Bids, tower rent discussion, roads, and more were discussed during the final regular meeting of the month on Tuesday, March 29.
Custer County Emergency Manager Mark Rempe and landowner Jim Reed approached the board to discuss the Oconto tower rent and the possibility of increasing the rent. Reed told the board the systems that farmers use for GPS tracking are expensive to purchase and the yearly subscriptions are around $1,000. He felt the board should increase the rent with Landmark making a large amount of money from using the tower, but even with the tower on his land, he still makes the same as when the tower lease was first signed.
The Board had voted ‘No’ on increasing the rent at a previous meeting, but District 4 Supervisor Dwain Bryner stated he had been under the impression the tower was to be used for local farmers and emergency services and not in a competitive market. District 1 Supervisor Bobby Myers stated he was worried about the implications if rent was increased, Landmark may remove their equipment which could create major problems from farmers who rely on the equipment for operations. Further information was going to be gathered before reevaluating the decision on the rent price.
Bids for asphalt, culverts, grader blades, and gravel were all discussed during the meeting which saw prices jump in almost all categories. During asphalt bids, the price for oil used on the roads was at around a dollar higher than in 2021 while the year prior only saw an increase of around ten cents.
District 2 Supervisor Tammy Kleeb said the current price of oil and equipment is going to put the county in a bind. She noted there are so many roads in the county that need to be fixed, but with the price of everything continuing to rise it is going to be impossible to fix them all and keep the tax asking low. Kleeb told KCNI/KBBN the Board understands the frustration of the public regarding paved roads and not wanting to change them to gravel.
Asphalt bids were awarded to both parties who put in bids and the decision on bids regarding culverts were tabled until the next meeting. Bids for grader blades and gravel were referred to the road committee for a decision.
The Supervisors also declared county property as surplus which included equipment from the highway department, desks, and filing cabinets. If anyone would like more information, contact the Custer County Clerk.
Also approved during the meeting was vacating part of Road 98/208, allowing COVID sick pay to expire, and moving forward to look at implementing time clock systems at the Custer County Courthouse and Judicial Center.
The next Custer County Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 12 at 9 AM.
