Shaw takes helm as county business manager

At the end of a six-month search process that started last summer, the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners introduced its newly hired county business manager at its regular meeting on Monday. In the initial business item on the agenda, Chairman Rich Nelson introduced long-time Aurora resident Pat Shaw who he said would be taking over immediately the position formerly held by Scott Stuhr. 
Shaw, who had been sitting in the audience when the meeting began, was introduced by Nelson as a well-known member of the community who most recently had worked for Hamilton Telecommunications. 
“We’re very pleased to have Pat on board,” Nelson said, gesturing to the seat at the meeting table next to County Clerk Jill DeMers. “It’s time to take your chair here.” 
The search for Stuhr’s replacement began shortly after he resigned at the end of July to take a position with the national 4-H Shooting Sports organization. Stuhr stayed on in a month-by-month process for several months to help the county through the transition period but ended his services last fall. Watch for a full profile on Shaw in next week’s edition.
Also in the audience at the meeting were two senior members and two advisors for the Hamilton County 4-H program. The group included Aurora High School senior Logan McKay, 2023 Central City graduate Hope Fuhrman who is in her fifth year as a junior 4-H leader, Hillary Fuhrman, the 4-H program coordinator and Emily Soll, the Extension educator for 4-H in Hamilton County. 
Soll told the commissioners the group was there to ask the board to sign a proclamation declaring February as Hamilton County 4-H Month. The  members and advisors recited the 4-H Pledge followed by Nelson reading the proclamation and the board’s unanimous vote in favor of the proclamation. 
“This is one of my favorite things to do,” Nelson said of the ceremony. “Thanks for your service to the 4-H community.” 
“Some dreams finally come true,” Brandt commented in regard to the next item on the agenda. He was talking about the purchase of a new dump truck for the highway department, a process that started nearly three years ago, but has been delayed by supply chain issues. 
Brandt announced that a build slot had come up in August for the International HV513 truck to be manufactured, adding that the schedule was later bumped up to March, so the department could have the truck by summer. 
Brandt said he had looked into purchasing a truck with a manual transmission, however, he was told that is now considered to be an option which increases the cost by $9,000. He also said the truck will come ready for a snow plow to be mounted on the front, but a new plow has a wait time of another 18 months. 
Although the $193,000 purchase had already been approved in previous years and the money has been rolled over in Brandt’s budget from year to year, the board held a vote to reapprove the purchase. It passed unanimously.