NE Game & Parks presents information on Ducks Unlimited request
Pat Molini, assistant division administrator with Nebraska Game & Parks Commission’s Wildlife division presented information to the Clay County Board of Supervisors and meeting attendees Tuesday, Nov. 12, about Ducks Unlimited approaching them about becoming a partner on a tract of public land known as the Verona Complex.
Molini said a couple of years ago Ducks Unlimited approached them about the same topic, but after a public hearing where the settlement was against the idea, NE G&P didn’t move forward.
Now, Ducks Unlimited is asking them to reconsider becoming a partner that will keep the land access to the public.
Molini specified there have been no official decisions made with the request, and at the moment he was only there to provide information.
“I think, all things considered, we’re the best partner, best neighbor,” Molini said.
About 10 people from the public were in attendance, with four of them giving feedback.
One attendee said Ducks Unlimited bought the land with public funds and signed a permanent easement on it, and whoever owns the easement is going to have the usage of that land and what’s going to happen to it in the future.
They added that with NE Game and Parks coming in, it’s going to become a burden on the taxpayers.
The attendee added how the taxes are a small part of what the county has lost because they (the county) have lost revenue that’s generated by farming the land.
They continued saying Ducks Unlimited is passing off the liability that they created on a piece of property that has no way to generate revenue.
Supervisor Chair L. Wayne Johnson said the Ducks Unlimited land along with the 35,000 acres to the west they get zero back for, Clay County taxpayers are overburdened.
While Molini could only speak for NE G&P, not Ducks Unlimited, he said their statutes says G&P will pay taxes on the assessed value.
“We’ll plan to graze it also with local cooperators, so there is some income, more less,” he said.
Another attendee asked if NE G&P could pay double the taxes, but Molini said that would have to be brought up to state Legislature, as he can’t decide that.
Supervisor Ivan Fintel asked why the perpetual easement couldn’t be taken off and put the land up for sale so local people could buy it.
Molini said they were told Ducks Unlimited was unable to do so because of the funding source.
He added that this has nothing to do with bailing Ducks Unlimited out, but when they approached and asked them to consider, Game and Parks said they would, but wanted to talk to the county board and public first.
“I definitely respect your concerns and all that,” Molini said, adding how he will get back on the agenda and bring a Ducks Unlimited representative with him.
OTHER BUSINESS
County Planning and Zoning Administrator Barb Barnett gave a third-quarter report.
Of the zoning permit applications she’s received, 16 were approved coming to a total of $938,000 of new construction.
County Highway Superintendent Tom Roemmich Jr reported on road projects, including shredding trees along roads and doing a final payout for the bridge on County Road W.
Additionally, supervisors approved and Johnson signed a contract to proceed on the box culvert project on Road X.
They also approved an easement request from George Steven Ablott to bury an electrical line across County Road D in the southwest/southeast section of the county.
