.jpg)
HARTINGTON — Cedar County Commissioners Tuesday reviewed bids for a new payloader and decided to close a road that most area residents thought had already been closed.
Commissioners received f0ur bids for the payloader. The low bidder was Murphy Tractor and Equipment Company of Sioux City with a bid of $372,800.
Nebraska Machinery Company, which primarily deals in Caterpillar equipment, put in a bid of $398,500. Titan Machinery bid two different payloaders, a 821G for $347, 483, and a 921G for $369,208.
Commissioners will review the bids to see which piece of equipment might best fit their needs. A decision on the equipment is expected to be made at the May 12 meeting.
Three area landowners were present for a public hearing on the closure of 562 Avenue half a mile south of the 887 and 562 intersection .
County Highway Supt. Carla Schmidt said the road was originally established on Sept. 4, 1896. A portion of the road was officially closed in 1962, she said.
Adjacent property owners said they couldn't remember a time when a fence wasn't across the road, so they've always thought it wa s officially closed.
Schmidt said the road closure was basically a formality since the fence is currently keeping people from using the road.
'It hasn’t been a road for many, many years, but it has not officially been closed,' she said.
Schmidt said that by officially closing the road, the land goes back to the adjacent landowners. Closing the road also releases the county from any liability if someone were attempt to drive on it and get injure d, she said.
She noted she has been approached about closing more of the roa d, but by doing so some property owners would be landlocked. It has been the county's policy in the past not to landlock a property owner by closing a road, she said.
After the hearing, Schmidt told Commissioners the Neb. Dept. of Transportation is planning to do road work on Highway 57 between Belden and Coleridge. That project is expected to begin on June 1, she said. NDOT has future plans to put in a left turn lane at the south portion of the Highway 81-Highway 84 junction at Pleasant Valley.
Cedar County Clerk Jessica Schmit told commissioners she is investigating a more economical employee life and disability insurance plan. She feels their current policy could be improved upon for little or no additional cost.
Commissioners were also informed by Zoning Administrator Tim Gobel of several building permits.
They included:
• Darvin Johnson for a 50x50 pole barn in the Brookey Bottom area.
• Roger Hahne for a 30x24 addition to a shed in Pct. 13.
• Todd Hahne for a 50x31 shop and 50x33 living space in Pct. 13.
• Haymaker Farms for a 48x24 horse barn and indoor feed area in northwest Cedar County.
• Robert Brummels to replace a grain bin damaged in a 2025 wind storm.
• Jason Harmalink for a 40x48 garage storage shed in Pct. 2.
Emergency Services Coordinator Kevin Garvin also met with Commissioners.
He said the county’s three communication towers need to be inspected every five years. Tower Systems of Rapid City, S.D. does the inspections. They will be in the area soon to inspect towers in Dixon County. He was informed Cedar County could get a cheapter rate if they got their inspections down at the same time.
He also noted battery updates will be needed at the county’s siren sites.
Commissioners also got an update on plans for the June bicycle ride through Cedar County.
One portion of the ride could be held on gravel roads. Garvin has been in conversations with organizers. No additional county support should be needed for the ride, he said.
