The Niobrara Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 9:01 a.m. Those present were Chairman Patrick Wade, Vice-Chair Elaine Griffith, Commissioner Jeb Hanson, and County Clerk Becky L. Freeman.
Chairman Wade led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Road and Bridge- Foreman Fred Thomas met with the Commissioners and discussed gravel and spot gravelling on county roads.
Old Business-
Old Jail- Leslie Stewart met with the Commissioners and the group discussed the application for the Voluntary Remediation Program which, if approved, will provide funding to assist with voluntary remediation of contaminated sites, in this case, asbestos and lead based paint in the old jail.
Community Juvenile Services Board- Vice-Chair Griffith reported that one application has been received for the vacant position.
New Business-
Resolution 26-01- Vice-Chair Griffith moved to approve Resolution 26-01, ACTION SUPPORTING COUNTY CUSTOM, CULTURE, AND HERITAGE IN DECISION MAKING REGARDING FEDERAL LANDS IN NIOBRARA COUNTY, STATE OF WYOMING. Commissioner Hanson seconded, and the motion carried. A complete copy of the resolution is on file in the county clerk’s office and on the county’s website. www.niobraracounty.org/commissioners
Resolution 26-02- Vice-Chair Griffith moved to approve Resolution 26-02, ACTION SUPPORTING COUNTY CUSTOM, CULTURE, AND HERITAGE IN DECISION MAKING REGARDING STATE OR PRIVATE LANDS IN NIOBRARA COUNTY, STATE OF WYOMING. Commissioner Hanson seconded, and the motion carried. A complete copy of the resolution is on file in the county clerk’s office and the county’s website. www.niobraracounty.org/commissioners
Commissioner Hanson requested that it be noted that Resolutions 26-01 and 26-02 are resolutions and do not carry the weight of law.
Resolution 26-03- Vice-Chair Griffith moved to approve Resolution 26-03, E-911 Surcharge Fees. Commissioner Hanson seconded, and the motion carried. A complete copy of the resolution is on file in the county clerk’s office and on the county’s website. www.niobraracounty.org/commissioners
Appoint Voting Member to WCCA- Chairman Wade moved to appoint Vice-Chair Elaine Griffith as the voting member to the Wyoming County Commissioners’ Association Board. Commissioner Hanson seconded, and the motion carried.
The Commissioners acknowledged the banking disclosure of the county treasurer saying she conducts personal banking with Lusk State Bank.
Authorization of Investments of Public Funds- Vice-Chair Griffith moved to approve the authorization of investments of public funds with the following entities: Lusk State Bank, a Division of Banner Capital, Multi-Bank Securities, Inc., Wyoming Government Investment Fund, Wyoming CLASS, and the Wyoming State Treasurer. Commissioner Hanson seconded, and the motion carried.
Designation of Depository of Public Funds- Vice-Chair Griffith moved to designate the following depositories for public monies collected and held by the Niobrara County Treasurer: Lusk State Bank, a division of Banner Capital Bank, and First Northern Bank of Wyoming. Commissioner Hanson seconded, and the motion carried.
Predator Board Member Appointment- Commissioner Hanson moved to appoint Anthony Walcykz to the Predator Board as an At-Large Member. Vice-Chair Griffith seconded, and the motion carried.
Elected Officials- The elected officials and department heads provided department updates.
Consent Agenda- Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the consent agenda. Vice-Chair Griffith seconded, and the motion carried. Items on the consent agenda were the minutes of the December 16, 2025, meeting and receipts for December from the County Clerk for $3,724.22, from the Clerk of Court for $796.25, and a Petition of Affidavit for Rebate of Taxes for Butler, Becky Ray et al from the 2022-2025 tax rolls in a refund amount of $20.36.
James Kruse, Planning and Zoning Chairman, joined the meeting and provided a status update of the draft Planning and Zoning Regulation. He said that things are moving along and they are working on their second review of the entire document. They discussed state statute references and Vice-Chair Griffith asked what happens if statutes change or are amended. She suggested creating hyperlinks to the referenced statutes.
Payroll and the following vouchers were approved for payment: Bills are listed in the following format: Vendor- Department- Description- Amount- December Payroll- $161,987.70, 14 County Tire- Sheriff- Vehicle repairs- $80.00, Action Communications, Inc.- Dispatch- IT Expense- $544.00, Aflac- Various- Supplemental insurance- $5,387.24, Allbright’s True Value- Various- Parts, supplies- $115.67, Alsco- Various- Shop towels, coveralls, door mats- $540.99, Anne Wasserburger- County Attorney- Supplies- $43.90, Black Hills Chemical & Janitorial- Various- Supplies- $387.76, Black Hills Energy- Various- Utilities- $2,262.68, Bob Barker Co., Inc.- Detention- Commissary account- $59.36, Body Builders Body Shop- Road & Bridge- Vehicle repairs- $190.41, Brian Zerbe- Search & Rescue- Vehicle repairs- $92.20, Canon Financial Services, Inc.- General County- Copier lease payments- $380.00, CenturyLink- Various- Telephones- $1,553.31, CenturyLink Business Services- Various- Telephones- $82.64, Christopher Pavone- Facilities- Snow removal- $2,000.00, Connecting Point Computer Centers- Various- Copier service agreements- $1,035.48, Converse County- General County- IT expense- $400.00, Converse County Public Health- Public Health- Vaccines- $720.00, Cory Wilcox- Coroner- Deputy Coroner- $150.00, Delta Dental of WY- Various- Dental insurance- $1,024.60, CTA Technology, LLC. – Homeland Security Grant- New equipment- $6,447.00, Dan Northway- Facilities- Electrical work- $1,950.00, Dash Medical Gloves- Detention- Commissary account- $154.68, Decker’s Market- Detention- Commissary account- $16.65, Dennis C. Meier- Circuit Court Magistrate- Office rent- $1,000.00, Dooley Oil Inc.- NE- Road & Bridge- Oil- $1,578.09, Double A Properties, LLC.- Various- Office rent- $1,500.00, Empower Trust Company, LLC.- General Co.- Deferred Compensation- $24,065.00, Frank Parts Co.- Various- Maintenance, parts- $801.50, Fusion Cloud Service- Various- Telephone- $1,386.37, Geographic Innovations- Various- Professional mapping services- $1,500.00, Governmentjobs.com, Inc.- Various- Computer expense- $3,886.86, GreatAmerica Financial Services- Sheriff- Copier service agreement- $103.00, Hiway Brake & Alignment- Sheriff- Vehicle repairs- $105.90, Honey Badger Towing & Recovery, LLC.- Sheriff- Abandoned vehicle towing- $344.00, Jameson Cleaning & Maintenance- Facilities- Fairgrounds & public health building cleaning contracts, fairgrounds event booking contract- $8,360.00, Jub Jub, Inc.- General county- IT expense- $90.00, Kassidy Miller- Prevention grant- Operational supports- $40.00, Lex Jassman- Detention- Inmate meals- $8.30, Lexie Painter- Extension- Contract labor- Fair board bookkeeping- $600.00, Lusk Herald- General County- Publications- $1,204.87, Lusk State Bank- General County- Payroll taxes & stop payment of check fee- $48,780.91, Mark C. Hardee Law Office, P.C.- Clerk of Court- Court appointed attorney fees- $168.00, Miller Construction- Facilities- Justice center maintenance- $4,985.00, Monica Wilcox- Public Health Response Coordinator Grant- Travel expense- $196.00, NCIC Inmate Communications- Detention- NCIC Tablets- $149.90, Niobrara County Hospital District- 1% Option tax- $22,548.09, Niobrara County Library- Reimburse for deferred comp., employee bonuses & taxes- $3,815.02, Niobrara County Public Health- Prevention Grant- Indirect costs- $307.79, Niobrara Electric Association- Various- Radio tower electricity- $62.49, Olson Tire Co.- Sheriff- Tires- $194.75, Pier Funeral Home- Coroner- Autopsy- $476.50, Plainsman Printing & Supply- Supplies, new equipment- $1,004.87, Rawhide Drug Co.- Detention- Inmate medical- $99.63, Roetman Enterprises, LLC.- Facilities- Road & Bridge improvements- $989.63, Schindler Elevator Corp.- Facilities- Equipment maintenance & repairs- $6,636.07, Swanson Services Corp.- Detention- Inmate commissary account- $577.12, Team Laboratory Chemical, LLC.- Facilities- Fairgrounds supplies- $285.50, Thomson Reuters-West- County Attorney- Law library- $163.13, Town of Lusk- Various- Utilities- $3,071.12, Traci Bruegger- Facilities- CH, Library, Justice Center cleaning contract- $4,300.00, Tyler Technologies- Various- Computer expense, annual financial package fees- $40,006.92, UW Extension- Extension- Co. quarterly share UW Extension Educator salary- $3,304.50, Verizon Wireless- Various- Phones, computer expense- $379.65, Visa- Various- Supplies, travel expense, postage, commissary account, IT & computer expenses, inmate medical- $3,575.68, Vision Service Plan- Various- Vision Insurance- $482.66, Visionary Broadband- Various- IT expense- $373.16, Weafcs- Extension- Dues- $130.00, Westco- Road & Bridge- Fuel- $4,425.13, Wex Bank- Various- Fuel- $709.82, WY Enterprise Technology Services- Various- IT expense- $80.56, WYDOT Financial Services- Various- Fuel- $1,529.12, Wyoming Dept. of Environmental Quality- Old Jail- Application fee for Voluntary Remediation Program- $633.00, Wyoming Dept. of Workforce Services- General County- Quarterly Worker’s Comp. payment- $11,893.14, Wyoming Educators’ Benefit Trust- General County- Health & life insurance- $41,250.08, Wyoming Machinery Company- Road & Bridge- Equipment repairs, parts- $1,948.97, Wyoming Network, Inc.- General County- IT expense- $200.00, Wyoming Retirement System- General County- Law enforcement retirement- $17,603.34, Wyoming Women’s Center- Detention- Inmate Meals- $2,782.40, Xerox- General County- Copier service agreement- $127.32. December Total- $437,246.20.
There being no further business, Chairman Wade adjourned the meeting.
NIOBRARA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Patrick Wade, Chairman
Attest:
Becky L. Freeman, County Clerk
Public Notice No. 6321 published in The Lusk Herald on January 28, 2026.
