By Allison Peck
Listen to the full interview with Lane Anderson on our Kubota Podcast
Keith County Commissioners appointed a new representative to the Perkins County Canal Committee and moved forward on several maintenance and budget items during their latest meeting.
Commissioner Lane Anderson said the board appointed Thomas Wilber to serve as Keith County’s representative on the Perkins County Canal effort. Anderson said the commissioners believed it was important to have someone involved who understands local infrastructure.
“The commissioners felt that it would be good to have a representative that knows our roads and stuff, the things that are going to happen with the Perkins County Canal coming into our area,” Anderson said.
The board also heard from NACO Deputy Director Candice Meredith of Lincoln about an upcoming student art contest. The contest will be open to K-12 students across the county. Keith County and KCAD will serve as sponsors, and other community partners may also get involved.
At the end of the contest in April, artwork will be displayed and judged at the NACO North facility. Anderson said the event will also include a community art viewing and a county government day, giving residents a chance to meet local officials and celebrate student artists.
“It’ll just be a nice Keith County day and we’ll be honoring these art students,” he said.
In other business, commissioners reviewed routine operational items. The county recently rebid its fuel and oil contracts and expects to see cost savings as a result.
The Keith County Jail passed its recent inspection. Anderson credited Jail Director Travis Ponick for maintaining the facility.
“It’s a very old jail, so it’s very hard to keep it in order. But Travis does a great job, so the jail inspection went very well,” Anderson said.
Commissioners also continue to prepare for the upcoming budget cycle and are reviewing audit information. Several county buildings are in need of updates, including heating and air conditioning improvements at the county attorney’s building to improve efficiency.
The courthouse is also receiving exterior updates. After installing a new roof last year, the county is now changing the red fascia trim on the building to black to give it a refreshed look. The courthouse was built in 1969.
Anderson also praised courthouse staff for their work in maintaining the building.
“Our courthouse is very, very nice and shiny and we get a lot of compliments on it,” he said. “I think that’s a great tribute to some of our employees that go on and above to take care of our property.”
Anderson said it has been a busy season at the courthouse, especially with an election coming up in May. Election preparations are underway, and county offices continue routine operations.
Overall, Anderson described the meeting and recent activity as “business as usual” for the county.