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COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
November 10, 2022
Commissioners Scott Miller, Scott Blain, and Bill Bullock; and Administrative Officer Angela Newell were present.
8:30 Pledge of Allegiance.
Clerk and Recorder Macque Bohleen and Election Administrator Crystal Roascio met with Commissioners to discuss storage for elections documents and equipment.
Commissioners discussed a request from Cedarwood to retain beds. Commissioners agreed the County has no use for the beds, and would allow Cedarwood to keep them if the value was removed from the purchase price.
Pattie and Mike Wham from Historic Preservation Board met with Commissioners for the Board’s annual update. Wham discussed preservation activities including efforts to inventory of private cemeteries; Blain noted the considerable work done by the Clerk and Recorder’s Office to that end. Collection of oral history via interviews. Discussion of Board members. Blain moved to renew the Historic Preservation Services Agreement with the Carbon County Historical Society; Miller seconded; motion carried.
9:30 Red Lodge Mayor Kristen Cogswell met for her regular meeting. Discussed conversations with the State regarding removal of debris along Rock Creek in Town and removal of the Island and Rock Creek Walking bridge.
10:00 County Attorney Alex Nixon met with Commissioners for his weekly meeting. Discussed voter intimidation, elector challenges, and various other election related issues. Discussed methodology to produce email document
Miller moved to accept End of Period Disbursement for Justice Court; Bullock seconded; motion carried.
10:30 Beartooth RC&D Staff met for their annual update and to renew the Memorandum of Understanding. Joel Bertolino, Myrna Latusky, Nan Knight, and Jacy Head were present. Bertolino reviewed current projects noting that loans for Design Interiors in Red Lodge and the Y-Stop in Roberts were paid off this year. Discussion of low interest loans programs available to ag producers, affordable workforce housing needs, workforce development grant programs, browns field grant programs that have been expanded to address other types of environmental hazards, and the creation of a watershed group to help apply for funding on behalf of local ag producers. It was noted the conference room in the building is well utilized.
The Pea Cannery feasibility study was concluded this spring. The developer is planning a 2-year project to turn the back building into a studio and front building space into gallery and artist studios. Also hoping to open coffee shop and café. Discussed Flood recovery grants and assistance to local businesses, Historical Society feasibility study and next steps to develop second and third floors. RC&D is working with the owners of the old Red Lodge hospital and organizations to evaluate funding options for workforce housing. The building is in a bad state of disrepair. Hoping to find partner to assist with property development to oversee project. Demolition $500-700k and $1M for disposal of asbestos. Discussed issues with City sewer connection and capacity. Discussed use of Brownfield for Y-Stop. Discussion of establishing Port Authority to promote economic development. Would be helpful to help coordinate with RC&D; will coordinate follow-up meeting. Commissioners noted Agreement with MSU for Family and Consumer Sciences agent with an Economic Development component. Blain moved to approve the Memorandum of Understanding with Montana State University Extension; Miller seconded; motion carried.
11:30 Petition to Abandon last 1/10 of a mile of Peck Gulch Road. Clerk and Recorder Macque Bohleen and Geospatial Information Systems Coordinator / Fire Warden Tom Kohley were in attendance. Discussed where the road is dead ended; Kohley would like to review the documented terminus of the road and concerned that it may provide public access to BLM and other properties. Discussion about wildland fire access. Determine the petition is sufficient although Blain is concerned that they are not adjacent landowners. Blain moved to appoint himself and Surveyor from Red Lodge Surveying as Road Viewers and to make an investigation as to the feasibility, desirability, and cost of granting the prayer of the petition; Miller seconded; motion carried.
Miller moved to approve Commissioners Proceedings for October 4, 6, and 11, 2022; Blain seconded; motion carried.
12:00 Adjourned.
Respectfully submitted: Angela Newell, Administrative Officer