Custer County Chronicle

Second property tax bill killed

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:56am

A second attempt by a District 30 legislature to curtail ever-increasing property taxes in this year’s legislative session was killed last week when the Senate Taxation Committee killed SJR505.
Senate Joint Resolution 505A was a proposed constitutional amendment that would take the assessment of properties back to 2020 values for those who have owned the same property since the end of 2020.
“The extreme rise in property taxes is the number one complaint from our citizens who are the taxpayers,” Frye-Mueller said.

Tallgrass walks through park design

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:53am

After gathering the results of a community survey this fall, the new plans were unveiled for Custer’s Harbach Park in a community meeting last Thursday, hosted by the Custer firm Tallgrass Landscape Architecture. Owners Matt Fridell and Tanya Olson were on hand to walk attendees through the design.
“Tonight’s mission is really to talk through the results of the online survey we had and what we learned from that,” said Fridell.

Styles resigns from Hermosa Town Board

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:50am

Hermosa Town Board president Jerry Styles has resigned. He submitted his resignation following a contentious town board meeting Feb. 6.
At the same meeting, town attorney Mitch Johnson resigned as well, but has since decided not to resign. The town board offices were not open the day following the Feb. 6 meeting, but resumed operation Feb. 8.

City weighs future of sirens

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:49am

The emergency warning sirens around the City of Custer are all repaired, but may have been repaired for the final time.
The next time the sirens fail they are likely to go the way of the Edsel and Dodo Bird, as the Custer City Council seems more inclined to invest in more modern ways to warn people of emergencies.

Bill would allocate $3 million for West Dam

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:48am

A bill that would see the state allocate $3 million from its general fund to help with reconstruction of West Dam will likely have its first reading sometime this week.
HB1209, introduced by District 30 Rep. Trish Ladner, states if approved the act would be effective June 25, and would “fund the sum of $3 million to the City of Custer, for purpose of reconstructing the Custer West Dam, including all services or actions required for reconstruction.”

Hermosa board accepts Styles resignation

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:48am

After the Hermosa Town Board meeting turned volatile Feb. 6, a special meeting was held Feb. 8, to formally accept the resignation of former board president Jerry Styles and to discuss agenda items left unfinished at the Feb. 6 meeting. Vice president Vicki Hendrichsen chaired the meeting.
Items of note that were discussed included law enforcement presence in Hermosa and feral cat control.

County won’t offer licenses for RX cannabis testing, etc. facilities

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:46am

The Custer County Commission passed the first reading of its amended Ordinance 23, which creates license provisions for cannabis establishments in Custer County at its Feb. 7 meeting.
Commission legal counsel Aaron Davis went over the changes to the ordinance, which were also discussed at the previous meeting of the commission.
“We already have an ordinance in place. We’re not really materially changing it in many ways,” he said.

Elders honored in Monday program

Published by admin on Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:45am

Custer fourth grade students brought together many in the community to honor two Custer elders: Diane Dennis and Jim Kelley, both long-time Custer residents, with the Elder’s Wisdom, Children’s Song Program. The program brings elders from the Custer and Hermosa communities to elementary classrooms to share their life stories with the students. Then, with the help of area songwriters, the students create a narrative of the elder’s life and compose an original song to be performed in a concert honoring the elders.

Commission amends RX cannabis rules

Published by admin on Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:44am

At the Jan. 24 meeting of the Custer County Board of Commissioners, the commission amended its ordinance making provisions for marijuana facilities in the county. The ammendments are addopted from neighboring Fall River County’s ordinance on the same topic.
Now both counties allow for just one dispensary, as required by state law, but have eliminated provisions for cultivation, testing and manufacturing facilities. Earlier this fall, the town of Buffalo Gap made the same amendments to its ordinance regarding these facilities.

Trade show booth space offered

Published by admin on Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:43am

It is that time of year again to gear up for the 2024 Custer Area Chamber of Commerce Trade Show. This year the Trade Show will be Saturday, March 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Custer Jr./Sr. High School.