Commissioners can't ban fireworks

It is up to rural fire departments to ban fireworks if they wish -- provided their fire codes make allowances for such a ban.

The Red Willow County Commissioners have no authority to ban fireworks from the county, County Attorney Paul Wood told the commissioners Tuesday.

Only municipalities and fire districts have that power, he said, provided such a ban is included in their fire codes, and there isn't enough time to ban fireworks this Fourth of July, he said.

Bill Elliott, chief of the Red Willow Western Rural Fire Department, said last week that he did not plan to ban fireworks this year. All fire officials urge residents to use common sense when it comes to discharging fireworks, however.

The commissioners signed an interlocal agreement with Hitchcock County to provide jail space for Red Willow County Commissioners. The contract is the same as previous years, $65,700 a year or $5,475 per month. The county has a similar flat-rate arrangement with Frontier County.

The Hitchcock County contract allows Red Willow County to house a total of four prisoners in Trenton, including no more than two adult female prisoners.

In other business, the commissioners:

- Discussed the county's health insurance plan with Ray Meyer of Midwest Insurance & Associates.

- Signed an agreement with Maximus Inc. for services to help the county recover state compensation for expenses related to collecting child support payments.

- Approved a bond for Vera Cumming as treasurer of the village of Danbury.

- Tabled for more information a requested letter of support to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development for a community development block grant to fund a regional housing needs assessment. The West Central Development District, which requested the letter, was referred to the McCook Economic Development District, which is conducting a similar study.

- Heard concerns from Roberta Felker over county contributions to the McCook EDC and other budgetary items.

- Heard from Mike Manker of Great Plains Communications, who was concerned that county crews might break a telephone line while driving posts for county road signs related to the new E-911 system.

- Approved gravel bids from Hancock Gravel and Paulsen Inc.

Winning bids for Paulsen Inc., listed by precinct and price per cubic yard, include:

Lebanon, $8.43; Beaver, 7.81; Danbury, 7.19; Tyrone, 7.55; Missouri Ridge, 6.96; Bondville, 6.75; East Valley, 6.96; Indianola, 6.19; Red Willow, 6.14; North Valley, 7.30; Alliance 6.75; and Coleman, 5.99.

Hancock winning bids include:

Gerver, 7.25; Grant, 6.98; Valley Grange, 6.65; Driftwood, 5.99; Willow Growve, 5.95; Fritsch, 6.80; and Box Elder, 6.60.