The Tax Equalization and Review Committee (TERC) has informed County Assessor Alice Ryschon that the latest valuation of ag lands needs to be adjusted. This is the valuation that will be a basis for 2009 property taxes on agricultural land.TERC  informed Ryschon the value of lands in most of the southeast quadrant of the  county should be decreased by 6.53 percent and the lands in the northwestern part of the county should be increased by 5.3 percent.TERC agreed with the valuations set for the southwest and northeast areas of the county.TERC further instructed Ryschon to lower the value of grassland by 4.9 percent over the entire county.The effect of such adjustments on the county’s tax base is not yet known,TERC removed from the assessor’s data base some 20 sales of ag land that had been used for the new evaluation. TERC reasoned that these 20 properties generally had some abandoned or decaying buildings to which Ryschon had assigned no value, so a true value was not represented. Ryschon said these buildings were worthless and were not a factor in decisions to buy or not buy the lands in question. She will appear before TERC in Scottsbluff on May 7 to further explain her valuation. Ryschon said she did not expect TERC to change their mind. This information was disclosed by the assessor at the Board of Equalization meeting of May 5.When the meeting shifted into Board of Commissioners phase, the commissioners heard from Shaun Evertson of the Arboretum and Steve Watson of the Agriculture Society. These two gentlemen said the boundary problems that had been a point of dispute were now solved. Evertson gratefully acknowledged the $1,000 contribution by the Ag Society for shrubbery for the Arboretum. Watson asked for and received permission to proceed with fencing along the newly agreed boundary. The county surveyor will do some survey work necessary for final disposition of  the matter.Sheriff Harry Gillway said the funds collected locally for a drug dog would be used to support the drug dog program of the State Highway Patrol in a manner to be established.Gillway reported that the county has no Emergency Management Coordinator at present. With the summer storm season approaching, this situation is not good. The commissioners instructed Gillway to work with Larry Collins, the Emergency Manager, to rectify the situation. Gillway also reported that the sale of  the land under the KIMBALL drilling rig structure has reached an impasse of unknown duration. The law enforcement radio antenna contained in  the structure will not be moved until the situation is clarified.An agenda item for Ranch Rodeo Committee to request a special Designated Liquor License for the Ranch Rodeo did not materialize. The commissioners had made it clear they would not approve such a license for a family event.Highway/Weed Superintendent Terry Flick said work is proceeding on the county’s bulk fuel storage project and that security devices are in place and operating. Flick said BP is preparing to build 127 wind turbines just across the state line south of Kimball County and much of  the construction gravel would be coming from Kimball pits. He said the county roads would be prepared for the gravel  truck traffic. Julie Schnell, CEO of Kimball Health Services, said the hospital is ok, is holding its own. A new Physician’s Assistant is coming, recruiting efforts for another doctor continue and a new Chief Financial Officer will soon be in place.Chairman Soper told Schnell, “You and your staff are doing a great job.”Blue Cross Blue Shield representative William P. Jorgensen told the commissioners that the cost of continuing the same level of health insurance will cost 18.34 percent more in the coming year. He suggested some alternative solutions for consideration.An item to discuss contract negotiations in closed session appeared on  the agenda. No motion to go into closed session was made and the matter received no consideration.The meeting adjourned at 11:05 a.m. Next meeting will be May 19.