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HARTINGTON- The Cedar County Commissioners approved a motion that will put eyes in the skies.
Cedar County Emergency Manager and licensed drone operator Kevin Garvin brought the new idea to the board on Tuesday morning. He proposed purchasing a county drone or a small land-based aircraft.
“In public safety, these things are becoming quite prevalent,” he siad during his pitch to the board.
Using drones has been increasing in popularity and usefulness among agencies such as the Nebraska State Patrol and other Nebraska counties. Currently, Yankton and Stanton counties have moved forward, with the use of grant money, to purchase drones. The drones range from $4,000 to $40,000, depending on the durability, size and power, he said.
Garvin said the use for drones stretches from emergencies such as search and rescue and weather damage to tower maintenance, which is a recurring problem.
“Every year, we have something go wrong on one of our towers,” said Garvin. “If I have to bring a tower crew out here, it’s the bare minimum of $3,000 every time they go up that tower. Whereas, if I send a camera up the tower…we could probably find the problem, get the parts ordered, so we are only paying the tower crew to come in once.”
Other benefits include being able to “rent out” Cedar County’s drone and operator to nearby counties as needed.
“It’s another tool in the toolbox,” Garvin said. Commissioners liked the idea and now want Garvin to search for a grant that would allow the county to purchase a durable drone.
Also Tuesday, Cedar County Highway Superintendent Carla Schmidt said she did a study on a Dixon County/Cedar County Road- 576 Ave., between 884-886 Road in northern Cedar County. She suggested all but the north half mile of the road be closed. Schmidt said this road was established in 1904 and is not wellkept.
“The majority of the road hasn’t been used as a road for 50 years,” Schmidt said.
Her main concern is that two parcels would be landlocked if the road is closed.
“Getting to that road was very difficult.The old roadbed is still there,but it’s rugged,” she said.
A public hearing to close the road should be scheduled in the near future, the Commissioners said. Since this is a county line road, it will take a while to get this accomplished, Schmidt said, because Dixon County must also hold a hearing to close the road.
