Commissioners vote to keep County Surveyor as an elected position

HARTINGTON — The fate of Cedar County Surveyor Tim Gobel was on the line last week.

As required by state law, the County held a public meeting to hear comments to determine if the County should have an elected Surveyor if they should do away with the slot and simply appoint a surveyor.

Comments were heard from the audience regarding the position.

Gobel answered questions regarding the position.

Motion was then made by Commissioner McGregor and seconded by Commissioner Bartels, to approve resolution to retain the position of County Surveyor on the ballot to be elected by the voters of Cedar County.

Gobel also serves part-time as Zoning Administrater.

In that position, Gobel mentioned there will be some amendments forthcoming on Zoning Regulations pertaining to set-back requirements and minimum lot widths, and they will be published when they are finalized.

Road Superintendent Carla Schmidt told Commissioners Tuesday that the county got an Assistance Grant to purchase high visibility jackets. She also noted Cedar County will host a Sign Training Seminar Feb. 4, from 8 a.m. – noon, in the Hartington City Auditorium, which will be open to area counties and put on by NIRMA.

Schmidt then presented the one and six-year plan for each county district and asked that each district commissioner add whatever project each district plans to have completed for this next year including any new proposed projects pertaining to primarily roads, bridges and culverts.

The public hearing for the one-and six-year plan will be held Feb. 11.

Schmidt also presented information on all the gravel and rock purchases from this past year, including trucking expenses. Unfortunately, the county has had to extend out of the area to get a lot of the needed gravel, so transportation costs continue to be high, including travel time.

Discussion was then held on CDL and drug testing procedures for county road employees with CDL licenses, which will again be reviewed with county road employees.

Schmidt also mentioned that on Feb. 11, at 10:30 a.m., there will be a bidletting for the bridge located just south of Bow Valley to add jump spans and make the bridge wider.

The bridge was damaged and the road closed since the March flooding of 2019. It is the only bridge still not open after the flood.

The repair work on the bridge is to be completed in 2020.