Bannock County commissioners approve Coyote Hollow plat, higher-octane fuel bidding, ARPA allocations and ambulance purchase

Bannock County commissioners on an unspecified December meeting date approved a series of routine and project actions, including final plat approval for the Coyote Hollow Phase 4 subdivision, direction to solicit bids for higher-octane fuel for county fleets, authorization of several American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expenditures, and the purchase of a county ambulance.

The actions condense a mix of routine administrative approvals and project-specific votes the commission took to obligate funds before year-end deadlines and to advance ongoing capital work. Several items were passed with no recorded opposition.

Votes at a glance: The commission voted unanimously to approve the final plat for Coyote Hollow Phase 4 (18 residential lots); to authorize procurement to bid for 87 octane (rather than 85) fuel for county departments; to authorize ARPA-funded purchases and contingency allocations including courthouse metal detectors, additional jail-area paving, and contingency funds for the YDC building; to sign the professional sales and service agreement for the ambulance purchase; and to approve routine documents such as the public defense report and the road and street financial report. All recorded motions were carried with the meeting registering “Aye” votes and no nays on the transcript.

On land-use action, Elise Foster, subdivision planner, told the commission Coyote Hollow Phase 4 sits roughly 1.5 miles outside of Inkom and comprises an 18-lot residential subdivision with three access lots; the developer requested an assurance that final seeding could be delayed until spring, and Road and Bridge had inspected the work. The commission approved the final plat and authorized signature of the plat documents.

Procurement and fleet direction: Crystal (chief procurement officer) and her public works assistant discussed a proposal to solicit bids for 87-octane unleaded fuel, noting many newer vehicles specify 87 octane and department mechanics had linked some engine problems to lower-octane fuel. Staff estimated the change could raise county fuel costs by roughly $69,100 across 12 departments; the sheriff’s office — which used about 58,000 gallons of unleaded last year — would bear the largest share, approximately $58,100 annually at the price estimate given. The commission approved moving forward with the higher-octane bid specification for the April contract start.

ARPA allocations and year-end obligations: Comptroller Kristy Klaus and staff reported updated ARPA worksheets showing several completed projects and multiple unobligated balances that must be committed before an upcoming obligation deadline. Staff identified completed items (jail parking $75,000; a jail HVAC unit with actual cost about $153,000 leaving roughly $16,000 underspent; a wet-shelf project about $140,000; and a sheet barn final invoice of $35,100). To obligate available funds, the commission approved staff recommendations to (1) contract for courthouse metal detectors (four units) at a quoted $79,045 using a piggyback procurement option, (2) increase the gel paving contract by about $172,000 to finish the jail-area paving, and (3) approve a $245,000 contingency allocation for the YDC building project to cover expected omissions and winter impacts. Staff noted a central-shed project’s expected contract amount of roughly $765,000 versus an original budget line of $1,000,001, which contributed to available unobligated dollars.

Ambulance purchase: Commissioners entered the board of ambulance, approved the professional sales and service agreement for a new ambulance, signed the purchase contract as presented and then exited the board of ambulance. Staff noted a separate option — an ambulance sales order of about $315,000 if signed before year-end — that would obligate funds but carries a 12-to-18-month build time.

Routine items: The commission also approved commissioner invoices, credit applications, a salaries approval form, the public defense report signatures, the road and street financial report (with one clerical correction to a line-item), and assigned a quick-claim deed for county property as presented.

What the record shows and does not: The transcript records motions and unanimous recorded “aye” responses for the actions above, but it does not include detailed roll-call tallies (individual commissioner names were not spoken in the voting portions on the transcript excerpt). Staff-provided cost estimates and contract amounts were presented during the meeting and are reported here as stated by county staff. The transcript did not include completed contract documents or post-meeting signatures; those are administrative follow-ups.

Ending: The commission’s approved package advances several year-end obligations and procurement steps; staff indicated some projects remain subject to contract completion, vendor lead times and additional approvals before work or purchases occur.