Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Brower honored, Kimball County Commissioners look at road conditions

Kimball County Commissioner Larry Brower was honored at the Dec. 2 meeting. Brower was awarded a plaque for his 20 years of service.

Kimball County Highway Superintendent Dave Hottell asked the commissioners if they had heard any complaints about the roads.

“I feel like we’ve been handling things all right and I just want to make sure we aren’t overlooking something because we just don’t know about it,” Hottell said.

While the commissioners had heard no complaints, Commissioner Larry Engstrom mentioned the need to look at County Road 50.

“We’ll be having a Kindergarten student there starting this next year and we want to make sure that road is accessible to the school bus,” Engstrom said.

Hottell suggested that his crew could put gravel out on that road, and Engstrom agreed.

Following Hottell’s report was the public hearing for comments for or against the conditional permit specifically to add a communication tower for High West Energy’s “Enders” substation. Those present were all in favor of the conditional use permit and it was approved after the public hearing.

Andrew Forney, public finance banker representing D. A. Davidson & Co., was present to finalize the paperwork for the financing the Emergency 911 system to be installed in the new sheriff’s vehicle.

The commissioners then went up to the third floor of the courthouse to see the progress that had been made on the remodeling for the District Court Clerk’s office. A wall was put in and made to match the existing structure. While some finishing details were still needed, the move was successful and nearly complete. District Court Clerk Deb Diemoz expressed the ease with which she is able to complete her duties now that the move has happened.

“It makes it much easier given that I no longer have to travel between floors. Everything is on the third floor and we no longer have to close the office to attend to court duties, so we can better serve people coming through,” Diemoz said.