Commissioners hear of need to protect Veterans Memorial

    Chase County Commissioners Jacci Brown, Dennis Kunnemann and Chuck Vette heard probably more than they wanted to about turkey vultures Sept. 10.
    With the Veterans Memorial to soon be completed on the front lawn of the courthouse, Mike Sherman with wildlife services was invited by the board to discuss the turkey vultures flying around the courthouse.
    Sherman said the birds will migrate out of the area in another month, but the commissioners felt that still gave them too much time to damage the memorial.
    Veterans representative Bud Statz said the group would need a roof over the memorial and statue if the birds aren’t removed.
    Sherman said he has used a dissuader light and hazed the birds with a laser.
    The best bet, he said, is to kill several of the birds. The rest will leave the area. The commissioners gave Sherman permission to proceed with that course of action.
    After Sherman left the meeting, the board discussed the agenda for the next evening’s joint meeting with the City of Imperial, which included representatives from the League of Nebraska Municipalities and Nebraska Association of County Officials concerning a dispute over the city’s use of Chase County Dispatch and other issues.
    In other business, the county approved Karen Baker to be the second Southwest Nebraska Juvenile Services representative to be licensed and able to search for grants through Grantvantage. County Treasurer Cindy Schoenberger is currently licensed.
    Baker said juvenile services has been working well. She added she’s looking for suggestions for new classes and things to do.
    With complaints coming in that county road ditches aren’t being mowed, the commissioners discussed how soon to begin sending out employees to mow. The county charges $75 an acre to mow.
    The next meeting of the Chase County Commissioners will be Sept. 24 at 8 a.m. in the courthouse.