(KLZA)-- Those elected to the Nemaha Natural Resources Board of Directors in November took office during the January meeting of the Board. In addition, two of the four vacancies on the Board were filled. 

Jim Gerweck from Falls City was re-appointed to fill the spot he held last year. The position had been vacated by Ted Godeman when he resigned form the Board. Since the deadline to file for election had passed Gerweck could only serve until December and then had to be re-appointed to serve through 2016. 

Kevin Thorne of Nebraska City will fill the Subdistrict 5 seat through 2016. Action on a letter of interest received for the other position open in Falls City was delayed and there was no interest in the Subdistrict 4 seat that came open due to the September, 2014 death of John Albrecht. 

Steve Sugden of Adams was elected Chairman of the Board and Dan Hodges of Julian was elected Vice Chairman.  Bill Niedfeldt of Shubert was elected Secretary/Treasurer. 

Steve Sugden was also selected to be a member of the Nemaha Basin for Nebraska Natural Resources Commission for the next four years.  

The Nemaha NRD Board voted to award the bid to construct the Duck Creek multi-purpose dam and in-lake fisheries habitat to Leroy & Sons Construction of Arcadia, Iowa. They submitted the low bid of $1,177,863. Work is expected to be completed in about eight months.

Funding for the project will come from federal PL 566 watershed program funding an local NRD funds. 

A public hearing was conducted to receive comments on proposed changes to the Districts Chemigation rules and regulations.  No one from the public appeared at the hearing. The Board later voted to approve the changes to the rules. The main update being Chemigation fees now set at $50 for new permits and $20 for renewals. Emergency permits at $100.

Well permits for Steven Dean and Rodger Dean for irrigation in Johnson County were approved. The bid for a new pickup was awarded to Brinkman Brothers of Tecumseh for a 2015 Chevy Silverado 4x4 in the amount of $17,919 with the trade-in of a 2006 Ford F150. 

An erosion and sediment control complaint filed by Alan Bossung against Midwest Farmers Cooperative on property four miles north of Tecumseh was reviewed. In order to help alleviate sediment deposition on Bossung’s property, the Board voted to offer 50-percent cost-share assistance up to $5,000 through the NRD’s Soil and Water Conservation Program for the Coop to use in repairing the erosion on their property.