Mobridge Tribune

Popular Categories

No categories found.

Commission approves wheel tax increase


Walworth County Commissioners passed a resolution Tuesday, May 5, increasing the county wheel tax to $5 per wheel, and to include up to 12 wheels.
No one appeared before the board to speak out against the increase and the resolution was passed. The increase will go into affect on Monday, June 1.
The board also heard Walworth County Emergency Manager Shannon Thompson report she has had multiple calls on just what the definition of open burning is in regards to the current burn ban. She said residents are asking about fire pits and burn barrels.
Commissioners requested that a clarification of the ban, including the consequences for ignoring the ban, be published in the county newspapers.
Thompson also reported she was working with the Northeast Council of Governments (NECOG) to help secure a grant for the purchase of a large generator that would be used to operate the court house in an emergency situation. The current generator would be used to operate the Walworth County Jail during an emergency.
The commission also spent more than two-and-a-half hours in three seperate executive sessions, discussing personnel matters. No actions were taken as a result of the executive sessions.

In other business the Walworth County Commission:
• Approved advertising for bids for gravel crushing in the county.
• Approved the annual publishing of notice for maintenance requests on private roads. The county would maintain the roads as requested and landowners would be charged for the work.
• Approved purchasing five body armor vests at $775 per vest for the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office to replace those that have outlived the suggested years of use. The purchase of the vests is timely as they are available now at half the normal price. If the sheriff would wait for a requested funding grant, the savings for purchasing the vests at regular price with partial grant funding would be $5. Commissioners voted to move forward with the purchase and replace the worn-out vests as soon as possible.
• Approved moving jailer Rolanda Shawver to a full-time position with a salary increase to $13.71 per hour with an increase of 50 cents per hour after her probation period and certification.
• Approved hiring Vanessa Keens as a part-time jailer at $13.21 per hour with a 50 cent increase after her probation period and certification.
• Approved a 50 cent per hour increase for jailer Jeremy Johnson, who has completed his probationary period.
• Heard county assistant Ryan Badten report that a specialty company will be examining the drains on the roof of the courthouse to determine why they are not working as they should and if the current drainage system can be repaired. The drains have cracked, causing leakage into the building and damage to the office at courthouse.
– Katie Zerr –

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *