HVAC Bid Opened, Snow Removal Discussed At Commissioners Meeting

The Cheyenne County Board of Commissioners and Board of Equalization met on Monday, December 19, and among other business, a bid was opened for the removal and replacement of HVAC components at the Cheyenne County Courthouse. Cheyenne County Highway Superintendent Doug Hart gave an update and review of the county's snow removal performance during the recent snowstorm.

The HVAC renovation project only had one bid submitted, from Johnson Controls, in the amount of $766,837. A discussion about what elements were included in the project then ensued. The chillers and boilers in the courthouse are at least 20 years old, and they do work, but parts for repair are becoming unavailable and many of the chiller components cannot be synced with the controller mechanisms due to age differences. The Air Handlers were not included in this bid. There is incentive to approve this project quickly due to availability of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds available to share costs.

The bid is good for thirty days, so the commissioners will review the project and decide a path forward at the next commissioners meeting.

Cheyenne County Highway Superintendent Doug Hart addressed the Commissioners, examining his department's response to the recent snowstorm. Hart mentioned his team had a safety meeting prior to the storm and planned their course of action for snow removal. He said the northern and eastern parts of the county received significantly more snow than the Sidney city area. He mentioned his new employees did a great job, and although there were some equipment breakdowns, they were able to manage by using parts from other equipment to repair and keep the effort moving forward. He said there are some areas of highway that need to have snowdrifts moved back from the edge of the roadway, but overall, the highways are clean and safe to drive on. Commissioner Phil Sanders commented on the fine job the department did, saying, “For the first time in 8 years in this position, I did not get one phone call complaining about snow removal.”

In other business, Ron Kissler, Deputy Sheriff in charge of security, was recognized for his active approach to courthouse security. Commissioner Johnson said, since Kissler has been in charge, “security went from zero to very secure.”

Kissler's implementation of camera systems, combined with emergency plans and updated escape routes have increased the security of the building tremendously. Kissler said, “It's amazing what you can get done when no one's concerned about who gets credit for it.” Kissler's implementations have not only secured the courthouse, but saved the county nearly $500,000 in costs. Kissler was awarded a plaque highlighting his contributions.

The Commissioners also approved a grant for the Cheyenne County Community Center's Youth Basketball Tournament for $3000. The tournament is expected to have more teams participate than last year, and many teams and family members stay overnight in Sidney, helping fuel local commerce.