North Platte NRD to increase public access

June board meeting will be held in person

Posted

North Platte Natural Resources District (NPNRD) General Manager John Berge announced today that the District will be increasing access to the public next week.  Since March 20, 2020, to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the main office at 100547 Airport Road in Scottsbluff has been locked during business hours, and staff had been available by appointment only.  “For the past two and a half months, our number one priority has been to keep the public, our employees and our Board safe while providing excellent customer service.  To that end, we had modified our public interactions, but under the direction from the Board we will work to slowly restore them.”

On June 8th, employees will return to regular, albeit staggered schedules.  Field employees will continue to perform field duties including tree and grass plantings, spring water levels, chemigation inspections and flow meter maintenance as they have throughout the pandemic.   Additionally, the Budget and Personnel Committee will meet in-person and the June Regular Board Meeting will be held in-person as well.  The Budget and Personnel Committee will meet on June 11 at 1:30 p.m. for an update on the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Process; and the Regular Board meeting will be held later that afternoon at 3:00 p.m.  “While we will still require appointments for direct interactions with the public, the Board will consider whether to modify that in the future at their regular Board meeting,” Berge added.

Precautions are being taken to reduce risks for the public, the staff, and the Board.  Staff will continue to be required to wear a mask while interacting with the public, their colleagues, and the Board.  The six-foot social distancing requirement, mandated by Governor Ricketts’ Directed Health Measure will be adhered to, and has required modification of our public spaces.  This includes seating in the Board room and the Dillman Education Room.  The NPNRD is also installing a physical barrier of plexiglass at the front desk and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces in public areas will continue.  Masks and hand sanitizer will be made available for use by those other than staff while in the building, and they are urged to use them. 

“Our goals of service and safety have not changed during this pandemic, nor do they change with these modifications of operations.  These changes will be under constant review and are subject to change with little notice depending on directions from local, state, and federal public health officials,” Berge concluded.