Commissioners Proceedings

Powder River County Commissioner Minutes

June 4, 2018

All commissioners were present to conduct county business during the first meeting of the month.

Having heard no public comment on the agenda, the board visited with Marty Drane, Buildings and Grounds Supervisor, will be mowing and working on the repeater and tv sites.

Carole Richards, Clerk and Recorder, presented time sheets for the commissioner’s review and approval.

Teel Mullanix, Road Supervisor, reported the county is hauling sand into the arena and trying to get the arena in slope. The Ranch Creek Road project is 90% to start. Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) will be sponsoring a blade school for the road department for two days.

At 10:00 AM, the board met with Denbury Onshore employees Ed Karpiel, Bill Atchison, Dave Anderson, Bill Frost and Dave Smith and Teel Mullanix to discuss the pipeline they are planning to put in from Belle Creek to Baker, MT. Very little of it will cross our county. Construction will begin around June15, 2019, and should be completed in 120 days.

Teel then met with the board to discuss the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act (BaRSAA) projects. The Cemetery Road project will possibly cost approximately one million dollars to pave from city limits to the cattleguard past the cemetery. No decision was made.

Cherie Stachey, Nursing Home Administrator/Director of Nursing, met with the board to report a census of 25 residents. She reported the credit card program will soon be in service. Discussion was held regarding paying the nursing home physician directly instead of working through a medical employment agency. Currently we are paying $142.00 per hour for the doctor.

Darlynn Williams, County Health Nurse, brought in the latest contract with Montana Department of Health and Human Services for immunization services. The contract was signed for fiscal year 2018-19.

At 3:00 PM, Paul Rainey with Range Telephone Cooperative, visited with the Commissioner and Carole Richards, Clerk and Recorder about IT services they now offer. He will be back to do a test on our internet speed and computer security.

At 4:00 PM the board joined the Predator Control Board meeting. The board asked for a raise for O’Gorman Enterprises and authorized the same budget for the aerial fixed wing service in the new fiscal year. Funding sources were discussed.

At 5:00 PM commissioners joined the Noxious Weed Board meeting. The board discussed hiring Tom Pino as Weed Coordinator, the upcoming budget and new projects.

Having heard no public comment and having completed all current business, the board adjourned at 5:40 PM.

June 5, 2018

Commissioner Donna Giacometto, Darold Zimmer and Rod Schaffer met to conduct the business of the county.

At 9:00 AM, a safety meeting was scheduled but due to lack of quorum, the meeting was canceled.

Kathy Roberts, Transportation Director, met with the board to visit about the compliance report due to the state. It is almost completed.

At 10:15 AM, bids were received as advertised and reviewed for Meals on Wheels program. No bids were received.

At 10:30 AM, bids were received as advertised and reviewed for the Congregate Meal program for seniors. One bid was received from Powder River Lanes for 12.75 per meal and will begin July 1, 2018 and terminate June 30 2019. Rod moved to accept the bid, Donna seconded the motion, motion passed unanimously. The county is reimbursed a portion of the meal costs for Congregate meals and Meals on Wheels by Action for Eastern Montana.

At 1:00 PM, concerned citizens supporting the Senior Center and Pat Ridenour, Senior Center Director, met with the board to discuss the budget for fiscal year 2018-19. The commissioners explained there is no way to make any decisions on the budget because taxable value will not be received until August.

Donna began planning for the Montana Association of Counties District 3 meeting which will be held in Broadus in August.

Having completed all current business and upon hearing no public comment, the board adjourned at 5:00 PM.

June 11, 2018

All commissioners were present for a regular scheduled meeting to conduct county business.

No public comment was heard on today’s agenda

Marty Drane, Buildings and Grounds Supervisor, met with the board to report the pool is not ready. He is going to work on the Community Center. Landscaping at the nursing home is still in progress. T-Mobile sent a letter stating that they have purchased air space at 600 mhz which could interrupt the tv air space. The county would have to file more paperwork to get air space which could take up to a year. Marty will order two loads of asphalt for the nursing home parking lot.

Carole Richards, Clerk and Recorder, presented year end resolutions. Resolution 2018-08, a resolution to transfer oil and gas production tax funds in the amount of $1,800,000 as follows:

All Purpose Fund $ 850,000

Road Fund $ 150,000

Nursing Home Fund $ 800,000, and

Resolution 2018-09, a resolution to transfer oil and gas production funds to fire districts as follows:

Belle Creek Fire District $ 500

Biddle Fire District $ 500, and

Resolution 2018-10, a resolution to transfer mineral royalty funds as follows:

All Purpose Fund $ 225,000.

A motion was made by Rod Schaffer to accept the resolutions as presented. Donna Giacometto seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

Teel Mullanix, Road Supervisor, met with the commission to report he may have a prospective gravel site located in the southeastern part of the county. Teel reported they have a blade in Billings for repair and it will be very expensive. Teel reported on the blade school training the crew attended last week. The Cemetery Road was discussed as it relates to the BaRSAA project. No decision was made. The Federal Lands Highway Design Standards was signed for the Ranch Creek Road. The replacement pickup for the road department was delivered last week. The garbage truck at the landfill is broke down.

Mary Rumph, noxious weed board secretary and John Barbero, board member, met with the commissioners. The weed board and Commissioner Darold Zimmer did one interview and

Cherie Stachey, Nursing Home Administrator/Director of Nursing, reported a census of 25 residents. It was also reported St. Vincent DePaul has donated money for respite baths. Aging accounts in the physical therapy department were discussed and what steps need to be taken to collect these past due accounts.

Cherie Stachey presented a bid for Meals on Wheels program. The commissioners accepted the bid which is for $12.00 per meal and will begin July 1, 2018 and terminate June 30, 2019. Rod moved to accept the bid, Donna seconded the motion, motion passed unanimously.

Teel Mullanix, Road Supervisor, brought in the contract from the Montana Department of Transportation for the Ranch Creek Road. The start date has been pushed back to April, 2019.

Aletta Shannon, Clerk of District Court, met with the board to report Montana Interactive, an eGovernment services provider for the State of Montana, is changing the way a marriage license is issued by cutting the paperwork.

As required by Sec. 13-15-401, MCA, Commissioners Donna Giacometto and Rod Schaffer and Clerk of District Court Aletta Shannon sat as the board of county canvassers to canvass the returns for the June 7, 2016, Primary Election. Procedures for canvass of the votes as provided in Sec. 13-15-403, MCA, were completed for each precinct and results certified as final. Complete canvass report is on file with results to be entered in permanent records of the county and submitted to the Montana Secretary of State’s office. The Election Administrator shall, except as provided in Sec. 13-37-127, MCA, deliver certificate of nomination to each individual declared elected by the board.

Having completed all business and hearing no public comment, adjourned the meeting at 5:00 PM.