065
COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
April 2, 2024
Commissioners Scott Miller, Scott Blain, and Bill Bullock, and Administrative Officer Angela Newell were present.
8:30 Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioners discussed Compensation Board meetings next week; Newell presented graphs showing revenue trends and an evaluation of the cost associated with implementing various percent increases.
9:15 Clerk and Recorder Macque Bohleen met regarding possible tax deeds.
9:50 Bullock moved to accept Clerk and Recorder Monthly Deposit Reconciliation for March 2024; Blain seconded; motion carried.
Bullock moved to accept the Treasurer’s Cash Report for March 2024; Blain seconded; motion carried.
Bullock moved to approve minutes for March 14, 2024; Blain seconded; motion carried.
Miller signed a new Education Trailer MOU with the Montana Weed Control Association to correct a typo.
10:30 Geospatial Information Systems Coordinator / Fire Warden Tom Kohley met for his monthly meeting. Discussed an uptick in rural address applications, Home hardening workshop, upcoming grant applications, and schedule changes to accommodate training that will likely result in overtime, Miller approved the overtime request. Discussion of Junk Ordinance and complaints received over the weekend around Cooney Dam.
10:55 Bullock moved to approve District Court End of Period Disbursement for March 2024; Blain seconded; motion carried.
11:00 Contract Planner Forrest Mandeville, Clerk and Recorder Macque Bohleen, and Kate Stout of Red Lodge Surveying met regarding the McMurray Subdivision Preliminary Plat Application. Mandeville reviewed his staff report for the 40-acre, 3-lot subdivision noting the lot was originally created using an Agricultural Exemption. Bullock having reviewed and considered the application materials, project memorandum, public comments, Planning Board recommendation, and all of the information presented, moved to approve the McMurray Subdivision, with the findings and conditions included in the project memorandum; Blain seconded; Bullock asked about the County’s ability to impose Impact Fees to provide for the increased maintenance needs due to the increased traffic on County Roads for subdivision access. Mandeville noted the County would need to adopt an impact fee plan to measure the level of service and how each lot contributes to that impact. A shorter-term option would be to require “off-site” improvements to the County Road as a condition of the Subdivision. This would require a traffic study and the subdivision could only be required to provide its proportional share of the maintenance costs. Mandeville noted this could be further explored when Subdivision Regulations are updated next year. Another option would be to create a Rural Special Improvement District (RSID) to pay for road maintenance costs or require a waiver of the right to protest a future RSID (the waiver is only good for 20 years). Discussion continued on mechanisms to help with the costs of road maintenance. Discussion of adding requirements for traffic studies. Stout asked about exempt wells and how water rights are allocated. Motion carried.
Mandeville and Commissioners discussed Broadwater County court case regarding aquifer impacts from subdivisions; his discussions with engineers regarding the costs associated with well draw-down tests; and the expertise to evaluate water data. Mandeville and Commissioners also discussed the Growth Policy update and considerations for Planning Board.
Jeff Wise met with Commissioners to request a tutorial on the new loader; Bullock noted the machine still needed an inspection and some items added before it was used.
12:00 Adjourned.
Respectfully submitted: Angela Newell, Administrative Officer