the business of operating a jail.

Buffalo County Commissioners approved the resolution to transfer the funds.

The 2022-2023 audit report was presented to the commissioners by Austin Hanke with Hayes CPA.

Hanke has issued an unmodified opinion, known as an unqualified opinion, that the financial statements are presented fairly in all material respects and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

It was noted that the county’s cash flow was down, but this was due to spending of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds.

Hanke also noted that the budget figures had favorable variances.

When asked by Commissioner Tim Higgins what the county’s grade would be. Hanke said he would judge it an “A or minus.”

The next item was a decision regarding a vendor who would provide postcards for notices of public hearings under the Property Tax Applications Act.

Assessor Roy Meusch appeared and said the National Association of Counties (NACO) was developing a plan for counties to have the pink postcards printed and was awaiting final approval from NACO. Commissioners approved NACO’s direction on printing.

Commissioners also considered a contract update for Schneider Geospatial, a geographic information system (GIS), a computer system that analyzes and displays geographically referenced information.

Meusch appeared again and found that the new system lacked a sales comparison tool, which is made available daily by the assessor’s office. The new contract would include this necessary tool.

Commissioners agreed to the possibility of referring a request for road leave to the highway superintendent for review. It was noted that the petition had gathered enough signatures to be considered.

The board approved a website maintenance and web hosting with Educational Services Unit (ESU) 10.

During the Board of Equalization meeting, commissioners approved the request to renew the motor vehicle exemption for Grace Fellowship and South Central Behavioral Services.

Permissive exemptions were also granted to Heather Santiago for Kearney Village and Calcutta Newman’s St. Teresa Center.

Meusch emerged during this period with a three-year appraisal plan for the assessor’s office. He noted that in the recent past, the office had conducted a thorough assessment of residential properties and finalized the assessments.

Meusch said in 2025 they plan to do the same for commercial properties in the county.

During the committee’s reports, Commissioner Dan Lynch said he attended a meeting in Odessa attended by about 20 residents regarding property in the unincorporated community.

Lynch said the owners of the property in question were present and he said he felt the meeting was productive.

Four Buffalo County employees were honored for their years of service: Brenda Rohrich – 38 years, Kathy Andrews – one year, Delaney Behrendt – one year and Braydon Finecy – one year.