Commissioners approve budget amendments, project awards and several contracts in Oct. 7 meeting

The Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners approved a series of routine and capital items during its Oct. 7 meeting, including two budget amendments and multiple construction and contract actions.

The board approved Resolution 25‑10‑CL‑01 to amend the Clerk of Courts operating budget to cover jury fees. Accounting specialist Rebecca Romero told commissioners the office requested $50,000 to cover several upcoming trials, and that the clerk indicated $25,000 might be sufficient if commissioners wished to reduce the request. The board opened and closed the public hearing and approved the resolution. (Motion to approve Resolution 25‑10‑CL‑01; mover: Commissioner Toman; second: Commissioner Jones; outcome: approved.)

Commissioners also approved Resolution 25‑10‑CL‑02 to move previously awarded 2023 funds into the FY25‑26 budget for the Memorial Hospital laboratory project. Romero said the project was awarded in 2023 and the funds had been held in reserves; the amendment moves those dollars back into department lines so the hospital can expend them on the lab project. Commissioner Jones noted that the lab project remains on budget. The motion passed unanimously for $2,744,950.81. (Motion to approve Resolution 25‑10‑CL‑02; mover: Commissioner Jones; second: Commissioner Richards; outcome: approved.)

In consent‑agenda business, the board approved the amended consent agenda after pulling Items 2 (county vouchers), 5 (hospital maintenance expenditures) and 7 (hospital laboratory matching funds) for separate votes. The county vouchers were approved except for an outstanding warrant concerning Vaughn's Plumbing and Heating; that warrant was then approved in a separate vote. Several abstentions were recorded on hospital‑related votes where commissioners reported a conflict because their employer had performed work listed in those items.

Other formal actions taken that morning included:

- Awarded the FY26 Roosevelt parking‑lot patching and valley‑gutter project to R & D Sweeping & Asphalt Maintenance LLC for $138,920.01 and authorized the chair to sign contract documents.

- Approved a six‑month lease with Groat House Construction for a portion of Building 3A on Leo's Drive to provide short‑term storage space; the board noted the leased area is a small portion of the building and approved the agreement.

- Adopted Resolution 25‑10‑EN‑01 to consider an alteration to the McKinnon Road right‑of‑way and appointed the county reviewer to begin the five‑step review process.

- Approved a memorandum of understanding with Trout Unlimited for replacement of a culvert on County Road 34 (Ramsey Ranch Road) at the confluence of Sage Creek and Trout Creek; the county will purchase the culvert and Trout Unlimited will contribute funds toward the contractor work.

- Approved Change Order No. 002 (time only) for the Sweetwater County Public Works combined facility to allow additional time for final inspections and punch‑list work; the board also approved a $27,249 change order for Southwest Counseling to replace an EPDM roof and associated items at the Jonah modular facility.

- Approved a corrected 2026 health insurance premium schedule (administrative correction of IRS HDHP minimums) for active employees and retirees.

- Approved an additional paid county holiday on Dec. 24, 2025. A separate motion to provide a $250 one‑time Christmas bonus for county employees failed on a 3–2 vote.

Votes at a glance (selected): • Resolution 25‑10‑CL‑01 (Clerk of Courts budget amendment) — approved (unanimous). • Resolution 25‑10‑CL‑02 (Hospital lab funds, $2,744,950.81) — approved (unanimous). • County vouchers (consent, with exception) — approved; outstanding warrant for Vaughn's Plumbing & Heating separately approved. • Hospital maintenance expenditures — approved (one or more commissioners abstained where a conflict was disclosed). • Laboratory matching funds for Memorial Hospital — approved (one or more commissioners abstained where a conflict was disclosed). • Award — Roosevelt parking‑lot patching (R & D Sweeping & Asphalt Maintenance LLC), $138,920.01 — approved. • Lease — Groat House Construction, portion of Building 3A — approved. • Resolution 25‑10‑EN‑01 (McKinnon Road right‑of‑way review) — approved. • MOU — Trout Unlimited for culvert replacement, County Road 34 — approved. • Change order — Southwest Counseling Jonah Facility (roof/water heater), $27,249 — approved. • Change order — Public Works combined facility (time only) — approved. • Corrected 2026 health insurance premium schedule — approved. • Additional paid holiday on Dec. 24, 2025 — approved. • One‑time $250 staff Christmas bonus — motion failed 3–2.

The board made no final decisions in executive session and reconvened with no further public action reported.