On Dec. 11, the Torrance County Commission discussed road conditions, animal welfare and public safety.
Recent snowfall and rain have caused frustrations among the Torrance County community.
These weather conditions have caused extensive damage to county roads, especially dirt and gravel routes, which residents said have become impassable.
This impacts both personal vehicles and school transportation. Taking these issues into consideration, the commissioners looked into the possibility of creating Special Assessment Districts to obtain funding for road improvements.
They want to make sure a transparent process takes place, considering resource constraints and timelines, ensuring the public is well-informed of the process.
During the meeting, Torrance County Animal Services reported a rise in animal intakes along with fewer animals being saved due to a statewide animal welfare crisis.
With fewer options for transfers and adoptions, the shelter has had to rely more often on euthanasia for space. There was also talk of creating a regional animal shelter as a long-term solution.
“If we can’t place an animal within a week after its stray hold, we may have to euthanize,” Animal Services Director Danette Langden said.
Commissioners also highlighted the importance of upgrading the county’s radio system to improve emergency response in Torrance County.
The commission is actively working to find other funding sources beyond the Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) process.
The ICIP is a plan that establishes planning priorities for anticipated capital projects. It is a state-coordinated process that promotes the planning and usage of capital improvements to ensure infrastructure sustainability and avoid emergencies.
The current priorities include ready-to-start projects for state funding, such as a new county administration building, fire station water system upgrades and a regional animal shelter.
During the meeting, Torrance County Clerk Linda Jaramillo made an important announcement for the completion of the 2024 presidential election audit. The audit was said to be successful as well as the issuance of election certificates.
Commissioners also discussed the expansion of the Juvenile Justice Program in the spring, despite concerns and communication problems.
Amanda Luhan, a grants administrator, reported that the program faced several challenges, which included delays in starting, due to issues with contractor onboarding and approval processes.
Scheduling difficulties also arose, and organizational changes created management and communication problems. Communication breakdowns also occurred between the Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD), schools and facilitators.
The plan for the upcoming year is to start programming in January and launch their request for proposals process early to avoid delays. They also plan to provide CYFD-led training and increase communication through regular meetings, emails, and team sessions. In addition, they plan to expand oversight with more site visits and CYFD audits.
The commission also approved budget adjustments and addressed unauthorized purchases.
Outgoing Commissioner Sam Schropp and Jaramillo gave farewell speeches. They reviewed their achievements and expressed their trust and enthusiasm in the new administration.
In January, Jaramillo will take over as District 3 Commissioner.
A special meeting of the board of county commissioners is set for Dec. 30 with an option to join online.