On the agenda: Taylor July 2026 Minutes — Flock camera (Sep 7)

Minutes of the Region 26 Council Board Meeting
July 28, 2026
Present:
Blaine County: Matt Eggert
Garfield County: Diana Hurlburt
City of Ord: Branden Stoural
Sherman County: Tom Bandur
Thomas County: Joseph Smith
Valley County: Theresa Petska
Law Enforcement: Joel Bergman
Tri-County Municipalities: Jay Meyer, Chairman
Absent:
Greeley County: Jordan Foltz
Loup County: Dave Larson
Wheeler County: Doug Pokorny
Range Municipalities: Paige Ryschon
Staff Present: Catie Larsen, Executive Director, Virginia Michalski, Office Manager Caden
Johnson, Dispatcher Supervisor

Chairman Jay Meyer called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Notice of the meeting and
agenda were sent to all county clerks of each member county/municipality for posting and
given in advance to all members of the Board. A quorum was present, and the Chairman
declared the meeting to be a legal meeting of the Region 26 Council in accordance with the
Open Meeting Act, which was posted and available for public review.
Approval of Agenda
The Chair noted the agenda had been amended. Motion and second were made to approve
the amended agenda. Motion by Joseph Smith, seconded by Joel Bergman, to approve the
July 28, 2026 agenda as presented. Motion carried by roll call vote. Ayes (8), Nays (0),
Abstain (0).
Approval of June 30, 2026 Minutes
Motion by Tom Bandur, seconded by Theresa Petska, to approve the June 30, 2026 meeting
minutes as presented. Motion carried by roll call vote. Ayes (7), Nays (0), Abstain (1).
Approval of June Financial Statement
The June 2026 financial statement was approved. Motion by Joel Bergman, seconded by
Joseph Smith, to approve the July 2026 Financial Statement. Motion carried by roll call vote.

Ayes (8), Nays (0), Abstain (0).
Approval of July Claims
Board members reviewed July claims in detail. Discussion focused on GeoComm
workstation license costs, address maintenance support, NRIN expenses, utility charges and
grant reimbursements. The board reviewed a disputed Power Tech generator invoice
involving overtime labor rates, service call charges, fuse replacement costs and follow-up
visits. Members questioned whether overtime billing was justified for a non-emergency
service call and directed Catie Larsen to seek clarification before payment. Claims were
approved, with Catie Larsen authorized to determine payment of the disputed invoice after
discussions with the Power Tech. Motion by Matt Eggert, seconded by Joseph Smith, to
approve and pay the July 2026 claims. Motion carried by roll call vote. Ayes (8), Nays (0),
Abstain (0).
Nomination and Election of Officers
Officer nominations were opened and approved by board action. Motion was made to
reelect Jay Meyer as Chair and Tom Bandur as Vice Chair. Tom will remain in seat until end
of his County Commissioner Term. Motion carried by roll call vote. Ayes (6), Nays (0),
Abstain (2).
Public Comment
No public comments were recorded.
Deb Fischer Grant
Catie Larsen reported submission The Deb Fischer grant application was officially
submitted. The final grant request amount was $409,000, which was less than the $415,000
target. The application included the server and other items, but a request for repeaters on
fire trucks was excluded after Corey from Platte Valley advised it was likely outside the
infrastructure scope of the grant.
Towers and Equipment
A heat alarm was triggered at the Ord Tower on July 2, 2026, due to a malfunctioning west
air conditioner. Jay contacted Joe Wadas regarding the repair; however, it is currently
unknown whether the replacement part has been installed. A second air conditioner was
activated and, although it is less effective, is currently keeping the equipment at an
acceptable temperature. Follow-up with Joe Wadas regarding the repair is needed. Caden
also reported a loss of communication with Custer County through the Sargent Tower, while
still being able to hear other parties. Corey with Platte Valley was contacted the following
morning and reported that the issue was on the Custer County side. Corey subsequently
tested the system and confirmed that the communication link is now functioning correctly.
Garage Update
The Board discussed plans to demolish the old Region 26 building in August, leaving only
the existing concrete slab. Dave attempted to have the demolition covered by insurance;

however, the request was unsuccessful. The board will therefore proceed with the
demolition themselves.
Unforeseen Resignation of Law Enforcement

A lengthy discussion was held regarding the unexpected resignation of the Wheeler
County Sheriff and the resulting confusion surrounding law enforcement coverage and
mutual aid. The Wheeler County Secretary contacted Region 26 Dispatch requesting law
enforcement coverage from Garfield County. It was clarified that Region 26 Dispatch did
not commit Garfield County resources or authorize Garfield County to provide coverage.
However, the recording of the call will be reviewed to confirm exactly what was
communicated. If the recording indicates that a dispatcher did agree to or imply that
Garfield County would provide coverage, the matter will be addressed accordingly. The
group emphasized that it is not the responsibility or authority of dispatch personnel to
make commitments or decisions regarding another county’s law enforcement resources.
The group discussed jurisdictional requirements and the importance of formal mutual aid
agreements being in place before another county’s law enforcement personnel provide
coverage. In situations involving the sudden departure or unavailability of an elected law
enforcement official, the Region 26 Executive Director should be notified immediately so
appropriate coordination can occur. The Wheeler County Board remains responsible for
securing law enforcement coverage for the county by contacting other agencies directly.
The discussion also identified the need for single-officer agencies to have formal, preapproved contingency plans or Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) identifying the
chain of command and appropriate agencies to contact for emergency coverage. The
group agreed that Region 26 should develop a policy addressing critical incidents and
requiring the Executive Director to be notified immediately. Additional discussion
addressed the importance of proper documentation, inter-agency relationships, and
having established procedures in place to ensure continuity of operations during
unexpected changes in agency leadership. Action items include reviewing the recording
of the call from the Wheeler County Secretary, and researching sample MOUs from other
dispatch centers for use in developing a formal contingency plan
Timesheets

A lengthy discussion was held regarding timesheets, overtime, and the budgetary impact
of recent overtime and leave payouts. The board noted that 62.5 hours of overtime were
paid during the current month, which was not specifically planned for in the current or
upcoming budget. An additional unbudgeted vacation payout of approximately $7,400
was discussed. The board reviewed the current vacation policy, including the
understanding that employees may carry over up to 120 hours, with excess vacation hours
subject to payout. The need to clarify the official vacation and sick leave policies,
including carryover limits and any differences between departments, was identified.
The board discussed the difficulty of balancing employees’ need to use vacation time
with staffing shortages and the resulting overtime. Management is working to reduce
unnecessary overtime through scheduling adjustments, staff communication, shift swaps,

and scheduling meetings and other activities during regular work hours when possible. It
was emphasized that vacation time is intended to be used for employee well-being, while
overtime associated with legitimate emergencies or unexpected incidents is considered
necessary and appropriate. The focus will be on reducing preventable overtime rather
than overtime required to maintain adequate coverage.
Scheduling practices were also reviewed, including the use of experienced staff on some
single-person shifts while pairing less experienced employees with other staff during
higher-call-volume periods. Until new employees are fully trained, some single-person
shifts will remain necessary. The board agreed that operating short-staffed may result in
some overtime but can still be more cost-effective than adding unnecessary positions,
particularly when compared with the cost of additional salaries, benefits, and training.
Retention of qualified employees was identified as a priority, with the understanding that
maintaining experienced staff reduces ongoing training costs and supports overall
operations.
Current staffing levels and hiring were discussed. The budget includes funding for more
full-time employees than we currently have, while the department currently has eight
employees and is actively working to hire additional staff. The board discussed operating
with nine dispatchers for the time being and using supervisors or other staff for limited
coverage during events or periods of increased call volume. Members emphasized that
maintaining hiring standards is more important than filling positions with candidates who
may not be a good fit, as turnover and training costs can be significant. Scheduling
flexibility and employee accommodations were also discussed as important factors in
retention and morale.
The employee handbook and leave policies were reviewed. The current handbook does
not contain a provision allowing sick leave to carry over from year to year, although the
previous handbook reportedly allowed a 360-hour carryover. The board discussed several
potential approaches to sick leave, including establishing a carryover cap or providing
employees with a full sick leave bank at the beginning of each year. The impact of
maternity leave and the need to ensure the policy is fair and practical for employees were
also discussed. The board agreed that additional review of other county and dispatch
center handbooks would be helpful before making changes to the current policies.
The board also discussed the need to better account for vacation payouts and overtime in
future budgets. A recent vacation payout of approximately $3,400 was noted as another
expense that had not been budgeted. Members agreed that overtime should continue to be
monitored and approved appropriately, while recognizing that some overtime is expected
due to current staffing levels. The importance of employee retention, appropriate
scheduling, and maintaining a positive workplace reputation was emphasized throughout
the discussion.

Criminal Justice Board Report
The next Criminal Justice Board meeting is scheduled for August 7,2026.

Communications Center Report
Monthly statistics were reviewed. Caden Johnson reported activity from the Burwell Rodeo,
noting high traffic-stop volume but no major incidents. He reported successful completion
of the Certified Training Officer program and outlined training plans for a newly hired
dispatcher expected to begin in October. The board discussed dispatcher staffing, on-call
procedures, pager notifications, coverage during major incidents and cross-training efforts.
Director Report

Catie reported that the 2025 SHSP and EMPG grants have been officially executed and
are now active. The Grant Award Notifications (GANs) have been signed, and the grants
have been entered into the system. Reimbursement and project implementation plans are
underway. EMPG funding will reimburse a portion of Alma’s salary, with reimbursement
submissions beginning soon. There is currently no match requirement for the 2025 SHSP
grant, although matching requirements may begin around 2026. Most of the requested
SHSP items were approved, including fourteen additional Flock cameras, which will be
deployed on a shorter timeline. The camera deployment will be brought before the next
law enforcement meeting for coordination.
Catie reported that grant funds are also being strategically utilized for the setup fee
associated with a new FirstNet system, which will provide a redundant communication
backup for 911 operations. ORION was asked to submit billing early to assist with
spending down approximately $6,500 remaining on a current grant. The organization will
initially pay the cost and receive reimbursement from the grant, with a recurring monthly
charge to follow. The FirstNet system is intended to be a back-up for NRIN as the
primary connection for 911 communications due to ongoing performance issues,
including calls experiencing intermittent or broken audio. Matt with Applied Connective
is obtaining quotes for a short-term fiber connection through Hamilton to the host sites in
Columbus and Grand Island. The long-term goal is to establish a private, direct fiber
connection, while the proposed solution would serve as an interim option.
Catie also provided an update on recent and upcoming training, publications, and regional
activities. Grant funding was used by Virginia and Catie to attend G-191 training for PET
Region emergency managers. Catie will also attend the International Association of
Emergency Managers (IAEM) Region Seven training, with lodging expenses covered
through grant funding. The latest regional newsletter was distributed to the Board and
was prepared with assistance from Jess Pozehl, Deputy Emergency Manager for Brown
and Rock Counties. The newsletter is intended to provide greater visibility into regional
activities and demonstrate how grant funds are being utilized.
Administrative and financial updates were also provided. Local Emergency Operations
Plans (LEOPs) for Garfield and Loup Counties have been submitted to the Nebraska
Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and a response is pending. Once NEMA
responds, the Catie will work with the respective county emergency managers to obtain
signatures from the county boards. The Ansley Tower purchase agreement was approved
and signed, and the we are waiting on $10,000 payment.. Custer Public Power is also
changing its policy regarding yard lights for private entities. Region 15 currently pays

$5.20 per month for two lights. Ownership of the light on the front corner pole will be
transferred to the us, while the light on the transformer pole in the back alley may be
removed unless the village agrees to assume the $2.60 monthly cost for security
purposes.
Catie also provided an update on ongoing issues with the CodeRED. We had received an
overage charge of approximately $1,200–$1,400, which was attributed to automatic
National Weather Service alerts generated through the system configuration
recommended by CodeRED. The charge was successfully disputed and waived. We are
waiting on transition to CodeRED’s new location-based weather alert format, which is
intended to prevent similar overages. Catie will contact CodeRED for an update and
determine whether GPS locations need to be removed to prevent future charges. A grant
application has also been submitted for an alternative emergency notification program.
The application has passed the Subject Matter Expert review and is awaiting final
approval. We currently have a one-year contract with CodeRED, which provides an
opportunity to change providers if the alternative program is approved and funded.
The potential discontinuation of Frontier’s copper telephone lines was discussed. We
currently maintain one remaining Frontier line at the Sheriff’s Office in Ord at a cost of
more than $200 per month. The line was intended to support a backup dispatch station;
however, the backup station is not fully functional because two other lines were
previously disconnected. The board discussed whether the approximately $2,400 annual
expense is justified when Custer County is available as a backup.
The board generally agreed that discontinuing the unused Frontier line should be
considered as a cost-saving measure. Catie will place discontinuation of the Frontier
phone line on the next meeting agenda for formal consideration
Executive Session
A motion regarding personnel matters was made by Theresa Petska and seconded by
Joseph Smith. Vote carried by roll call vote. Ayes (8), Nays (0), Abstain (0).
Motion by Theresa Petska, seconded by Matt Eggert, to exit executive session and return to
open session at 10:19 with no action made. Vote: Ayes (8), Nays (0), Abstain (0).
Board returned out of executive session. Motion was made by Theresa Petska to increase the
Executive Director’s hourly wage to $32.00 per hour, effective July 1, 2026, and to authorize
payment of the wage retroactive to that date, seconded by Matt Eggert. Vote: Ayes (8), Nays
(0), Abstain (0).
Next Meeting
The next regular meeting was scheduled for August 25, 2026 at 7:00PM.
Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
Catie Larsen, Executive Director
Approved by the Region 26 Council:
Chairman ________________________________ Date ____________