Saline County/Crete Railway Transportation Safety District
A Railway Transportation Safety District (RTSD) is a political subdivision created by the Nebraska Legislature in 1971 to help cities and counties together provide funds for railway safety related projects. The RTSD board is made of three representatives from the County Board of Commissioners and three from each first class city in the county (cities with populations over 5,000). Crete is the only first class city in Saline County.
RTSDs may levy property taxes, through the county board, to a maximum amount of $0.026/$100. RTSD funds are exclusively for improvements to railroad/car/pedestrian safety.
Saline County forms the fourth RTSD in Nebraska:
In August 2022 the Crete City Council adopted Resolution 2022-06: A resolution forming a Railway Transportation Safety District with Saline County. In August 2023, the City Council approved Resolution 2023-15: A Resolution Of The City of Crete, Nebraska, To Appoint Members Of Its Council To The Saline County Railroad Transportation District. In October 2023 the County Board of Commissioners approved Resolution #2023-57: Railroad Transportation Safety District with the City of Crete, Saline County NE.
Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month: 6 p.m. at Crete City Hall - second floor, 243 East 13th Street, Crete, NE.
Board members and officers:
- President: Stephanie Krivohlavek, Saline County Board of Commissioners
- Vice President: Dale Strehle, Crete City Council
- Secretary: Kyle Frans, Crete City Council
- Anthony Fitzgerald, Crete City Council
- Phil Hardenburger, Saline County Board of Commissioners
- Russ Karpisek, Saline County Board of Commissioners
- Executive Director: Tom Ourada, City Administrator, City of Crete
- Attorney: Anna Burge, City Attorney, City of Crete
- Treasurer: Debbie Spanyers, Saline County Treasurer
- Clerk: Diann Nettifee, Saline County Clerk
Nebraska Revised Statue, Chapter 74, 74-1302
Railroad transportation safety district; formation; purpose.
Whenever, in a county in which is located a city or cities of the primary or first class, it will be conducive to the public health, safety, convenience, or welfare (1) to move, relocate, or remove any railroad tracks or railroad right-of-way, including improvements, (2) to relocate or remove any railroad yard, switch yard, or switch tracks, (3) to change, construct, eliminate, or reconstruct, including the use of protective devices of any kind or nature, any highway or street crossing of a railroad property, (4) to move, construct, or reconstruct any railroad bridge, viaduct, or subway, (5) to acquire, negotiate, sell, or eliminate any joint trackage operating rights or any rights of other individuals or entities over, in, or on any railroad tracks, rights-of-way, switch yards, or switch tracks, or (6) to do any two or more of the activities listed in subdivisions (1) through (5) of this section, a special district to be known as a railroad transportation safety district may be formed and may proceed, as provided in sections 74-1301 to 74-1308, for the purpose of inaugurating, developing, and negotiating for programs which may involve the constructing, reconstructing, leasing, maintaining, or selling of such work or works of public transportation improvement.