Mark Elbert

The meeting included discussions on two distinct bodies: the Board of Equalization and the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Equalization addressed a consent item and tax corrections (17760 through 17762). The Board of Commissioners' agenda featured discussions regarding a positive review of the county's passport program efficiency and efficiency enhancements. A significant portion of the meeting focused on Planning and Zoning agenda items, specifically a request for rezoning from the AG farming district to the RE1 residential estates district for a proposed subdivision named Buffalo Springs Replat 1. This included discussion about a waiver request concerning lot width for pie-shaped lots and future infrastructure requirements, such as paving, sewer, and water connections for the new lots and retained outlots.

The meeting covered several operational and financial updates, including a staff update from the agency administrator regarding the draft budget presentation and a timeline for its formal discussion in March, as well as a forthcoming presentation on a $2 million congressional grant and necessary matching funds for lift station improvements. The agency project engineer reported on completed construction work at the Gotch property, including manhole raising and ballard pouring. The treasurer's monthly financial report for January 2026 indicated that year-to-date expenses were significantly lower than budgeted, resulting in a net income of negative $167,000 so far. Key agenda items included the approval of a professional services proposal with Catalyst Public Affairs, the authorization of amendment number one to the WIFA loan agreement, granting a boundary change request for a 37.5-acre property in the City of Springfield for future residential development, and granting an exception to the growth management plan for a 10-acre tract previously platted in 2015, which involves adding an accessory building and septic system for a single restroom.

The Board of Equalization meeting addressed several agenda items, starting with the approval of the consent agenda. Key discussions on the regular agenda involved tax corrections, which were approved following input from the assessor, and the consideration of denying requests from out-of-county banks to be designated as alternate depositories for county funds. The board also approved an interlocal cooperation agreement with Oakleaf SID regarding the cost allocation for road improvements at 72nd Street and Cape Park Road, including contributions for future signalization. Another interlocal agreement with the City of Gretna and Buffalo Creek SID concerning 192nd Street improvement structure replacement and paving was approved, despite the presenter initially confusing it with an item concerning Kirsten's Industrial Development. A subsequent item involved an interlocal agreement with the City of Gretina and Kirstston Industrial for 204th and Platby Road improvements. Furthermore, the board granted consent to an amendment to the WIFIA loan agreement between the US Environmental Protection Agency and the county's wastewater agency, which included provisions for the sewer agency to cover the cost of decommissioning a county lift station. Finally, an item regarding assessing liquidated damages against RPL Utility LLC for a payment application concerning 60th Street improvements was tabled until March 17th. The board also held an executive session to discuss potential litigation, with no action taken in that session.

The meeting included staff updates regarding the federal government's approval to amend the WIFIA loan, with alignment efforts underway with the county, aiming for finalization by the February 25th meeting. Approval for design and permitting for the blue and green lines of the master plan is anticipated pending county agreement. It was announced that the agency received a $2 million appropriation from Congressman Bacon's office, the purpose of which is still being coordinated. A significant discussion centered on a proposed reimbursement agreement with Springfield concerning the advancement of agency infrastructure, referencing a prior agreement with Gretina as a baseline, although key differences in flow type were noted. The financial dashboard update for the period ending December 31, 2025, detailed connection fee revenues (224% of budget) and flow revenue being close to budget (49% of budget). The agency reported a net income loss of $89,000 for the fiscal year to date, with expenses significantly lower than budgeted due to project cost alignments during the WIFIA modification process. It was emphasized that the Springfield agreement, if approved, would be a specific agreement and not set agency-wide policy.

Discussions during the meeting centered on several operational and financial updates. The Agency Administrator reported on the preliminary audit findings for the period ending 6/30/25, noting an unmodified opinion with two low-level findings concerning a journal entry timing and the segregation of duties due to agency size constraints. Additionally, the Administrator provided an update on the federal loan modification review, which impacts the design and permitting for Phases 1B and 2. The Project Engineer detailed construction wrap-up, ongoing preventative maintenance work, the receipt of title work for property acquired from the City of Springfield, and coordination required due to changes in the Platview Road corridor design that conflict with existing sewer alignments. The Project Engineer also addressed initial flow challenges from Oak Leaf and Pilion connections, requiring temporary plugging of lines to isolate leaks. The CFO presented the monthly financial dashboard for October 31, 2025, highlighting year-to-date revenues, including connection fees and flow revenue, and noting that expenses were significantly under budget due to deferred Phase 1B and 2 engineering work pending the WIFIA loan modification. Board members engaged in discussion regarding optimizing cash reserves held in checking accounts versus higher-interest CD investments, specifically in light of upcoming biannual loan payments.