COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
September 10, 2020
Commissioners Scott Blain and Bill Bullock; Administrative Officer Angela Newell; and Commissioners’ Secretary Barbara Krizek were present.
8:30 Pledge of Allegiance
Commissioner Bullock reported that Geico Insurance has expressed interest in using Carbon County roads to film a commercial; the County will require a road encroachment permit and fee and require liability insurance.
8:50 Gordon Sirrine joined the meeting (tele-conference).
9:30 Red Lodge Mayor Larson joined for his weekly meeting. The City is forming a Pool Committee to explore the rehabilitation of the facility; pursuing funding including a Pool Endowment for maintenance/upkeep. Commissioner Bullock reported on increases in County’s FY20-21 budget: Courthouse remodel if reimbursed by COVID-19 CARES Act; radio tower improvements; help of Pryor Mountain Wind Farm Impact Fees. Larson moving forward on City’s Growth Policy. Larson reported that building permits are busy; people buying up city lots and very few long-term rentals available. Discussion regarding the 45% of Federal CARES Act Aid that is slated to make its way to local jurisdictions.
10:00 County Attorney Alex Nixon did not attend due to Court.
11:00 Steve Simonson of Beartooth Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) joined the meeting to discuss high-speed Internet access in the County. They are working with representatives for SpaceX to participate as a test site in Carbon or Stillwater County. Sibanye-Stillwater Mine is willing to sponsor $10k towards the test. Stillwater County is in support. The National standard for speeds is 25Mb download/3Mb upload; SpaceX provides 100Mb download/10Mb upload. SpaceX is in the process of deploying 800 satellites to launch this system next month. The beam from space is 21km in diameter, so Simonson posed the question of where in the County this beam would serve best given the choice of Roberts, Bridger, or Fromberg. Simonson outlined costs: $8k to establish the link; $1k per home/business for satellite dish; $80 /resident/mo; $350/month/business. No financial commitment necessary from the County at this point. Sibanye-Stillwater Mine’s current grant would allow for 3-4 months testing. Commissioners supported using Joliet as a test-site. Simonson will approach Sibanye-Stillwater to ask if they will support two test-sites, one in Carbon and one in Stillwater County.
11:20 Sirrine departed, and Barb Mettler joined, the meeting.
Discussion regarding ordering 50 plexi-glass partitions for election judges for COVID-19 mitigation measures for the November General Election; Commissioner Blain will coordinate with Red Lodge Glass.
11:35 Michael Gebhardt from Roberts Water-Sewer District joined the meeting to discuss punch-list items regarding the Highway 212 Improvement Project.
12:00 Board of Health Meeting attended by County Health Officer Bill George, MD; Billy Oley, MD; Jack Exley, MD; Public Health Coordinator Roberta Cady; Public Health Nurse Sheila Boggio; Public Health Nurse Becky Ullom; Beartooth Billings Clinic Brandi Mains; Sanitarian Cortney Lynde; Superintendent Lori Kane; Sheriff Josh McQuillan; Disaster and Emergency Services (DES) Coordinator Tom Kohley; Mental Health Center Barb Mettler; Grizzly Peak Veterinarian Becky Frank; and Dick Nolan. 12:15 County Attorney Alex Nixon and back-up County Health Officer Greg Burfeind, MD joined the meeting.
1:05 Adjourned.
2:00 Meeting resumed to conduct an interview for DES Coordinator. Sheriff Josh McQuillan, DES Coordinator Tom Kohley, and Dale Butori joined. 3:30 Interview and discussion concluded.
Clerk and Recorder Christine Stovall joined the meeting to discuss the upcoming General Election and the roles election judges will or will not assume. Commissioner Bullock reinforced that the judges will be expected to judge the election and wear masks all day to mitigate COVID-19 spread, but will not be responsible for enforcing elector mask use; electors will be allowed to vote regardless of their choice to wear or not wear a mask, despite the Governor’s Directive requiring masks be worn indoors.
Commissioner Bullock moved to approve the Carbon County Justice Court End of Period Disbursement for 8/31/2020; Commissioner Blain seconded; motion carried.
3:40 Adjourned.