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Dawes County commissioners approve Lumen utility crossing, audit contract and snow-removal awards; clerk to resign
Summary
At a Sept. 23 meeting in Chadron, the Dawes County Board of Commissioners approved a petition allowing Lumen to bore under Beaver Valley Road, awarded snow-removal work for the courthouse, approved an audit contract and accepted the county clerk’s resignation effective Dec. 31, 2025.
The Dawes County Board of Commissioners approved a petition allowing Lumen to bore under Beaver Valley Road for buried service wire, approved an audit contract with Lengemann & Associates, P.C., awarded sidewalk and parking-lot snow-removal contracts and accepted the resignation of County Clerk Cheryl Feist at a Sept. 23 meeting in Chadron.
Chairman Vic Rivera and Commissioners Jake Stewart and Walter Juhlin conducted routine business that also included auditing department claims and a quarterly jail inspection. Highway Superintendent Wade Yada reported that district crews are finishing grading work, the crusher is operating and a Mine Safety and Health Administration refresher and inspection were completed. Yada presented the Lumen petition; Commissioner Jake Stewart moved to approve it, seconded by Walter Juhlin, and the board voted unanimously to grant the request.
Treasurer Sam Wellnitz told the board there is about $5,200 in unexpended ARPA funds that must be returned to the government. The board reviewed an audit contract with Lengemann & Associates, P.C., in an amount not to exceed $19,500 and voted to approve the contract, directing the chairman to sign.
Custodian Brad Streeks presented three bids for courthouse snow removal. The board awarded sidewalk snow removal to Danielson Construction (bid: $150 per hour if snow is less than 6 inches; $200 per hour if more than 6 inches) and authorized Bob Hardy to clear the back parking lot at $90 per incident. (A competing bid from Mike Felton proposed $375 per incident, rising to $425 if snow exceeded 5 inches.) Commissioner Stewart moved to award the contracts, seconded by Juhlin; the motion carried with Juhlin abstaining and Commissioners Rivera and Stewart voting aye.
The board also approved a County Attorney contract (previously discussed at the Sept. 9 meeting) and audited and approved a slate of department claims across multiple funds. Two claims payable to River A Holding LLC (claim #25090153 for $53.13 and #25090189 for $437.00) were initially excepted from approval but were later paid after a second motion; that payment passed with Commissioner Rivera abstaining.
The board recorded the resignation of Dawes County Clerk Cheryl Feist, effective Dec. 31, 2025, and thanked her for her years of service. The board conducted the quarterly jail inspection at 10:26 a.m. and adjourned at 10:50 a.m. The next board meeting is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2025, beginning with a Board of Equalization meeting at 9 a.m. followed by the commissioners’ meeting.
Details of motions, vote tallies and audited claims were entered into the official minutes.
