Sheridan County commissioners question multiple warrant payments, clarify generator and communications charges

Sheridan County commissioners reviewed the March warrant list and pressed staff and department leads for explanations of several payments, including a final retainage on a backup generator project, a sizable contract for jail medical services, apparent duplicate mileage charges from a communications vendor, a nonwarranty generator repair and an emergency plumbing bill at the airport.

During the discussion, Commissioner Jennings asked about a “backup generator retainage.” Sheriff Levi Dominguez explained that a 5 percent retainage withheld during installation should have been paid in November but the electrical contractor did not submit paperwork in time. “This is the final payment on that project from the 4 or 5 generators we installed,” Dominguez said.

Commissioners also flagged a large invoice to Advanced Correctional Healthcare Incorporated for jail services and asked to review the contract. Sheriff Dominguez invited commissioners to meet with him for a detailed explanation and said the county’s rate is lower than many other counties in the state.

Separately, commissioners questioned duplicate mileage charges from Apex Communications after the same vendor invoiced both Emergency Management and Road & Bridge for work done the same day. Jesse from Emergency Management said Apex is based in Rawlings and bills mileage; when the vendor works for multiple local agencies on one trip the mileage is split among the agencies. “We try to work with all local agencies to do it at one time. We split the cost of whatever the mileage,” Jesse said, adding that on the trip in question the VA and other agencies also received work.

Commissioners asked about a backup generator repair billed to TW Enterprises Inc.; Cameron (county staff) said that repair was not covered under the original warranty because it involved damage to a gas line found after the original contractor could not complete maintenance, requiring a separate repair by another firm.

Airport manager Robert Gill described emergency plumbing work after an 8‑inch stormwater line froze following a rapid temperature swing. Gill said snow and building additions had complicated roof drainage; when an outside stormwater line froze “the piping inside the building filled with water” and cleanouts began spraying. He said a local plumbing company steamed the line and made emergency repairs over a weekend.

No formal action was taken during the warrant review; commissioners asked staff to follow up on the Advanced Correctional Healthcare contract and on any apparent duplicate charges.

Ending: Commissioners closed the warrant-review discussion and moved on to staff and elected reports.