Banner County Board of Commissioners Statutory Meeting

Banner County Board of Commissioner Proceedings

                The Banner County Board of Commissioners met in regular session, Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 8:45 A.M. in the courtroom of the Banner County Courthouse.  Notice of the meeting was given by publication in the Western Nebraska Observer. A copy of the proof of publication is on file in the office of the County Clerk.  Notices were also posted in the Harrisburg, Nebraska Post Office; the Banner County Public School; the office of the County Clerk; and the front window of the Banner County courthouse.

                The agenda of the meeting is kept current and is available during the regular business hours in the office of the County Clerk.  A copy of the agenda was sent to the Commissioners on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. 

                Chairperson Darnall called the meeting to order at 8:45 A.M. County Clerk Katie West took roll call showing: Don Lease, present; Robin Darnall, present; Laif Anderson, present. Chairperson Darnall stated the Nebraska Open Meetings Act is posted by the back door of the courtroom. 

                Lease led prayer.

                The Pledge of Allegiance was said. 

                The agenda was examined. Anderson moved to approve the agenda. Lease seconded the motion. Discussion was had. Anderson withdrew his motion and Lease withdrew his second. Anderson moved to approve the agenda with the following changes: moving claims to before re-organization of Board of Commissioners and tabling the committee appointments to the next regular meeting. Lease seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. 

                The minutes of December 16, 2025, meeting were examined. Lease moved to approve December 16, 2025, minutes. Anderson seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. 

Correspondence:

• Lumen Refund Check – Discussion was had. The Board believed that the check is for a permit and stated that it should be placed into the Road miscellaneous fund.

Public Comments:

• Colleen Shoemaker – Shoemaker became a member of KCTS (Kimball County Transit Services) Board and would like to be placed on the next agenda for an informational discussion about the services.  

Claims:

General: Aflac - $365.19 – Employee Benefits; Aflac - $764.88 – Dental; Banner Capital - $3,781.70 – HSA; Banner County Court - $17.00 – CC Cost; Bytes - $2,939.64 – IT Management; Column Software - $58.90 – Advertising; Culligan - $32.50 – Water; High West Energy - $465.56 – Lights; Holiday Inn - $1,124.55 – Rooms; Hometown Leasing - $138.64 – Copier; Ideal - $102.83 – Janitorial Supplies; Integrated Pest Management - $210.00 – Pest Management; Kimball County Treasurer - $1,714.96 – Extension Office; Midwest Connect - $284.00 – Postage Cartridge; MIPS - $1,718.86 – Data Processing; NE Association of County Officials - $75.00 – Treasurer Dues; NE District Court Clerk’s Association - $50.00 – DC Dues; NE Child Support - $193.99 – Child Support; NE County Assessor Association - $100.00 – Assessor Dues; North Platte NRD – $38.32 – Water; Pack Rat - $45.00 – Trash Service; Pine Bluff’s Sinclair - $302.01 – Fuel; Poster Compliance - $90.08 – NE Workforce Posters; Rapid Fire Protection - $18,611.98 – Fire Alarm System; Triad - $11,281.49 – Health Insurance; US Bank - $69.33 – Office Supplies; VSP - $217.13 – Vision; Western NE Observer - $336.96 – Advertising; Zultys - $641.91 – Telephone; Jean Bauer - $150.00 – ROD Training; Total - $45,922.41

Sheriff: AT&T - $225.76 – Cell Phones; MOCIC - $100.00 – Membership; POAN - $30.00 – Dues; Scottsbluff County Communication - $2,000.00 – Contract; Shaggy Buffalo Car Wash - $15.00 – Car Wash; US Bank - $278.59 – Meals, Office Equipment, Law Equipment; Pine Bluffs Sinclair - $1,462.58 – Fuel; Total - $4,111.93

Road: AT&T - $52.07 – Cell Phone; Contractor Materials - $249.80 – Shop Supplies; Frank Parts - $73.65 – Repair Parts; Holiday Inn - $374.85 – Room; Inland - $1,055.99 – Repair Parts; Integrated Pest Management - $75.00 – Pest Management; Kimball Auto Parts - $2,950.77 – Shop Supplies, Tools, Parts; Motor Fuels Division - $7.00 – Fuel Tax; North Platte NRD - $29.12 – Water; Pine Bluffs Sinclair - $29,039.81 – Fuel; Prestige Welding - $140.00 – Labor; Verizon - $233.10 – Tracker; Wyrulec - $6.02 – Lights; VSP - $41.46 – Vision; Triad - $2,835.77 – Health Insurance; Ideal - $28.88 – Janitorial Supplies; Colonial Life - $29.48 – Dental; Banner Capital Bank - $1,071.68 – HAS; Aflac - $594.80 – Employee Benefits; Total - $38,889.25

                The Board reviewed the claims presented. Anderson moved to approve the claims as presented. Lease seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. 

Re-organization Board of Commissioners:

• Appoint 2026 Board Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson – Discussion was had. Anderson moved to appoint Robin Darnall as Chairperson and Don Lease as Vice-Chairperson. Lease seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried.
• Set regular Board of Commissioners meeting date/time – Lease moved to set the regular Board meetings at 8:45 A.M. on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Anderson seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried.
• Designate official county newspaper(s) for notifications (Currently Western Nebraska Observer and Star Herald) – Discussion was had. Anderson moved to designate the Western Nebraska Observer and Star Herald for the official county newspaper for 2026. Lease seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried.
• Set method of reasonable advance notice of meetings – Discussion was had. Lease moved to leave the reasonable advance notice of meetings at the same locations; Harrisburg, Nebraska Post Office; the Banner County Public School, the office of the County Clerk, and the front window of the Banner County courthouse. Anderson seconded the motion. Discussion was had. Lease amended the motion to include the website. Anderson seconded the motion. Discussion was had. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried.
• Discuss and approve 2026 County Holiday schedule (See attached 2026 holidays) – Darnall read the holiday schedule. Lease moved to keep the 2026 holiday schedule the same as presented. Anderson seconded the motion.  Discussion was had. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. See attached.

Other Business:

• 2026 Cost of Living Increase for Elected Officials – Commissioners – Discussion was had. Darnall moved to move the 2026 Cost of Living Increase for Elected Officials to after Resolution 26-10.
• Approval to surplus belly dump on purple way auction – Eric McCoy – Discussion was had. Lease moved to surplus Unit # 49-205 belly dump 1992 on purple way auction. Anderson seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. 

Consider and Appoint 2026 Officials:

• Resolution 26-09: County Highway Superintendent – Lease moved to appoint Eric McCoy as Highway Superintendent and read resolution 26-09.  Anderson seconded the motion.  Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. See attached.
• Resolution 26-07: Appoint County Weed Superintendent – Anderson moved to adopt Resolution 26-07, appointing Tim Grubbs as Weed Superintendent and read resolution 26-07.  Lease seconded the motion.  Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. See attached. 

Discuss and consider any action to approve and authorize signature(s) on applications and bank depositories:

• Lease moved to approve the following resolutions: Resolution 26-01: Allow and authorize, upon resolution of the County Board, the County Treasurer to invest surplus funds; Resolution 26-02: Resolution to set the rate to be set in registering any insufficient county warrants. The rate is set at ___% for 2026; Resolution 26-03: Authorize the County Treasurer invest excess funds in Banner Capital Bank and NPAIT; Resolution 26-04: Authorize and set limit of expenditure and amount to be carried in each petty cash fund to $100 for the County Clerk and $400 for the County Treasurer; Resolution 26-05: Authorize certain elected or appointed and duly sworn County Official to access financial information on accounts, including check signing authority, for their respective elected offices; Resolution 26-06: Resolution to establish indigent burial; to place a limit on such expenditure per incident; and to set financial guidelines for eligibility. ($1500.00). The full text of each resolution shall accompany the minutes of this meeting. Anderson seconded the motion. Discussion was had. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. See attached.
• Credit Card Authorization and set guidelines for credit card use – Discussion was had. The Board tabled this item until January 20, 2026.
• Set Official/Employee travel expenses protocols – The Board tabled this item until January 20, 2026.

No Recess 

Consideration and appoint 2026 Commissioner Board to Committee Appointment:

• Lease moved to adopt the slate of appointments of 2026 committees: Region 22 Emergency Management, Darnall; Region 1 Behavioral Health, Anderson; Office of Aging, Anderson; Panhandle Public Health District (PPHD), Lease; Office of Human Development (OHD), Lease; and Panhandle Area Development District (PADD), Lease.  Anderson seconded the motion.  Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. 

Consider and appoint 2026 Committee(s):

• The Board table this item until January 20, 2026.

County Attorney:

• Resolution 26-08: Re-appoint Scottsbluff Attorney for Banner County for purposes of handling arraignments and inheritance tax – Darnall moved to adopt Resolution 26-08 and read the resolution.  Lease seconded the motion.  Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. 

Other Business:

• Resolution 26-10: Wages, Salaries, and Benefits – Commissioners – Discussion was had benefits.  Darnall suggested having a payroll audit being done. Lease moved to have a 5% increase for all elected officials salaries January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2030. Anderson seconded the motion. Discussion was had on cost-of-living increase for the elected officials. Lease withdrew his motion and Anderson withdrew his second. Anderson moved to do a cost-of-living increase of 3%.  Lease seconded the motion.  Lease amended the motion to change 3% to 3.5% for all employees starting January 1, 2026. Anderson seconded the motion. Discussion was had on road department wages. Lease then asked to strike out the word all and include all elected officials and their deputies. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. Lease moved to do a 5% increase starting January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2030, for all elected officials.  Darnall seconded the motion.  Discussion was had. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, no.  Motion carried. Darnall read resolution 26-10 and moved to adopted Resolution 26-10.  Lease seconded the motion.  Lease wished to strike paragraph eight. Discussion was had on paragraph eight of the resolution. Darnall moved to amend the motion to strike paragraph eight of the resolution. Discussion was had. Lease withdrew the motion to strike paragraph eight and amend the motion to change will to may in paragraph eight. Darnall seconded the amendment. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, no. Motion carried. Anderson moved to increase base pay for road employees’ level one operator pay to $19.00 per hour.  Lease seconded the motion. Discussion was had. Roll call vote: Lease, yes; Darnall, yes; Anderson, yes. Motion carried. Discussion was then had on custodial salary, equal and fairness of overtime pay and cost-of-living raises. 

Chairperson Darnall adjourned the meeting at 11:53 A.M.

 The next meeting will be held on January 20, 2026, at 8:45 A.M. or at the call of the clerk.  An agenda for the matters to be considered at such date and time is kept continually and is available for public inspection during the normal business hours at Banner County in the courthouse of Harrisburg, Nebraska. 

Banner County Board of Commissioners

Robin Darnall, Chairperson

Don Lease II, Vice Chairperson

Laif Anderson, Member

Attest: _____________________________________

                Katie West, Banner County Clerk