COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
April 1, 2021
Commissioners Scott Blain, Bill Bullock and Scott Miller; Administrative Officer Angela Newell; and Commissioners’ Secretary Barbara Krizek were present.
8:30 Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioners attended a meeting of the Detention Facility Citizen Advisory Committee last evening; the minutes from the Committee’s March 17 meeting were approved (see attached).
Discussion regarding road assets and holding an auction in the Fall to dispose of assets no longer serving the County.
9:30 Council Members Glory Mahan and Pete Critelli joined for the regular City of Red Lodge meeting on behalf of Mayor Bill Larson. City Attorney Rebecca Narmore is resigning; the vacancy is posted and they are looking to find a local attorney to assist in the interim. City Council adopted the Bee City USA Resolution on March 9, 2021 to support local pollinators; it is the first Montana municipality to earn a Bee City designation. Mahan doesn’t intend to run for re-election when her term expires. Discussion regarding on-going flooding at the Two-Mile Bridge area; Commissioner Bullock provided a recap regarding a recent meeting of stakeholders including DNRC, Army Corps of Engineers, private landowners, and City Public Works Director Jim Bushnell.
Commissioner Miller moved to accept the Clerk and Recorder’s Monthly Deposit Reconciliation for March; Commissioner Bullock seconded; motion carried.
Commissioner Miller moved to accept the Treasurer’s Cash Report for March; Commissioner Bullock seconded; motion carried.
10:00 County Attorney agenda item canceled.
Discussion regarding County roads and requirements for posting speed limit signs; Commissioner Blain highlighted an issue with a reckless driver on Ortiz Road. Newell cited Montana Code that states that a speed study is not required for the Board of Commissioners to establish a speed limit on a County road. Commissioner Miller recommended conferring with Sheriff Josh McQuillan regarding appropriate speeds.
Commissioner Blain spoke with Al Swigert, former road employee and Joliet shop Foreman for many years dating back to the 1970s. Swigert indicated that he had, on countless occasions, plowed snow and maintained Evertz Road past where the road ends on the County’s current road map. They typically stopped just past the current gate before the road drops down the “trail” to the Evertz place. They stopped regular maintenance on Evertz Road on a regular basis in the early 1980’s when the Diamond J road was built. Diamond J road was petitioned to be a county road back in 1981 but was never accepted as a county road. Swigert further indicated that former Commissioners, Steffan, Nutting, Davidson, and Grewell had the road crew perform work on Evertz Road to at least the point where the road ends today. He also said that at some point Commissioner Grewell came in the shop one day and indicated he had been doing research on Evertz Road and it ended at its current termination and the crew was to not go past that point.
11:00 Public Health Services Request for Proposal (RFP) draft. It’s been since 2001 since an RFP process has been issued for Public Health services and Commissioners felt it was time to re-evaluate. The contract will be an annual contract with option to renew. The Public Health Officer will be supervised by the Board of Health.
Discussion regarding other bids/contracts for the coming fiscal year. Commissioners asked that Newell have the County Attorney draft a contract for fuel delivery services due to historical inconsistencies in delivery.
12:00 Adjourned.