Commissioners Stress Public Responsiveness, Address Landfill and Sanitary Code
September 22, 2025
The Thomas County Commissioners met on Monday, September 22, at the courthouse to tackle a wide-ranging agenda that stretched from road safety and landfill operations to new code reviews and financial approvals.
A key message of the morning came from Chairman Mike Baughn, who used his opening remarks to remind all elected officials of their duty to answer constituents’ calls in a timely and professional manner.
“We are all as elected officials responsible to the public,” Baughn said. “It behooves us not to stall when returning calls. A timely response—whether in a few hours or a few days—needs to be made. People deserve to hear back.”
Commissioner Bruce Flipse added his perspective, noting he strives to return every call but admitted there were times when repeat conversations led him to stop responding. He apologized if anyone had felt ignored and pledged to be more mindful.
County Attorney Chris Rohr reported progress on both the proposed dog ordinance and the review of the speed limit along Highway 25 north of Colby, where residents have pushed for changes. PENCO Engineering is conducting the traffic study required before any adjustments can be considered.
Commissioners also advanced updates to the Thomas County Sanitary Code. The revisions, presented by Bryce Cronn of the Northwest Local Environmental Protection Group, include clarifying language and aligning fees with current practices. The document will be posted for public review before a hearing is scheduled.
In other actions, the commission voted to end a consulting contract with Josh Faber, approved a tax abatement of $988.80, authorized a line-item transfer, and allowed Commissioner Flipse to replace a broken phone. Accounts payable and meeting minutes were approved as well. Discussion also turned to the City of Colby’s Star Bond Project Plan, which will be the subject of a public hearing on October 7 at 5:30 p.m. in the Colby city council chambers. Commissioners further agreed that a town hall on the proposed roundabout project should be scheduled for the evening of October 6 or 7 to ensure public input ahead of the state’s local consult session on October 15.
The Sheriff’s Department’s request to purchase new vehicles was postponed until additional comparisons could be made between bids from Colby Dodge and Tubbs & Sons. Meanwhile, a request to buy $28,000 in new tires for a landfill loader sparked debate over whether to bypass the county’s bidding policy. In the end, commissioners required staff to prepare specifications and seek formal bids before moving forward.
Landfill issues resurfaced later when the board reconsidered whether to compensate Commissioner Brian Luedke for hands-on work he performed during a staffing shortage and compliance crisis. Rohr urged the commission not to ignore precedent, noting that other county employees have been paid for work outside their regular scope. After discussion, the board approved $1,300 in compensation—roughly half the $2,500 recommended by the landfill director—with Luedke abstaining and Baughn and Flipse voting in favor. Rohr emphasized that Luedke’s efforts not only kept the landfill in operation but also spared the county potential fines and costly equipment failures.
As the meeting closed, commissioners noted that PENCO’s study of the Highway 25 speed zone remains underway and that public meetings on both the roundabout and sanitary code will soon be announced. The commission’s next regular meeting will be held later this month at the courthouse.