Musselshell County Commission Minutes

September 30, 219

Commissioners minutes

The meeting was called to order at 8:30 by Commissioner Borner. Commissioner Berry and Commissioner Carlson were present.

Pledge of Allegiance.

Commissioner Borner requested that we add signing Resolution 2019-22 regarding School Budget/Levy to the agenda and to make a place for grant discussion. Commissioner Carlson made the motion to approve the agenda as amended. Commissioner Berry seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Commissioner Carlson made the motion to approve the September 16, 2019 minutes after a couple spelling errors were fixed. Commissioner Berry seconded the motion as amended. Motion carried.

Commissioner Borner met with Kathie Bailey from Snowy Mountain Development Corporation regarding the DLA(delivering local assistance) grant for dispatch and they don’t think we have gathered enough information that will be needed to get the grant so they may do a planning grant first. Commissioner Borner asked the Commissioners if they should be trying to put money into the older infrastructure of the County or just keep doing band aide fixes with the old ambulance barn and jail. Commissioner Berry mentioned he talked to a Commissioners from Carbon County about the jail they are going to be building and wondered if Musselshell County should reserve some beds. They will talk to Sheriff Lesnik about the yearly number of inmates we have and see how he feels about the idea. Commissioner Borner also had an HRDC meeting on Friday September 20, 2019 in Lewistown.

Commissioner Carlson said the Refuse Board and City are looking at another Counties lease agreement and are working on revamping their lease. They are still working on information about the NorthWestern Energy Audit and think they should include all County buildings. Commissioner Carlson had an Area II Council on Aging meeting on Friday September 20, 2019. The State is backlogged and there will not be any funding until late October or early November and they are having to use their reserve monies.

Commissioner Berry attended a hospital board meeting and finding doctors and recruitment was the main topic. They did have their first audit since 2009. Commissioner Berry said that when they were at the MACo Conference he did talk to someone from the Montana department of Transportation and there are three properties south of Roundup that are going to be having their rumble strips filled.

Commissioner Borner told the Commissioners about EDA funding that may be available for the County. They are going to look into it further.

Maintenance Supervisor Jett did not give a weekly report due to CPR training.

Road and Bridge Supervisor Stockert and Secretary Kenner gave their weekly report to the Commissioners. Ruth Mayo was also present to see if there was a chance of getting gravel on a County Road. And to let the Commissioners know that there is someone encroaching on a County right of way again. Mr. Stockert said they will put the road that needs gravel on the list and they will send a letter regarding the encroachment. Mr. Stockert told the Commissioners that encroachments on County Roads is really starting to be a problem and some roads may not get plowed because they can’t get the equipment in. The #4 Road alteration was discussed. Commissioner Borner and Commissioner Carlson had a phone conversation on Monday September 16th, 2019 with the Jensens family Attorney Todd Gunderson regarding the issue. Both parties that own the property in question do not want the property and asked the question of the County taking it by eminent domain. Commissioner Berry said he would like to move forward but wants a letter from the owners of the property, asking for the property to be taken by eminent domain. The Commissioners will talk to Tara DePuy from MACo about the situation before they go further. Commissioner Berry will also be talking to Ms. DePuy about the Colony Road/#60 Road letter. The culvert on Alec Roy will have to wait because of running water. They will be working on

Musselshell County

Commission Minutes

Johnson Road this week and all of the land owners have been notified. Mr. Stockert told the Commissioners that he has a big list of cattle guards that will be getting cleaned. Blading was done on Hougardy, Dean Crk, mowing moved to Fattig, Old Divide then to Hay Basin. Cattle guards cleaned on Fattig, Snowy Mountain, Goulding Crk, Fishel Crk, Melstone-Custer, Harvey, Klein, Farreltown, Eagle Rock, Dailey Hawk Crk. The Road Department will not be at the Commissioners meeting on October 7, 2019 due to 1st aid and CPR training.

Sheriff Lesnik gave his weekly report to the Commissioners. There was damage done at the fairgrounds by a hit and run driver. Mr. Lesnik thinks they should lock the gate again to keep people from driving in there. The Commissioners agree. There are still some issues with the Black Mountain timecard program. There are two deputies that are in training. Working with Snowy Mountain Development Corp. for funding on a new evidence/coroner building.

Barb Anderson, Cindy Marshall and Janet Hamilton met with the Commissioners regarding ambulance protocol. They are concerned about delaying treatment by having to go to Roundup Memorial and would like the policy changed. The Commissioners will talk to Ambulance Director Solberg about the issue.

DES Coordinator Fisher and harper gave their weekly report to the Commissioners. The Commissioners would like to extend the Demo Bid acceptance date for 2 more weeks. The first quarter reports for the EMPG and FEMA projects are due October 10, 2019. The Commissioners will suspend the rules at 3:00 business to sign the commitment letter for the PDM grants. They are testing the new burn permits. Fire Chiefs have not been calling in for the weekly call which is very important for DES and DNRC. It will be addressed at the Fire Council meeting Thursday October 3, 2019. Also non running equipment at some departments will be addressed at the meeting.

Treasurer Hetrick gave her weekly report to the Commissioners. The Commissioners will be signing Resolution 2019-22 regarding Budgets and Levies. Mills have gone up.

Karen Lekse met with the Commissioners with a complaint about Western Road. Ms. Lekse said the ruts are 8 inches deep and is concerned with her and anyone else that drives the roads safety. There is also a cattle guard that needs cleaned out. The Commissioners told her that they will let the Road Department know of her concerns and Western Road will be put on the list. (Commissioner Carlson went to Western Road at the lunch hour and reported that he didn’t think it was as bad as some of the other County roads he has been on lately)

County Agent Fosjord gave her weekly report to the Commissioners. There will be a bid going into the Roundup Record and Yellowstone County News for the soap stone stove that was in the Extension Office.

Ambulance Director Solberg met with the Commissioners to discuss the Black Mountain time card program. The Commissioners told him about the visit they had with Barb Anderson, Cindy Marshall and Janet Hamilton and their concerns with the ambulance protocol. They will try to set up a meeting with all parties. Mr. Solberg gave the Commissioners the account receivable for the months of July and August.

Clerk & Recorder Tomassi met with the Commissioners with an updated status of all of the grants. Commissioner Borner signed Journal Voucher 483 for fairground expenses that came out of the wrong account. Journal Voucher 487 were payments for the postage machine and a notary seal came out of the election account and should have come out of the Clerk & Recorder accounts. And Journal Voucher 487 for grant money for new election equipment, put into the election expenditure account.

Sheriff Lesnik met with the Commissioners regarding the deputies pays.

There was no public comment.

Item #1 to discuss Road #60 in Sections 10 & 3, T-11-N, R-25-E was tabled until the Commissioners can talk to Tara Depuy with MACo.

Commissioner Carlson made the motion to review and sign the Encroachment Permit for an approach in Section 7, Township 9 North, Range 29 East on 4 Mile Road submitted by Vic Lewin. Commissioner Berry seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Commissioner Berry made the motion to review and sign the Encroachment Permit for an approach in Section 16, Township 7 North, Range 26 East on Johnny Coal Road submitted by Tabitha Worley. Commissioner Carlson seconded the motion. Motion carried. Commissioner Berry said this is based on Road and Bridge Supervisor Stockert’s discussion to move the approach over more that is on the map included. Motion carried.

Commissioner Carlson made the motion to approve and sign Resolution 2019-22 for Budget/Levy Increase of County-wide Transportation and Budget/Levy Decrease of County-wide High School Retirement and Elementary Retirement. Commissioner Berry seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Commissioner Berry made the motion to suspend the rules and sign the Letter of Commitment for the PDM Grant submitted by DES Coordinator Fisher and Harper. Commissioner Carlson seconded the motion. Motion carried.

There being no further business the motion was made to adjourn.

End of business.

September payroll = $121,028.33 Check # 23792 – 2382

September claims = $669,694.27 Check # 65708 – 65840