Graham County supervisors approve contract extension, tax-deed sales, appointments, deeds and inmate-hospitalization agreement

The Graham County Board of Supervisors voted Jan. 7 to extend a contract with retired legal assistant Debbie Barnes, accept several tax-deed sales, approve multiple judicial pro tempore appointments, accept quitclaim deeds for county right-of-way and authorize a renewed inmate-hospitalization intergovernmental agreement.

County Attorney Scott Bennett told the board that Barnes, who retired several months ago, was retained as a consultant to help train new staff and fill a legal-assistant role. “We set a new record for felony filings last year,” Bennett said, and the office wants to retain Barnes through the end of the fiscal year while staffing and budget reviews continue. The board approved extending her contract through the fiscal year.

County Treasurer Cindy Orr presented four offers from the annual tax-deed auction and two over-the-counter parcel offers. The board approved sales for the parcels listed in the tax-deed packet and accepted the related minimum payments covering past-due taxes and foreclosure fees.

The board approved Justice Court and Superior Court pro tempore appointments. The Board approved a 12-month appointment of Mary Aiden as Justice of the Peace pro tempore beginning Jan. 1, 2025; the board also approved Superior Court pro tem appointments for the 2025–26 fiscal year naming a paid appointment for Judge Ragland and unpaid pro tems Jerry Landau and William Richardson, with the latter two eligible for travel reimbursement.

The board accepted quitclaim deeds conveying right-of-way to the county: a portion of Monteith Road from Tracy J. Monteith, Terry L. Monteith and RA Monteith Enterprises, and a parcel along Powerline Road from Kent and Rose Larson, both conveyed to allow future road work including a planned chip-seal project on Powerline Road.

Public-health staff presented an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) renewal with Access for inmate hospitalization coverage. According to the presentation, the agreement caps hospitalization costs at $10,000 per incident and carries an annual fee of $6,670. The county’s health official confirmed the $10,000 cap is per incident and said transport costs (ambulance or air) are included in that figure. The board voted to approve the IGA.

Votes at a glance: - Extension of consultant contract with Debbie Barnes through the end of the fiscal year — motion approved (voice vote). - Acceptance of tax-deed sale offers for four parcels and two over-the-counter parcels — motion approved (voice vote). - Appointment of Mary Aiden as Justice Court pro tempore, 12 months beginning Jan. 1, 2025 — motion approved (voice vote). - Superior Court pro tem appointments for FY 2025–26: Judge Ragland (paid), Jerry Landau (unpaid, travel reimbursement), William Richardson (unpaid, travel reimbursement) — motion approved (voice vote). - Acceptance of quitclaim deed for a right-of-way from Tracy and Terry Monteith (Monteith Road parcel) — motion approved (voice vote). - Acceptance of quitclaim deed for a right-of-way from Kent and Rose Larson (Powerline Road parcel) — motion approved (voice vote). - Approval of Access inmate-hospitalization IGA (caps county liability at $10,000 per incident; annual fee $6,670) — motion approved (voice vote).

The board did not record roll-call tallies for most items; votes were taken by voice and recorded as approved. Several items were described as routine or were presented by staff as renewals or administrative actions. The board chair closed the consent and administrative portion of the meeting and moved on to planning and zoning matters later in the agenda.

Less critical updates during the meeting included a midyear financial report from County Manager Welker noting the county was under budget on expenses and over on revenues and a brief staff summary of upcoming projects, including a walk-in cold storage project and field lighting conduit work.