The Bazile Groundwater Management Area Project will be holding a presentation in Creighton, NE on Wednesday, March 15th at 3:00 p.m. at the VFW Hall to present the groundwater mapping data from the helicopter flights flown last July. The meeting is open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information contact Tanner Jenkins, Project Coordinator at 402-336-3867.
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) will conduct a public hearing to certify irrigated acres on March 23, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. The hearing will be held at the Lifelong Learning Center, located on the campus of Northeast Community College - 601 East Benjamin Avenue in Norfolk. The attached list of individuals are those who have fields in this certification hearing. If you have any questions about this hearing or the certification process, contact Mike Murphy at the LENRD office, 402-371-7313.
Due to weather conditions, the Lower Elkhorn NRD has postponed the regular scheduled board meeting from Thursday, February 23 to MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27. Finance Subcommittee at 7:00 p.m. and Board of Director’s meeting at 7:30 p.m.
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) has an opening for a Programs Assistant in the Natural Resources Conservation Service office in Wayne, NE. Administrative support work with moderate difficulty and complexity involving a variety of tasks, and strong computer skills needed. 40 hours per week with excellent benefits. Send resume’ to the: LENRD, P.O. Box 1204, Norfolk, NE 68702-1204. Closing date: March 3, 2017.
The annual no-till, cover crops, and planned grazing workshop will be held Wednesday, February 15th in the Lifelong Learning Center on the campus of Northeast Community College in Norfolk.
Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. with coffee and rolls provided by the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD).
In the morning session, Dan Leininger will be talking about soil moisture monitoring and telemetry. Leininger has worked at the Upper Big Blue NRD for 13 years as a Water Conservationist and was instrumental in developing the Nebraska Agricultural Water Use Network which measures soil moisture and crop evapo-transpiration to schedule irrigation on crops. Leininger also manages the Upper Big Blue NRD’s demonstration farm that uses crop rotation and cover crops to improve soil health which will reduce input costs and increase profit per acre.
Keith Berns will present: Carbonomics – The “Currency” of Biological Systems. Berns combines 20 years of no-till farming with 10 years of teaching Agriculture and Computers. He is no-tilling 2,500 acres of irrigated and dryland corn, soybeans, rye, triticale, peas, sunflowers, and buckwheat. Berns speaks on cover crops and soil health more than 20 times per year to various groups and audiences.
Mary Drewnoski will talk about the impacts of cattle grazing on croplands. Drewnoski is a Beef Systems Specialist with UNL and is researching utilization of corn residue and cover crop forages for backgrounding calves and feeding beef cows. She will talk about how corn residue and cover crop grazing impacts soil health and how grazing cover crops positively impact crop yields.
Lunch will be provided by the LENRD at noon.
The afternoon program will include: Ray Ward - Managing Fertility with Cover Crops in No-till Soils. Ward, founder and president of Ward Laboratories says “Soil Health” is simply a measure of the interaction of plant growth to microbial activity”. Ward will talk about the soil fertility concepts of this “new paradigm” in nutrient management where cover crops are added to continuous no-till cash cropping systems.
Lance Gunderson will present: Integrating Soil Health Tests with Traditional Soil Tests. Gunderson joined Ward Laboratories in the fall of 2002 and is currently the Director of Soil Health and New Test Development. Gunderson will talk about correlating PLFA, Solvita, and Haney tests with standard soil tests in making a “modern day” recommendation for nutrient management plans.
Dan Gillespie, State No-Till Specialist, will discuss Cover Crop Management in corn/soybean rotations, and will highlight management options: seeding, termination, and planting cash crops.
The workshop will end at 3:00 p.m. and is sponsored by: the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the LENRD. Reserve your seat by calling your local NRCS office or the LENRD at 402.371.7313.
The Lower Elkhorn NRD and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are hosting three educational workshops on cover crop management on Feb. 6th, 7th, and 8th. Producers are encouraged to attend the workshops to learn important benefits to your farming operation from producers who have experience in growing cover crops. The workshops will be held from 9:00 until noon each day. The workshop on Monday will be held at the courthouse in West Point, Tuesday at the library in Pierce, and Wednesday at the Lifelong Learning Center in Norfolk. Call the LENRD office for further details at 371-7313, or stop by your local NRCS office.
Since the flood of 2010, a unique local partnership has been building to protect northeast Nebraska from future flood events.
At their January meeting, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) board voted 12 to 1 to approve the Interlocal Agreement to move forward with the bank stabilization project that will protect the railroad and Highway 81 from future flood events on the Elkhorn River. The flooding in 2010 caused significant damage, including the collapse of a railroad bridge, which negatively impacted area businesses and industry. A railroad employee was killed when the bridge collapsed into the river.
The bank stabilization project brings together public and private partners, including: the Madison County Railroad Transportation Safety District, Nebraska Central Railroad, Nucor, Vulcraft, Elkhorn Valley Ethanol, Norfolk Iron & Metal, and the LENRD.
Norfolk City Administrator, Shane Weidner, said, “I’m thankful to the LENRD board and all the partners. This has truly been a team effort from our industrial partners, our major industries, the Railroad Transportation Safety District and the LENRD.”
LENRD General Manager, Mike Sousek, said, “This has been a great collaborative effort between Madison County, the City of Norfolk, the industries, and the LENRD. I’m happy the board moved forward with this. It’s going to provide great protection for all of us in Northeast Nebraska. I’m looking forward to getting the contract in place and getting the project built.”
The project has seen a decrease in cost from $2.4 million to the current estimate of $750,000. The LENRD will share $250,000 of the cost as a partner in this project.
In other action, the board elected new officers for 2017.
The board elected Dennis Schultz of Wisner as their new chairman. Mike Krueger of Pierce was voted in as vice-chairman, Mark Hall of Norfolk as secretary, and Bob Huntley of Norfolk as Treasurer. Other positions filled were Kurt Janke of Wayne as the voting delegate of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts, and Gary Loftis of Craig as the alternate NARD delegate.
Sousek, said, “I’m looking forward to working with the new officers. This gives them a chance to demonstrate their leadership skills as we work through various issues and challenges together.”
The next board meeting will be held on Thursday, February 23rd at 7:30 p.m.
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) board honored outstanding conservationists at their annual awards banquet on Friday, January 13th. The event was held at the Divots Conference Center in Norfolk and attracted over 60 people.
The Outstanding Tree Planter Award is presented to individuals within the district who have shown a strong commitment to the planting and care of trees. The Bill Osborn family of Tilden were honored as the recipients of the 2016 Outstanding Tree Planter Award.
The Osborns live north of Tilden in Pierce County where Bill is a carpenter. The rustic log cabin that the family resides in was built by Bill, with the assistance of friends and family. Bill, and his wife, Kathy, have three children, Tyler, Audrey, and Elizabeth.
The Osborns were nominated by LENRD Forester, Pam Bergstrom. Bergstrom said, “If you were to visit Bill’s place, you would think you were out in a native forest, when you are in fact in a man-made windbreak/forest that encircles the property and has been planted one tree at a time by Bill and his family.”
The main windbreak that protects the log cabin was planted by the Lower Elkhorn NRD in the late 1990s and early 2000s. With planting around 300 new trees each year along with the trees that the NRD has planted, it is estimated that there are over 5,000 trees on his property that have been purchased through the Lower Elkhorn NRD’s Conservation Tree Program, a grand total of 9,200 trees from both the NRD and other nurseries.
Bergstrom added, “This would be roughly 10-15 acres of trees. Maintenance and management on his trees is Bill’s main priority and every year he replants the ones that have died. He is very diligent about making sure that there is no space left vacant. He has started a new project of growing his own trees from seed that he has collected from his own trees and unique trees from around the area. Bill and his family are very deserving of this award.”
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District partners with schools across the district and encourages students to become good stewards of our natural resources. At their recent awards banquet, the district recognized two teachers who have demonstrated excellence throughout their career.
Suzy Goedeken and Patrick Kratochvil are instructors at Madison Public School. Madison Public Schools implemented a Watershed Dynamics program into their summer curriculum in 2011. Suzy and Patrick are the co-instructors of the program which brings students together to learn more about our water through a diverse sampling program in the Taylor and Union Creek Watershed. Madison High School has received grants from the Lower Elkhorn NRD to continue the program thanks to the efforts of both Suzy and Patrick.
The program brings approximately 20 students together to complete water sampling and analysis of the data throughout the summer months. Each year, Suzy and Patrick, bring the students to an NRD board meeting so they can give a report on what they discovered and show the directors what they have learned.
Suzy is currently in her 16th year of teaching. She has been working with the Taylor-Union Creek Watershed Program since the beginning. Before that, Suzy worked with the Shell Creek Watershed Program in Newman Grove for 5 years. Suzy and her husband, Mick, have two children, Michayla and Micah.
Patrick is in his 19th year of teaching and has been teaching High School Physical Sciences for 14 years at Madison High School. He has been co-sponsoring the Taylor-Union Watershed Class for 6 years. Patrick and his wife, Beth, have four children, Courtney, Shawn, Michael, and Curtis.
Vice-Chairman of the LENRD Board, Dennis Schultz, presented the awards. Schultz stated, “The educator of the year award recognizes Suzy and Patrick for their excellence in teaching future generations the value of our natural resources.”
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District works with various agencies and partners each year as we work to improve the quality of life for the citizens across Northeast Nebraska. At the banquet, the district recognized Susan Risinger Green for the outstanding partnership they have shared with her throughout the years.
Susan Risinger Green is a native of Brunswick and a graduate of Plainview High School. She attended Wayne State College and Northeast Community College.
She began her journalistic career in 1981 at the Neligh News and Leader, and was named assistant news director at WJAG radio in Norfolk in September of 1989. She was with WJAG, Lite Rock 97.5 and 106KIX Radio in Norfolk for more than 26 years, where she served as assistant news director and farm director.
She has received numerous awards over the years for her agricultural reporting and programming, including the 2007 Oscar in Agriculture. Most recently, she received the award of merit for significant achievement in the advancement of agriculture at the AgCeptional Women’s Conference, which the Lower Elkhorn NRD helps sponsor each year.
Schultz said, “Susan has been an outstanding partner with the Lower Elkhorn NRD for the past 26+ years. She has been extensively involved with stories from water to wildlife. This award recognizes Susan for her past support & excellence in reporting on the wise use and conservation of Nebraska's natural resources. Susan, thank you for the partnership we have shared with you.”
Susan joined Northeast Community College in May of 2016 to serve as the campaign director for the proposed Ag and Water Center of Excellence. She and her husband, Ron, live in Norfolk and have four children.
Service awards were also presented by LENRD General Manager Mike Sousek.
Laurie Schold of Oakland, Logan East Rural Water System Financial Secretary, was awarded for 10 years of service.
Director awards were also presented to the following: Jarvis Otten of Norfolk for his service on the board since 2015; Dave Shelton of Wayne for his service on the board since 2014; Danny Kluthe of Dodge for his service on the board since 2010; and Tim Tighe for his 25 years of service to the district from 1991-2016.
Vice-Chairman Schultz added, “Congratulations to all of our winners tonight. We thank you for your hard work and continued efforts in protecting our natural resources.”
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) is taking proactive steps to reduce the impacts of future drought events. One of these steps is the development of the Drought Management Plan. The Drought Management Plan defines drought locally and identifies processes to respond to and manage the impacts of future drought events.
The Drought Management Plan was developed with the intention that it be adopted as an appendix of the 2015 LENRD Hazard Mitigation Plan. The public is encouraged to review the plan and provide comments, no later than January 25th, 2017.
The Drought Management Plan was funded by a FEMA planning grant. The cost is shared 75% through federal funding and 25% through a local match. The LENRD is providing the 25% local match. The LENRD hired JEO Consulting Group, Inc. (JEO) to assist with the plan development.
For more information on this planning effort, contact Brian Bruckner, LENRD Water Resources Manager, at 402-371-7313 or bbruckner@lenrd.org
In an effort to remain proactive in the management of our groundwater, flow meters are required on all active high capacity wells within the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) by January 1, 2018.
All meters need to be installed by a certified installer. If you’re interested in installing your own meter, please contact Curt Becker at the LENRD office, or plan on attending the next training on Wednesday, January 11th.
The LENRD has secured two grants to assist landowners with the expense of this requirement. Please contact your local NRCS office or the LENRD for more information.
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) held three public hearings during their December board meeting to address modifications to their Rules and Regulations for Management of Groundwater, changes to the LENRD Groundwater Management Plan, and to certify irrigated acres.
The first hearing was to accept public comment on changes to the Rules and Regulations for Management of Groundwater which modified the controls in place for any Phase 2 or Phase 3 Area in the LENRD, and establishes a set of controls for a Phase 4 Area, with all changes intended to provide greater protection of groundwater quality in the LENRD. The proposed changes will add the prohibition of fall and winter application of commercial nitrogen to fields within the Phase 2 Area between the dates of October 15 and March 15 to further reduce the chance of nitrate-nitrogen leaching into the groundwater. Although there are currently no areas in the LENRD that are designated as Phase 3 Areas, the changes include a requirement to prohibit the application of more than 80 pounds of commercial nitrogen without the use of a district-approved nitrification inhibitor after March 15 of each year. The producer also has the option of splitting their nitrogen applications into multiple applications to avoid this requirement. If an inhibitor is used, proof of such use must be submitted to the district annually. LENRD Water Resources Manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “The changes also establish a set of controls for a Phase 4 Area, which can be implemented by the Board of Directors in areas with acute groundwater contamination conditions.” The controls for a Phase 4 Area include: annual deep soil testing for nitrate-nitrogen when planting a non-legume crop (such as corn), proof of APH (actual production history) for determination of yield goals and verification of nitrogen budgets, annual sampling of irrigation wells for nitrate-nitrogen and required use of cover crops to sequester residual crop nutrients.
The next hearing was held to certify irrigated acres across the district. 767 tracts of land were certified as irrigated acres. Approximately 88% of the district’s acres are now certified. The next irrigated acre certification hearing will be held on March 23rd at the LENRD office in Norfolk.
The third hearing was to allow changes to be made to the Groundwater Management Plan to include the requirement of flow meter installation on high capacity wells classified for use as: public water supply wells, commercial wells, industrial wells, livestock wells, or any wells that are designed to pump more than 50 gallons per minute. Bruckner added, “This is the first step in a two-step process to implement this requirement. The next step will be to develop language for the Rules and Regulations for Management of Groundwater to spell out the specifics of this new requirement.”
The 2017 allocation rates were also set at the December meeting. Each year, the board must determine the annual groundwater allocation amounts for the Wayne and Madison County Quantity Management Subareas for the upcoming crop year. The staff recommended using the same amounts for the 2017 season. Bruckner, said, “These allocation amounts are the same as 2016. We are continuing to develop the framework for further expansion of irrigated acres in defined areas within the district by 2018.”
In other business, the board approved a proposal from the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission to proceed with a Bathymetric Survey of the Willow Creek reservoir. LENRD Assistant General Manager, Ken Berney, said, “The survey will help to design potential habitat projects, and also focus on the sedimentation rate of the reservoir. The data will be very useful in planning for the future of the recreation area.”
The next board meeting will be held on Thursday, January 26th at 7:30 p.m.
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) is in the process of certifying irrigated acres across the 15-county district. Once certification is completed, irrigation within the LENRD will be allowed only on acres classified as Certified Irrigated Acres.
The next Irrigated Acre Certification Public Hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 15th at the LENRD office in the Lifelong Learning Center on the campus of Northeast Community College in Norfolk. The parcels to be certified are listed below, or you can view the maps at the LENRD office: 601 E. Benjamin Avenue, Suite 101 in Norfolk.
Contact Mike Murphy at the LENRD office for more information at 402-371-7313.
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) has seen a lot of change this year on their board of directors. At their November meeting, the LENRD Board of Directors appointed two new members. David Kathol and Jill Barr, both of Norfolk, took the oath of office and joined the other members around the table.
In the November election, David Kathol of rural Norfolk, was elected in Subdistrict 4 to replace Tim Tighe of Humphrey, who did not seek re-election. The appointment was possible due to Tighe’s early departure from the board last month, resigning just before the end of his term because he had recently relocated outside of the Subdistrict. Kathol was appointed at the November board meeting to fill the remainder of Tighe’s term, and will begin to serve his elected term in January.
Kathol worked for NPPD for 40 years. He is now retired and has some time to commit to being a board member. When applying for the position, Kathol said, “We all need to know the facts about the water under our feet; how geologically it is stored, moves, replenished, and what happens to make wells go dry.” He added, “We all need to be educated about water law.”
Jill Barr was appointed to Subdistrict 2 to replace Luke Winkelbauer of Norfolk. Luke recently resigned from the board due to his previous commitments and the time requirements to serve on the board. Barr has been appointed to fill the remainder of the two-year term.
Barr is a pharmacist at Hy-Vee West in Norfolk. In her cover letter, she said, “As the granddaughter of one of the founding fathers of Nucor, I understand the importance of resources and how they play a role in the economics of Nebraska. Industry, agriculture, and municipalities all rely on the water to survive. All of us rely on it to drink, bathe, and live. I look forward to being a part of the conversation on how to keep resources sustainable for current and future generations.”
In other action, a public hearing was held for a proposed Chemigation rule change. The proposed amendment would allow the chemical injection line check valve to be removed during the off-season. LENRD Water Resources Technician, Josh Schnitzler, said, “By allowing producers to remove the check valve when they are not chemigating, it should prolong the life of the check valve, as the plastic check valves tend to deteriorate quickly when left out year-round. It should also give producers a chance to inspect the check valve for any defects or animal damage that may have occurred.” The board subsequently approved the proposed amendment to the LENRD rules for Chemigation and will forward the approved rule and all other necessary documentation to the Director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) for their consideration and approval. The change would become effective soon after approval of the change from NDEQ.
In other business, the board approved 15 Community Forestry Incentive applications and one Forestry Incentive for Public Facilities application, for a total cost of $39,929.50.
The members also approved the staff recommendations for Conservation Cost-share and Lands for Conservation programs and authorized $500,000 for the 2017 construction season.
A request came from the Norfolk Area Visitors’ Bureau for assistance in providing bike racks on Norfolk trails. A cost-share program was proposed, and the board voted to fund 50% of the cost of the bike racks to be placed around Norfolk, up to $5,000, with the other 50% to be funded by businesses or other entities.
Each year, the LENRD must determine the maximum number of new groundwater irrigated acres to be allowed for the following year. The board voted to allow 0 acres of new groundwater irrigation development district-wide under the district’s standard variance process for 2017. Under the district’s expedited variance process, they voted to allow no transfer of irrigated acres district-wide, but to allow approval of applications of 10 acres or less, if the addition of the requested acres will allow the applicant’s center pivot irrigation system to finish its circle. They also voted to allow for the approval of qualified good cause variances and to approve a total of no more than 250 new irrigated acres in the hydrologically connected area and no more than 250 irrigated acres in the non-hydrologically connected area for expedited variance applications located outside of the district’s quantity subareas for 2017. In addition, the board directed the staff to allow for the approval of supplemental wells, only in situations where the certified irrigated acres have been severed from the source of groundwater. LENRD Water Resources Manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “In summary, this policy is identical to the allowable development that had been in place in the LENRD for 2016. District staff members are continuing to develop the framework for further expansion of irrigated acres in defined areas within the district by 2018."
Bids were received and reviewed to select contractors to perform flow meter maintenance and installation inspections for the district. The board approved 2 proposals, and authorized the general manager to enter into contracts with the firms. They approved the proposal from Buchanan Well, Inc. of Osmond, for the northern area of the district to perform the maintenance on an estimated 443 flow meters at $46 per site for a total of $20,378.00. The other proposal approved was with Derek Becker and Austin Becker of Norfolk, for the southern area of the district at $50 per unit for an estimated 434 flow meters for a total of $21,700.00.
The LENRD officially shared their new logo with the public this week. It brings together their mission of conserving and protecting water, soil, and trees. Check it out on their website and social media.
The next board meeting will be held on Thursday, December 15th at 7:30 p.m.
The Lower Elkhorn NRD will hold a public hearing to receive public comment regarding proposed changes to Section 7 of the district’s groundwater management plan on Thursday, December 15th at 7:30 p.m.
In 2016, the district modified its groundwater management plan to require the installation of flow meters on irrigation wells. The proposed changes to the plan will require commercial, industrial, public water supply and livestock wells or series of wells that are designed to pump more than 50 gallons per minute to install flow meters as well.
To view the proposed changes to Section 7 of the plan, please refer to this documents below.
Anyone wishing to provide testimony regarding the proposed changes to the district’s rules is welcome do so in person at the public hearing. Written testimony will also be accepted prior to the conclusion of the public hearing.
The Lower Elkhorn NRD will hold a public hearing to receive public comment regarding proposed changes to the district’s groundwater management area rules and regulations on Thursday, December 15th at 6:00 p.m.
The proposed changes are intended to improve groundwater quality protection efforts of area farmers and the district.
Anyone wishing to provide testimony regarding the proposed changes to the district’s rules is welcome do so in person at the public hearing. Written testimony will also be accepted prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. For more information about the public hearing, please refer to the links below.
It's time for a change! The Lower Elkhorn NRD has a new logo! Our new logo brings together our conservation mission, focusing on the protection of our soil, water, and trees. We are excited to share it with you!
Congratulations to our elected board members: Subdistrict 1 - Mike Krueger of Pierce; Subdistrict 3 - Bob Huntley of Norfolk; Subdistrict 3 - Scott McHenry of Norfolk; Subdistrict 4 - Dave Kathol of Norfolk; Subdistrict 4 - Bob Noonan of Humphrey; Subdistrict 5 - Jerry Allemann of Wayne; Subdistrict 6 - Matt Steffen of West Point; and Subdistrict 7 - Gary Loftis of Craig. Read more in the Norfolk Daily News article below:
Two incumbents lose seats on Lower Elkhorn NRD board
By KELLY SCHNOOR
kschnoor@norfolkdailynews.com
With many contested races for Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District seats, eight — and possibly nine — subdistrict winners emerged on Election Day. But some incumbents weren’t among the top vote-getters.
One of those races was in the NRD’s subdistrict 5 where incumbent David Shelton of Wayne lost to challenger Jerry Allemann of Wayne. Allemann received 3,264 votes, while Shelton garnered 1,194.
"I had local people that supported me and encouraged me, and I'm happy with how the results were." Allemann said after the results were known. Allemann said he has been attending NRD meetings in previous years as a farmer within the district. "I'm well aware that we need to conserve our water … But we also have areas where there is plenty of groundwater," he said. "We just have to move forward cautiously," he said, referring to future water use.
Another incumbent who won’t be returning to the NRD board is Danny Kluthe of Dodge, who was defeated by challenger Matt Steffen of West Point to represent subdistrict 6. Steffen won the race with 2,815 votes to Kluthe's 2,096 votes.
Steffen said he wasn't sure how the race would go, but he's happy with the results. Now that he's been elected he wants to deal with issues as they come and always continue to learn. "One of the main things is listen to what people in the district say and work with them and do a good job or representing them," Steffen said about his priorities during his time on the board.
In subdistrict 3, Scott McHenry of Norfolk won the race. McHenry received 2,403 votes to Roy Srymanske's 831.
"Everything went well," McHenry said. "I just would like to thank everyone who voted for me." But this race was technically over before the voting even began. That’s because Srymanske moved out of the subdistrict recently, meaning he couldn’t have served even if elected. But his move was recent enough that his name still remained on the ballot. McHenry said he is looking forward to working with the NRD staff and other board members during his term. Something McHenry said he will focus on going forward is water issues. "(They) are the hot topic around here, so anything concerning water rights for all users is the most important," he said.
David Kathol, also of Norfolk, won a four-year seat representing subdistrict 4. Kathol received 2,229 votes, while his opponent Eugene Hemmer of Humphrey received 1,863 votes.
Kathol said being a longtime Northeast Nebraskan and working locally factored in to his success. "People know me. I've been in this area for about 40 years," Kathol said. "It's an awesome responsibility and I'll try to do my best." Education is still going to be a big thing, Kathol said, regarding his priorities for his term. "I'm going to try to make things fair for everybody, but also keep in mind that we are sitting on a valuable resource that we need to guard and use properly," he said.
For a two-year seat representing Subdistrict 4, Bob Noonan of Humphrey won by receiving 2,702 votes to the 1,494 won by Robert Lueninghoener of Stanton.
"I'm very passionate about making sure we conserve our resources but also that we're able to use it as well. I just want to represent my subdistrict well," Noonan said. Noonan, who had been appointed to the NRD board and was seeking election for the first time, said one of his main focuses for this term will be water mandates. Noonan said that he wants to ensure that "we are sensitive to making sure we do not economically damage businesses in our district while being careful with the conservation and the purity of the water."
Incumbent Gary Loftis of Craig won re-election to a subdistrict 7 seat with 2,950 votes over Paul Chamberlain, also of Craig, who received 1,789 votes.
Loftis attributed his success in the race simply to name recognition more than anything else. "I'm very satisfied with the amount of support from local counties. That makes me happy," Loftis said. The whole idea of NRDs is local control, Loftis said, and going forward he said that his focus will be continuing that local voice in the decisions made about what is done with natural resources. "We're getting to the point where we can make some developments," he said.
Running unopposed for a subdistrict 1 seat was incumbent Michael Krueger of Pierce. Also running unopposed was Robert Huntley of Norfolk for a subdistrict 3 seat.
In subdistrict 2, there were no candidates on the ballot, but Mark Hall of Norfolk, who recently was appointed to the seat, was seeking write-in votes and did receive 19 of them in Madison County voting. Those results, however, are not yet final.
The Lower Elkhorn NRD will hold a public hearing during its regular board meeting on November 22, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comment on the adoption of the proposed amendments to the district's rules for chemigation. The public notice, the explanation of the rule change, and a copy of the proposed changes are below:
Due to a vacancy on the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District Board of Directors, the Board is now taking applications to fill the remainder of a four year term (2015-2018) for Subdistrict 2. Applicants must be registered voters and reside within the bounds of the subdistrict shown below. A more detailed map is available at the Lower Elkhorn NRD, Lifelong Learning Center, 601 East Benjamin Ave., Suite 101, Norfolk, NE.
Interested persons should contact the Lower Elkhorn NRD at 402-371-7313 or email: msousek@lenrd.org
A resume’ should be submitted to the Lower Elkhorn NRD by November 15, 2016.
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) is asking for proposals for flow meter maintenance. The proposals are due November 10th.
Nebraska's Natural Resources Districts were formed to help Nebraskans respond to natural resources challenges with local control and local solutions. The Lower Elkhorn NRD is ready to help you conserve and care for your water, soil, trees, and wildlife. Protecting Lives. Protecting Property. Protecting the Future.
Protecting Lives. Protecting Property. Protecting the Future.
Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District • 1508 Square Turn Boulevard • Norfolk, NE 68701 • lenrd@lenrd.org
Phone: 402.371.7313 • Office Hours: 8am-4:30pm M-F
