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Logan County Board
November Regular Meeting - Finance & Transportation
[November 20, 2025]
On Tuesday, November 18th, the
Logan County Board held their monthly meeting in the second-floor
courtroom of the Logan County Courthouse at 6: p.m. Ten of the
twelve board members were able to attend the meeting. Present
members included Chairman James Glenn, Vice Chairman Dale Nelson,
Lance Conahan, Joseph Kuhlman, Keenan Leesman, Gil Turner, Michael
DeRoss, Kathy Schmidt, Kevin Knauer, and Hannah Fitzpatrick. The two
absent members were Jim Wessbecher and Bob Sanders.
For a rundown of what was discussed in the meeting outside of
Finance and Transportation, please see LDN’s other article on this
meeting.
Finance Committee Chair Schmidt started her action items with a
report from the Logan County Tourism Bureau (LCTB). The new tourism
director, Wanda Lee Rohlfs, was present to give a presentation on
the status of the LCTB. Avid readers of LDN’s county board coverage
will recall that the county board and Lincoln city council agreed to
fund the LCTB in the amount of $40,000 each several months ago. This
was a sharp decline in the amount of funding they received
previously, that amount being over $200,000.
Rohlfs started by thanking the board. She stated that there have
been three things she has been focusing on with the LCTB in the last
few months, community, economic development, and the future.
Rohlfs stated that she had been trying to build relationships with
the communities around Logan County, stating that they are all
unique. She has been trying to learn what is important to them and
has been learning what each of them has to offer the county.
As for economic development, she
has secured one grant in the amount of $32,923. This grant is “all
about social media.” Rohlfs stated that there is a company that is
working with the LCTB to build their Facebook presence. They have
been going to every community in the county, taking photos, and
talking to local residents. The goal is to build a page that
highlights each community.
Rohlfs also stated that they are applying for many other grants,
including a Route 66 grant. The grants they are looking for are
coming from groups and organizations at least 50 miles outside of
Lincoln. She stated that the people of Logan County should not be
the primary party responsible for getting LCTB projects funded,
rather that being people from outside. She also shared that there
have been over 440 visitors to the LCTB in The Mill since she took
over in July. Rohlfs also mentioned that Route 66 turns 100 years
old next April.
Schmidt then asked if the LCTB is doing well financially. Rohlfs was
unable to give a clear answer, stating that not enough time has
passed for her to be able to really tell. She did state that their
financial stability is going to largely depend on if they secure
those grants. She stated that she personally felt that the LCTB has
been doing great so far.
Nelson had a few questions, starting with the cost for the company
building the social media presence. Rohlfs stated that they were
paid $20,000 to start and will be paid the rest once she gives them
her approval upon seeing the finished product. Nelson also asked
about their current Facebook page, stating that he has not seen a
lot of information on Christmas events going on around the county.
Rohlfs stated that she has reached out to the event organizers of
these events but has not received responses from all of them. Those
that have responded to her have been posted on the LCTB Facebook
page.
[to top of second column] |
The next four
items on the agenda for Finance were all related to the 2026
budget. Glenn stated that since several items had not made it on
the agenda, such as a tax levy and appropriation, they would not
be able to vote on the budget items that evening. They would
need to set up a special meeting to approve the missing items,
as well as the items that were on the agenda.
When the Transportation committee was addressed a short while
later, DeRoss presented the action items in the absence of
Wessbecher. The first item was a motion to approve an engineer
study for a drainage ditch and Southeast Airport Farm along
1400th Avenue. Lindsay Hausman and Gene Rohlfs were present to
speak on the project if there were any questions.
Turner asked about the $100,000 price tag for the design study,
to which Hausman stated that the state is allocating money that
is expiring to it. Turner then stated that they agreed to 2.5
percent of the design study cost, not $2,500 as it stated in
their paperwork. Hausman explained that the state was requiring
the money to be paid up front for the study, and that the 2.5
percent was the $2,500 the county would need to pay. She also
stated that if the design cost less than this, the county would
be refunded any money not used of that $2,500.
Turner then stated another issue he had with the project,
stating that the drainage system would only serve to move the
water to the same place it was going now. He stated that he felt
the total price tag of $1.6 million was too expensive. While he
understood that the county would be paying a lot less than that,
he felt “responsible for every dollar.”
Gene Rohlfs then stated that the ditch has been a problem for
the last fifteen years that he has been the airport manager. The
flooding of the ditch makes the maintenance “impossible.” He
said they can only spray the ditch, and that mowing can only
occur around the outside. In addition, when the rains get
particularly bad, the water overflows onto the nearby road. He
has also seen ice frozen as well, stating it is a potential
liability.
Conahan then added that he spoke to the people that live on the
corner near the ditch, and they stated that they have wanted to
see it addressed for a while. Considering the county is only
paying 5 percent of that $1.6 million, with that money coming
from the airport fund, Conahan stated that he wanted to see it
addressed. He also said that the county would only be paying
“pennies on the dollar” for the project.
Turner then stated that it could
potentially disrupt local wildlife that live around the ditch. He
stated that he would rather see it remain a ditch than a patch of
grass. Hausman stated that animals have no business near an airport,
as it is a liability to the safety of the people flying as well as
the animals. Glenn agreed “from a pilot’s perspective.” A vote on
the design study was taken, and it passed 9-1. Turner was the only
‘no’ vote.
Next, a vote was taken to approve the drainage system itself, with
that being approved by the same margin with the same ‘no’ vote. The
two items after this were both approved unanimously. The first was
to appropriate $1,276,980 from the County’s Motor Fuel Tax for the
2026 maintenance program. The other action item was a motion to
appropriate $25,000 from the County Bridge Fund upon a request by
Broadwell Township for aid in replacing a culvert on 1400th Street.
[Matt Boutcher]
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