GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska - The Central Platte Natural Resources District will hold a public hearing at 1:45 p.m. on August 31st to hear comments on the proposed levy for the 2023/2024 FY budget. Lyndon Vogt, General Manager, said with the total requirements for the general fund and sinking fund at $34,955,785.23, the required property tax is $4,826,226.75, an increase of $430,764.62 from 2023.

The counties within the Central Platte NRD include all of Dawson and parts of Custer, Buffalo, Hall, Howard, Nance, Merrick, Hamilton, Platte, Polk and Frontier. The property taxes received support conservation benefits provided by the Central Platte NRD including flood reduction, water quality management, water use management, soil health, cost-share for producers for conservation practices, forestry, land management, recreation, and education.

The Board meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. following the hearing. The Board will consider public comments on the tax request and set the levy. Central Platte NRD’s Board of Directors meetings are held at the CPNRD office located at 215 Kaufman Ave in Grand Island.

AGENDA/ACTION ITEMS
-Subdivision Reassessment  Luke Zakrzewski, GIS Image Analyst, will report on the boundaries set for Sub-Areas 7a, 7b, 9a, and 9b.  The Board subdivided Ground Water Management Areas (GWMAs) 7 and 9 in the updated Groundwater Management Plan due to differences in irrigation development that have occurred across those GWMAs, and to address groundwater levels in parts of those GWMAs have continually declined since 2001.
-Annual Water Use Report   Jess Mintken, Assistant Manager, will present the 2022 Annual Report of Water Use Activities in the Central Platte NRD.
-Manager’s Report  Lyndon Vogt, General Manager, will report.
-Long Range Implementation Plan  Marcia Lee, Information/Education Specialist, will present the draft 2023-2028 Long Range Implementation Plan. The Plan summarizes district activities including projections of financial, manpower, and land right needs of the district for the next five years that is required to be updated annually under the Nebraska Natural Resources District Act. The board will review the updates and consider action on the Plan at the September board meeting.
-Voting Delegate The Board will elect a voting delegate and alternate for the Nebraska Association of Resources District’s annual conference to be held in Kearney, NE in September.
-Natural Resources Conservation Service  Joe Krolikowski, District Conservationist, will report.
-Nebraska Association of Resources District  Deb VanMatre, CPNRD Representative, will report.
-Nebraska Natural Resources Commission  Mick Reynolds, Middle Platte Basin Representative, will report.
-Cost-Share  Applications through the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation and the Central Platte NRD cost-share programs will be considered.
-Upcoming Board Meetings  September 28, October 26, November 16