FALLS CITY – Richardson County road workers are pushing for better wages through the Court of Industrial Relations and got backing Wednesday from a citizens group asking for teamwork to improving driving conditions.

Ben Steffen of Humboldt: “There’s broad agreement that the current conditions of the county roads could be classified as a state of disarray.”

The Nebraska Association of Public Employees says the county’s 15 union road workers have continued to work for two years without a contract and without a salary increase since 2022. The union estimates the county’s legal fees at $140,000.

 

 Steffen: “We need to get this labor dispute resolved. The pay has to remain competitive or you can’t keep good employees and they are long overdue in that department. They are long overdue on some raises and the money has been wasted on legal fights.”

Neal Kanel of Dawson urged county commissioners to end labor disputes and pay a fair wage.

 County Commissioner Rick Karas said the road workers union has the county at the CIR now, so the county board can not make decisions until it receives the CIR decision. Karas said the county board does not have a timeline when the CIR panel will make its decision.

 

Kanel: “We are also aware that the Richardson County pay scale is not up to par with adjoining counties. This needs to get handled sooner than later.”

Citizens told commissioners about driving dangers related to potholes, wind rows of graded rock and channels cut by running water.

One resident said she does not understand why the county board has “drug out” the labor dispute.


Resident: “I do hope because I firmly believe with a good employee package, openness and respect on all parts, that this county can have decent roads again and people can be friends.”

Steve Darveau Jr.

Roads superintendent Steve Darveau Jr. said the county had a $500,000 rock budget when he started eight years ago, but he is proposing $1.2 million this year.

Steffen offered three suggestions including a published schedule for regular maintenance of roads, communication from the county regarding the maintenance schedule and attention to importance and value of  the workforce.

Steffen: “I would say it is critical to have a team effort to make progress on all of this.”

Mike Rogge of Concerned Citizens of Richardson County said a lack of response from county commissioners Wednesday indicates a need to keep voicing concerns over progress in the roads departments.

From meeting minutes

Mike Rogge and Tim Rist requested this agenda item to be placed on the County Board meeting agenda with Neal Kanel and Ben Steffen making the initial presentation to the Board on the concerns that the citizens in the rural area of Richardson County have regarding the current conditions of the county roads.

Others who requested to address and speak at this meeting were Craig Ely, Moose Bletscher, Bill Ely, Judy Handley, Roger Glathar, Jim Farwell, Cindy Foster, Colton Vollan, Carol Glathar.