Commissioners updated on ongoing boiler issues, 'biggest event' in Chamber history

Highland County commissioners Terry Britton, David Daniels and Brad Roades approved a quote for a boiler replacement at the Highland County Justice Center Wednesday, Feb. 4, following yet another gas leak in the building.

The current boiler, which is an original from when the building opened over 25 years ago, has caused multiple gas leaks over the past few months, including another one Wednesday morning. Highland County Sheriff Randy Sanders and Chief Deputy Jennifer Schinkal have been attending commission meetings for several weeks asking commissioners to approve a replacement.

After their regular session Wednesday, commissioners voted to approve a quote from Weller’s in the amount of $71,300 for a replacement boiler, according to commission clerk Ashleigh Willey.

A representative from Frye Mechanical, the company working to repair the current boiler, had addressed commissioners during their regular session. He recommended that commissioners decide whether they wanted to replace the defective boiler with one boiler or with two “condensing boilers” so that there is “redundancy.” Sanders pointed out that the “whole building” is run under the current system without redundancy.

However, the Frye representative said either way there was a three- to four-week lead time on getting the equipment, then the county would be looking at a “three- to four-day process” for the installation, which would require the relocation of inmates if they tried to do the work in the current weather conditions.

“This should be a summer or right-before-winter project,” he said.

Due to the ongoing issues with the boiler system, the jail has been evacuated, with inmates relocated as of Thursday. Hillsboro Municipal Court, which also runs out of the Justice Center, was closed as well. 

In other discussion, Highland County Chamber of Commerce Director Jamie Wheeler issued a final invitation to the 2026 Ag Is Everyone’s Business program, which she said will be the Chamber’s largest-ever event.

As of Wednesday, Wheeler said that 615 tickets have been sold for this year’s event in the Southern State Community College Patriot Center, which will be held March 6. Due to the high demand for tickets, she said that only approximately 400 individuals will be seated at tables on the floor, with the overflow crowd being seated in the Patriot Center bleachers.

In its 14th year, Ag Is Everyone’s Business is one of the Chamber’s most popular events of the year, but the attendance is expected to more than double from last year. That is due largely to the world-renowned keynote speaker, Dr. Temple Grandin, whom Wheeler said has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people and was the subject of an award-winning biopic in 2010. 

“She is extremely well known in the ag world, especially the livestock world, has helped develop cattle handling equipment all the way from the farm to the packers, and she's currently a professor at Colorado State University,” Wheeler said. “We’ve got people traveling two, three hours away to come.”

In addition, Wheeler said “a whole new crowd,” including a number of individuals working with boards of DD in the area, are coming to hear Grandin speak.

“She was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4, and she was born in 1947, so this was in 1951,” Wheeler said. “The doctors told her parents to institutionalize her, and that's all you could do. Her mom didn't like that idea and kept fighting and fighting and fighting. She went on, obviously, to high school, college, post grad work and earned her doctorate. 

“In addition to her livestock work, she also has done a lot of work in the autism world and speaks a lot about how there's room for all minds in the workforce.”

Wheeler added that it’s “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to have Grandin speaking “right here in Highland County.”

According to Wheeler, “doors will open 8:30 a.m. with breakfast available and welcoming remarks will start at 9:45 a.m. The event will conclude at 11 a.m. with a meet and greet with Dr. Grandin. The breakfast will be prepared by local caterers and served by local FFA Chapter members.  

“Tickets for the event are $25 and can be purchased by visiting the Chamber office at 129 North High Street in Hillsboro, calling 937-393-1111, or can be purchased online at www.thehighlandchamber.com.
 
In response to a question from Daniels, Wheeler added that the cutoff for ticket sales is Feb. 27, unless they sell out in advance, considering the high volume of sales already.

“We are excited,” Wheeler said. “This is the biggest event we will ever host, and so with that comes a little bit of pressure and anxiety and lots of things, but it's exciting.”

Commissioners also made the following approvals, each by a 3-0 vote:

• The execution of three separate motions for the roof replacement project at the Because He Lives Food Pantry. Those included a notice to proceed, notice of award and a standard form of agreement between the owner and contractor.

• A resolution to appoint David Daniels as the designee to the Solid Waste Management District Policy Committee for the year 2026 representing the Highland County Commissioners. 

• A resolution granting authorization for the listed “then and now” purchase orders and authorizing the county auditor to issue warrants for their payment.

• A request from the Recorder for a budget modification within the 1000 County General fund in the amount of $2,000.

• A transfer from County, Transfers Out, to Airport Capital Improvement 4220 in the amount of $15,000. Also requested is an additional appropriation from unappropriated funds in the amount of $3,000.

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