Custer County approves $200,943.90 in accounts payable; commissioners decline vehicle trade offer, plan fleet workshop

The Custer County Board of Commissioners approved $200,943.90 in accounts payable for the two‑week period ending June 24.

The accounts payable report included multiple items above $5,000: a July health insurance payment to Merit Health for $36,831; CenturyLink services for about $7,000; assessor and extension AC work ($19,500); landfill fuel to McFarland Oil ($5,117); airport jet fuel (Accent Aviation Group, $15,990); and predevelopment design work for Attainable Housing (Christine Rigs, $6,885). The finance report put the total AP at $200,943.90, and the board approved the report by voice vote.

Separately, the board reviewed a proposal to trade the county's public health Ram 2500 with a dealership that offered two outfitted pickups to county specification. Commissioners discussed towing capacity, gooseneck and snowplow hookups, and long‑bed versus short‑bed utility concerns. Several commissioners said they preferred to see numbers on paper and to hold a workshop to review the county's vehicle inventory and operational needs before proceeding.

By consensus, the board declined the dealer's current offer and opted to schedule a workshop after the July 4 holiday to consider fleet requirements, long bed vs. short bed use cases, and funding. County staff noted the trade proposal required no immediate commitment and that funding for new vehicles would come from capital improvement allocations rather than the operating budget.

During public comment a resident asked whether the public health pickup would be moved out of OEM custody; county staff responded that reporting was incorrect and the truck would remain available to OEM for as long as operationally necessary.