Stromberger Farms granted extension for dairy finishing yard

    Chase County Commissioners Jacci Brown, Dennis Kunnemann and Chuck Vette granted Stromberger Farms a two-year extension on a conditional use permit at the Sept. 24 commissioners’ meeting.
    The extension is retroactive to February when the original permit for the dairy heifer finishing yard expired. Stromberger Farms had thought enough work had been completed for the permit to continue.
    “What do we need to do?” asked Ryan Stromberger. He asked whether the commissioners wanted to see how much money had been put into the project or percentage of completion.
    So far Strombergers have moved dirt, buried pipe, dug a well, moved power poles and buried electrical lines.
    Zoning Administrator Billie Muehlenkamp said she talked to a lawyer who said that wasn’t enough, but the commissioners agreed that there wasn’t specific enough guidelines to go by.
    The commissioners can grant one extension. If it expires, Stromberger Farms will have to apply for another permit.
    Stromberger Farms was the first extension request the county had ever received.
    Deputy County Attorney Rory Roundtree told the commissioners that each extension request should be evaluated separately.
    Kunnemann reiterated what previous commissioners have said.
    “Generally speaking, if someone wants to do something for progress in Chase County, I’m all for it.”
    In other business, The commissioners took action to get the Southwest Solid Waste Agency board back up and running.
    The county has been in talks with the City of Imperial to sign over SWA to the city.
    The commissioners want county residents to always have the same dumping rights as city residents.
    Without knowing what possible regulations may be changed in the future, the city council offered to enter into a 10-year contract.
    For now the county is willing to remain in SWA while a state auditor goes through the books. The process may take up to a year.
    The commissioners said they have been contacted by city council members who are willing to sign the proposed jail/dispatch contract with the county if the county turns over SWA control to the city.
    Chase County Community Hospital administrators Steve Lewis and Abby Cyboron presented the hospital’s audited financials.
    Kunnemann said the auditor mentioned it was one of the cleanest audits he had seen.
    Cyboron said the hospital’s cash on hand is up by 40%, but is still at only 28 days. Lewis said the hospital watches its cash flow carefully and it is a concern.
    With $300,000 in accounts receivable, the hospital has teamed up with Pinnacle Bank for patient loans. CCCH gives patients 12 months to pay with zero interest. After that patients may get a five-year loan from Pinnacle Bank with interest.
    Cyboron said the policy has been around for a while, but the hospital is focusing on using it more.
    The commissioners approved a $6,477 estimate from Ryan Greene to repair concrete along the southwest corner of the courthouse.
    The sidewalk has pulled away from the building,  allowing water to leak into the jail and subbasement.
    Greene will excavate and repack the area, grade two high spots in the lawn, then slope the area away from the building.
    The commissioners also approved a $4,000 request of funds from the Lied Imperial Public Library.
    The next meeting of the Chase County Commissioners will be Oct. 8 at 8 a.m. in the Chase County Courthouse.