New rules would remove outside drop boxes, Clerk Bartlett says county has never had an issue
County Clerk Gwynn Bartlett told the Carbon County Commissioners at their December 19 meeting she is going to submit a comment on Secretary of State Chuck Gray’s proposed new rules on drop boxes.
The county drop box, located at the courthouse, is a way after hours to submit to the clerk’s office such items as child support payments and vehicle registration, for example, Bartlett said.
She said the Secretary of State is proposing absentee ballots be submitted to the clerk inside the office. He wants the box to be placed inside the clerk’s office.
The county has “never had an issue” with the outside drop box, which is a convenient way for older citizens, for example, to drive-by and submit something without entering the building, she said.
Cameras are “strategically placed” to view the box “at all times,” she added.
In other business, Carbon County Treasurer Lindsey West said the Carbon County Board of Commissioners has spent about 85 percent of its proceeds from the 6th penny tax bond on projects. The Commission passed a resolution stating a substantial completion of the Courthouse and Carbon Building improvement project has been done.
West also said taxpayers can no longer pay their taxes online because of “issues” with the software until the county can identify “where the problem is.”
In the interim, taxpayers can pay their taxes over the phone “for the same cost,” she said.
Also on the agenda, Emergency Services Manager Lenny Layman told the Commission HF Sinclair is donating aerial rays, which are specialized equipment the City of Rawlins Fire Department and the Carbon County Fire District can use. This is related to Homeland Security’s emergency response efforts.
Layman also said he had an unexpected expense of $660.89 to replace a broken windshield that will put him over budget. The commissioners told him to bring it to the budget officer and it can be included in the public hearing on the budget in the spring.
In addition, he said he wants to purchase a portable sound system to use at the senior centers at Elk Mountain and Medicine Bow for $2,267.21.
The Commission discussed the county’s current sound system equipment and whether that would suffice.
Chairman Sue Jones made a suggestion.
“Do we want to see what we have and what to fix” and “bring this up at budget time?” Jones said.
The Commission told Layman to bring back the expense for discussion when he has a final price on what equipment is needed.
Also on the agenda, Sheriff Alex Bakken said the department needs a power phone at a cost of $110,329.25 to “integrate our dispatch system.”
The Commissioners approved the expense.
In Road and Bridge business, the Commission approved an agreement between Carbon County and Engineering Associates (EA) for professional services for CR1 and CR270 bridges.
On the agenda, the Commission approved a Memorandum of Understanding between Carbon County and City of Rawlins for filing of special assessments against real property for abatement and clean-up of dangerous buildings.
Finally, Jason Sleight, a certified public accountant with Jones Simkins, a CPA firm based in Salt Lake City, Utah, made a presentation on the Carbon County Financial Statement Audit.
Sleight summarized parts of the 89-page document for the Commissioners.
“Government accounting is more difficult because there are varied funding sources,” Sleight said. A business typically has one source.
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