The County Commissioners’ meeting was called to order February 1, 2022 at 9:04 a.m. with Chairman Patrick H. Wade, Vice-Chairman John Midkiff, Commissioner Elaine Griffith, and County Clerk Becky L. Freeman present. Also in attendance was Tyler Martineau with The Lusk Herald.
Road & Bridge- Foreman Fred Thomas met with the Commissioners and discussed road and bridge business.
He said he talked to JW Services last week and they have all the paperwork for the North Lance Creek Road Project and will have it signed and returned to BenchMark soon. Mr. Thomas said that once the paperwork is received by BenchMark, he and the engineers would drive the project and see if there is additional work that could be considered as change orders.
He said there is some spot graveling to do on Wasserburger Road and they cannot begin to do any repairs on Petz Road until it thaws some.
Mr. Thomas also advised the Commissioners that he received notice from the gravel companies that rock prices will be increasing and said he would like to purchase more gravel if possible before the price increase or negotiate a lower price.
Chairman Wade advised Mr. Thomas of a conversation he had with a landowner on Slagle Road who was dissatisfied with the blading on that road. Mr. Thomas is aware of the issue and is trying to correct the problem.
Emergency Management- Emergency Manager James Santistevan met with the Commissioners to discuss the location of the backup generator. He also submitted a revised bid from H & H Electric. This bid is higher than the original bid and exceeds the grant funds by approximately $6,000. The revised bid is good until March 15.
Elected Officials & Dept. Heads- James Santistevan, Emergency Manager said he would be working on updating the THIRA Plan, which will include new scenarios such as pandemics and technological threats. He said that he would be attending a three-day conference in Casper. Emergency Management Coordinators from around the state will meet with Homeland Security. He noted there was a pipeline safety class on February 8.
Sheriff Cary Gill said he met the new FBI agent in Casper. He noted there are currently six prisoners in the jail.
Treasurer Keri Thompson said it is business as usual in her office.
Clerk of Court Chrisanna Lund said it is business as usual in her office as well. She said she had asked Matt Jameson look at the elevator heater and she said that the outside door needed to have a new seal put on it to stop the inflow of cold air before they replace the heater.
4-H Extension Educator Kellie Chichester noted they were having problems with their phones.
County Clerk Becky Freeman discussed redistricting.
James Santistevan said the Town of Lusk was interested in the old generator that was removed from the fairgrounds.
The Commissioners discussed the matter and Commissioner Griffith thought it would be a good idea to give it to the Town so that the generator can continue to be used to serve the public.
Commissioner Griffith moved to give the old generator from the fairgrounds to the Town of Lusk. Vice-Chairman Midkiff seconded, and the motion carried.
Old Business- There was nothing new to report on the SLIB easement or the fairgrounds roof repairs.
Fair Board Member Reappointment- Vice-Chairman Midkiff moved to reappoint Ron Nelson to the fair board retroactively from January 1, 2022 with his term ending December 31, 2026. Commissioner Griffith seconded, and the motion carried.
The Commissioners discussed the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. Chairman Wade said there was a draft resolution to sign, but the Commissioners will wait to take any action on it until the Wyoming County Commissioners Association submits a revised resolution.
They also discussed the sage grouse plan revision. Commissioner Griffith felt that the Commissioners should participate as a cooperating agency in the BLM Sage Grouse Plan Revision.
Commissioner Griffith moved to participate as a cooperating agency in the BLM Sage Grouse Plan Revision. Vice-Chairman Midkiff seconded, and the motion carried.
County Attorney- Attorney Anne Wasserburger met with the County Commissioners to discuss county business. She said the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Wyoming Department of Health and Niobrara County appeared to be in order and could be signed.
Commissioner Griffith moved to sign the MOU between the Wyoming Department of Health and Niobrara County for COVID-19 disease surveillance and testing activities. Vice-Chairman Midkiff seconded, and the motion carried. The award amount is $25,000.00 with a performance period of January 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024.
Executive Session- Vice-Chairman Midkiff moved to enter into executive session at 11:10 a.m. with Attorney to discuss possible litigation. Commissioner Griffith seconded, and the motion carried.
Vice-Chairman Midkiff moved to leave executive session at 11:44 a.m. Commissioner Griffith seconded and the motion carried. There was no action taken.
Planning and Zoning- Sena Pearson, Brian Zerbe, and James Kruse, members of the Niobrara County Planning and Zoning Board met with the Commissioners and the group discussed and reviewed different counties’ planning and zoning rules, in particular those dealing with wind generation facilities.
Chairman Wade discussed requests for proposals and addressed the ones that Mr. Kruse had sent to him for review.
Chairman Wade also said that BenchMark of Torrington offered to assist with updating the Niobrara County planning and zoning manual.
The Commissioners discussed a request they received from Dale Miller regarding the American Legion possibly placing a flag disposal box at the courthouse.
Consent Agenda- Commissioner Griffith moved to approve the consent agenda. Vice-Chairman Midkiff seconded, and the motion carried. Items on the consent agenda were the minutes of the January 18, 2022 meeting, receipts for the month of January from the County Clerk for $4,514.45, from the Clerk of District Court for $$2,255.56 and from the Public Health Nurse for $246.30. Also included was a tax roll supplement for Remuda Energy Development, LLC., from the 2019 tax year for $1,001.26.
Payroll and the following vouchers were approved for payment:
Bills are listed in the following format: Vendor – Department – Description – Amount:
Aflac- Various- Supplemental insurance- $6889.26, Allbright’s True Value- Various- supplies - $103.95, Alsco- Road & Bridge- Shop towels & coveralls- $430.41, Anne Wasserburger- County Attorney- Supplies- $38.15, BAM Document Destruction & Recycling, LLC.- Various- Document shredding- $129.90, Barnes Law, LLC.- Clerk of Court- Court appt’d. attorney- $30.00, Becky L. Freeman- County Clerk- Travel expense- $162.40, BenchMark of Torrington, PC- County Road Fund- Engineering Fees- $5300.30, Black Hills Chemical & Janitorial- Various- Cleaning & maintenance supplies- $536.01, Black Hills Energy- Various- Utilities- $2759.48, Blue Cross Blue Shield of WY- Co admin- Health insurance- $22810.00, Boldon Diesel Service, LLC.- Road & Bridge- Equipment repairs- $4185.91, Canon Financial Services, Inc.,- General County- Copier service agreements- $355.00, Century Link- Various- Telephones, E911 - $2080.67, Century Link Business Services- Various- Telephone- $77.87, Clark’s Tires- Detention Center- Vehicle repairs- $848.00, Connecting Point Computer Centers- Various- Copier service agreements- $300.00, Cory Wilcox- Coroner- Deputy coroner stipend - $120.00, Darcy Cowardin- Public Health Nurse- Travel expense- $133.38, Decker’s Market- Various- Supplies - $94.93, Delta Dental of WY- Various- Dental insurance- $1299.00, Dennis C. Meier- Circuit Court Magistrate- Office rent- $1000.00, Double A Properties, LLC.- County Attorney- Office rent- $1000.00, Entenmann-Rovin Co. – Sheriff’s Dept.- Uniforms- $235.00, Floyd’s Truck Center, Inc.- Road & Bridge- Parts- $572.96, Frank Parts Co.- Road & Bridge- Parts- $1168.90, Fusion Cloud Service- Various- Telephones- $853.40, Geographic Innovations- Various- Professional mapping- $1300.00, Great-West Trust Co., LLC.- Various- Deferred compensation contribution- $17925.00, H & H Electric, LLC.- Courthouse- Maintenance- $486.50, Herren Brothers True Value- Road & Bridge- Parts- $39.58, Honey Badger Towing & Recovery, LLC.- Sheriff’s Dept.- Abandoned vehicle- $139.00, Jameson Cleaning & Maintenance- Fairgrounds- FG cleaning contract- $6800.00, Jordan Towing- Sheriff Dept.- Abandoned vehicle- $314.00, Katie Krein- Prevention Grant- Operational supports, telephone & prevention service implementation- $109.13, Ken Brown- District Court- Court appointed attorney- $410.00, Leonard Pullis.- Road & Bridge- Parts- $92.52, Lusk Herald- Various- Publications- $2029.80, Lusk/Niobrara Ambulance Service- Detention Center- Inmate medical- $730.00, Lusk State Bank- Co admin- Payroll taxes- $32392.66, MasterCard- Various- Supplies, travel, postage, prevention grant, mileage lister, IT expense, transports, new equipment- $4329.63, Matthew Bender & Co., Inc.- Clerk of Court- Supplies- $146.10, Michelle Kremers- Public Health Nurse- Travel expense- $175.50, NCIC Inmate Communications- Telephone- $133.20, New Jersey Family Support Payment Center- Payroll- Child support- $862.33, Niobrara County Circuit Court- Payroll- Garnishment- $873.97, Niobrara County Hospital District- 1% Option Tax - $11757.19, Niobrara County Library- General County- Library deferred compensation- $1725.00, Niobrara County Public Health- Prevention Grant- Grant admin- $245.15, Niobrara Electric Association- Various- Radio tower electricity- $55.55, Rawhide Drug Company- Detention Center - Inmate medical- $223.66, Office Depot- Treasurer- Supplies- $95.98, Palen Law Offices, LLP.- Clerk of District Court- Court appointed attorney- $110.00, Patrick Cole- Courthouse- Maintenance- $240.00, Quadient Leasing USA, Inc.- Qtrly postage meter lease payment- $1197.00, Rawhide Drug- Detention Center- Inmate medical- $294.98, Safeguard Business Systems, Inc.- County Clerk- Supplies- $177.53, Smith Psychological Services- Detention Center- Employee medical- $400.00, Swanson Services Corp.- Detention Center- Inmate Commissary- $322.93, Team Laboratory Chemical, LLC.- Fairgrounds- Cleaning supplies- $172.50, Teri Stephens- Assessor- Mileage- $37.08, Thomson Reuters-West- County Attorney- Law library- $550.00, Torrington Office Supply- Various- Supplies- $252.07, Town of Lusk- Various- Utilities- $2701.54, Traci Bruegger- Facilities- Cleaning contract- $4500.00, Tyler Technologies- Various- Computer expense- $295.28, Uinta County Public Health- Public Health Nurse- Supplies- $19.00, Valley Motor Supply- Road & Bridge- Parts- $483.88, Verizon Wireless- Various- Cell phones, computer expense & base fee- $299.89, Vision Service Plan- Various- Vision Insurance $460.50, Visionary Broadband- Various- I T expense- $783.88, WEBT- Co admin- Life insurance- $211.50, WESTCO- Road & Bridge- Dyed diesel- $1842.80, Whitaker Oil- Various- Fuel- $3055.19, Wyoming Child Support- Payroll- Child Support- $766.04, WYDOT- Financial Services- County Clerk- Supplies- $150.00, Wyoming Clerks of District Court Association- Clerk of Court- Dues- $150.00, Wyoming County Treasurers’ Association- County Treasurer- Dues-- $200.00, Wyoming Machinery Co.- Road & Bridge- Parts- $628.40, Wyoming Network, Inc.- General County- I T expense- $200.00, Xerox Corp.- Co admin- Copier service agreement- $130.05, Grand total- $ 157099.73
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
NIOBRARA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Patrick Wade, Chairman
Attest:
Becky L. Freeman, County Clerk
Public Notice No. 5722. Published in The Lusk Herald on February 23, 2022.
