The Meade County Commission met in regular session on May 24, 2017.
Commissioners Heidgerken and Rausch attended the State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) meeting in Rapid City. Exit 46 rebuild on I90 will be delayed until 2023 because of design and land acquisition issues.
Meade County will be home to a new business in Box Elder. The Ellsworth Development Authority transferred ownership of the Vandenberg School building to VRC Metal Systems. They plan to build their world headquarters at that site. This is the company that does the cold spray rebuilds of aircraft parts. They are able to add new metal to used parts without heating or warping the original parts. They hope to expand this system to all Air Force Bases and to Navy ships at sea. This is a good fit for land just outside Ellsworth AFB.
The Department of Revenue has approved the values the Board of Equalization and Assessor have set for 2017 (taxes payable 2018) as 100% full and true. They will adjust them back to 85% of full and true value (ag classification) for tax purposes next year. These values included a 10% reduction for drought in 2016 plus thousands of smaller adjustments for crop soil types that cannot be farmed.
The Commission approved a Rangeland Fire Agreementwith the State. This will be used when a major fire occurs.
All the Malt Beverage Licenses and Package off-sale Licenses were approved. Eight temporary campground applications were also approved. There are no new campgrounds in the County this year.
We will begin working on the 2018 budget next month. Roads continue to be an issue. No gravel road is ever good with these small showers we have been getting.
Pray for a big rain as the hay crop is not made yet.
