Culbertson council approves financial housekeeping, personnel changes and HB 355 priorities

The Culbertson Town Council acted on several financial and personnel items during 2023: it updated bank signers, accepted the FY 2020-2021 audit, approved a utility deposit increase, appointed an interim mayor following the mayor's resignation, and reviewed state HB 355 funding and a required local priority list.

In January the council authorized Opportunity Bank account changes removing Clerk/Treasurer Tiffani Jasper as a signer and adding Larry Crowder, Abe Rumsey and Connie Schultz; after Connie Schultz resigned, the council later approved Terri Merrill as the new clerk/treasurer and updated bank signers accordingly.

Mark Nelson moved and the council approved the FY 2020-2021 audit, which contained a single finding about segregation of duties. In November the council approved raising the utility deposit from $100 to $150 after the town attorney advised a public hearing was not required because current customers would not be affected. The motion was seconded by Carl Donaldson and carried without objection.

Mayor Larry Crowder submitted a resignation effective June 30, 2023; the council accepted the resignation and later appointed Council member Todd Gabriel as interim mayor effective June 15 and updated bank signature cards.

On state infrastructure funding, the council reviewed HB 355 (State-Local Infrastructure Partnership Act of 2023), learned Culbertson's allocation is $73,475, and agreed to develop a priority list (streets, streetlights, bathhouse, wastewater upgrades among suggested items) and to hold a public hearing before the March 31, 2024 application deadline.