Metropolitan utilities district changes pass

Lawmakers passed a bill May 1 that makes several technical changes to state law governing metropolitan utilities districts.

LB208, introduced by Omaha Sen. Burke Harr, makes the following changes:
• allows the board to decrease the president’s salary;
• eliminates a requirement that the district obtain a bond of not less than $10,000 on the president’s performance;
• allows the board to establish its own standards for fire hydrant placement, as long as such standards do not violate any state Department of Health and Human Services regulations; and
• removes a requirement that an employee must first have been made a permanent employee by a unanimous vote of the full board of directors in order to be removed from his or her position.

The board still will be able to remove an employee for cause by a two-thirds vote.

The bill passed on a 46-0 vote.