Gothenburg’s Chandler Mazour is one of the newly appointed members of the Water Funding Task Force, named Tuesday by Gov. Dave Heineman.

This task force was created with the passage of Legislative Bill 517e. It was created to make recommendations to the Legislature for a strategic plan that prioritizes programs, projects, and activities in need of funding ranking criteria to identify funding priorities based on a variety of factors; legislation on a permanent governing board structure, application process, and a process evaluating priority projects; an annual funding amount; and statutes and regulations that would need to be modified in accordance with the task force’s recommendations. 

The law dictates that the task force have 34 total members. Sixteen are to be the current members of the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission and 11 members must be appointed by the governor from the following categories: public power; public power and irrigation districts; irrigation districts; a metropolitan utilities district; municipalities; agriculture; wildlife conservation; livestock producers; agribusiness; manufacturing; and outdoor recreation users. 

Additionally, seven members are ex officio non-voting representing various government entities.

The task force must submit their final recommendations to the Legislature on or before Dec. 31 and will terminate at that time.

Other members include: Brian Barels of Columbus, Joel Christensen of Omaha, John Heaston of Cozad, Tim Luchsinger of Grand Island, Roric Paulman of Sutherland, Rex Peterson of Gordon, Gerry Dale Sheets of Sargent, Scott Smathers of Lincoln, Walter Dennis Strauch of Mitchell and Lennie Adams of Waterloo.