County resident questions noxious weed management

SIDNEY -- Cheyenne County resident Warren Phelps asked the county commissioners Monday about their view on county weed management.

"Do you really feel like the county is on top of, like our weed superintendent and, you guys are the weed board. I don't know if you realize that. I think we had a weed board, but the voters dissolved it in like 1988 or something. So anyway, you become the weed board. You feel like we're getting we're getting on top of things?" Phelps asked the commissioners.

Commissioner Randy Miller explained how the county evolved to where it is.

"What we did was we went from our previous where we had a weed superintendent on staff, and we went to a contract with a company called C-Weed (Management). And I thought Cris (Burks) did a very good job. It is a daunting task. It is a large area that she covered. Yes, I agree with you when she covers two or three other counties it does get intensive," Miller said.

He said it takes a lot of employees and resources for C-Weed Management to be effective. Miller added noxious weeds in the last couple of year have been "over the top." He credits the presence of noxious weeds to weather conditions. He said C-Weed has changed ownership, but the county's contract is with C-Weed, not Burks.

Phelps said hiring a weed superintendent who is trying to manage three counties, "they just can't get it done." Miller said the challenge with hiring a county weed manager is finding someone to do it.