Auburn board sets meeting on Hunter resignation
Agenda for Wednesday meeting includes post-resignation appointment
By News Channel Nebraska
AUBURN – The Auburn Board of Public Works has scheduled a special meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26, at the O Street boardroom.
A mutual consideration agreement is on the agenda involving the resignation of utility manager Dave Hunter.
The agenda also includes interim appointments and post-resignation actions.
At a meeting Wednesday, the board extended administrative leave for Hunter.
Auburn utilities has been in the public spotlight recently with a new water line being installed to provide water to the City of Peru and moves to regulate surface water in the Auburn wellhead protection area.
In 2008 the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services determined that Auburn’s drinking water is influenced by surface water and the Little Nemaha River.
The determination meant that the water treatment plant Auburn began to operate in 2011 had a higher level of water treatment than needed in most other Nebraska cities.
In August, the Auburn Board of Public Works announced financial incentives to farmers operating in the wellhead protection area to establish cover crops, buffer strips and use no-till practices.
Hunter said at the time that the goal was to slow soil erosion, improve soil health and reduce infiltration to runoff of nutrients to the groundwater and streams.
In January, the Auburn City Council met in a packed room when an agenda item included changing the wellhead protection ordinance to give the city utility authority over surface water.
Omaha Attorney Vanessa Silke said the proposed change would not prohibit all surface water uses for irrigation, but would require a permit.