Meeting Minutes: June 14, 2021
The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in regular session on Monday June 14, 2021 in the Carter County Courthouse Board Meeting room of the Carter County Courthouse in Ekalaka, Montana. Steve Rosencranz Chairman, Rod Tauck, Vice Chair and Mike Watkins, were present. Board Chairman Steve Rosencranz called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
The commission discussed the purchase of a used lawn tractor for County Maintenance. There was also discussion regarding the drainage at the new hospital.
Commissioner Tauck made the motion to approve the Encroachment Permit for Mid-Rivers at the Kim Curry Rd and the Denbury Encroachment on the McCabe Rd. Commissioner Watkins seconded the motion to approve the Permits. The motion carried unanimously.
Corbit Harrington, County Attorney joined the meeting.
Workers Compensation bids presented by Jolene Paxson and Bailey from Victory Insurance. Jade Boggs of the Insurance Store with Jeremy Norby Seitz Insurance presented the State Fund Insurance plan. The commissioners will review the quotes and information presented and chose a plan. The Commission will be in touch at a later date with their decision.
OAC meeting # 42
Present: John Neisner, Robert Johnson, Cody Taggert for Scull Construction. Theron Thompson and Dax Simek from Stahly Engineering. Kelly Axtman, Slate Architecture. Ryan Tooke, Dahl Memorial CEO, Georgia Bruski, DES Coordinator. Stefanie Harrington, Carter County Public Health. Phone in: Greg Benjamin, Stahly Engineering.
Safety and security: issue with doors left open/ unlocked the issues will addressed.
Action Items include CAR # and CO # 8 that will be finalized in two weeks.
Construction Progress: Door to ER on site, scheduled to be put together. Roof top unit condensers are tripping. Norpac has not found the reason. They have called Service rep from Billings.
Plumbers have several sinks to finish. The door cores are not on site yet and the glass install is still in progress. The landscape will be done in 3 weeks. The elevator will be finalized tomorrow. The slat wall materials are on site.
Will be installing the ER door with a new panic bar and signage. installation Roof access door keypad was discussed. Scull Construction will be looking to the safety and security aspects of the door.
ADA compliant public bathroom will need to have the urinal removed or a smaller one installed to be meet specifications. Ceiling tile installed in the entry to cover the duct work, conduit and the Bracing.
Slate Architect is on site to complete the punch list. The OAC meeting ended at 11:02 The next meeting will be on June 24, 2021.
County attorney Harrington presented the 2021-2022 Attorneys office budget.
The commission discussed the overweight permit for the Mormon St Highway 7 bridge.
Dax Simek stopped in to let the commission know that the retention pond is approximately 1.5 ft deeper then necessary. There is an option to put rock in the bottom to bring the pond up to specs. He also sees the need to install a retaining wall or make correction on the grade around the ER entrance.
The meeting broke for lunch at 12:00 and reconvened at 1:00 pm
Carl Knapp Road and Bridge Supervisor, joined the meeting. He discussed replacing the engine in one of the gravel trucks. The commission approved the complete rebuild of the engine rather that replacement.
Carl is still planning to purchase a used truck for the Road and Bridge Department from Bob Mackin.
Commissioner Watkins made the motion to approve the Contract for gravel haul on Pilgrim Creek Road and the brownfield Pit Crushing bid advertisement. Commissioner Tauck seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.
Dax Simek returned to the meeting with questions about the culvert on the West side of the building. This culvert will be permeant and with the grading and landscape it will help with drainage.
Kathy Rosencranz and Kamely Harkins joined the meeting for the Justice of the Peace Budget review and substitute judge salary. There was little change to the budget as Kathy didn’t travel for training and there were very few trials. She may attend the National Conference in Georgia later this year.
Kamely requested substitute judge wages when she fills in as judge when Kathy is absent. There was discussion regarding precedence of substitute judges paid the full amount of the judge wages as well as the duties completed by the clerk in the absence of the judge. Commissioner Watkins made the motion to pay Kamely 90% of the judge’s salary when serving as the substitute judge in Kathy’s absent. Commissioner Tauck seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.
Sabre Moore, Llane Carroll, Marlene Waterland, and Brice Lambert Joined the meeting for the 2021-2022 Museum Budget review. The commission approved the budget Sabre also highlighted the Museum’s economic and educational impact to the community.
Doug Bonsell and Wayne Yost of the County Conservation District joined the meeting. They have requested that Stefanie Harrington work 8-15 hours for the Conservation District. Pam Castleberry Clerk and Recorder / Human Resources and Cecile Kuehn Deputy Treasurer/ payroll clerk, joined the meeting. Pam responded to the request. Stefanie is a full time County Health Manager with understanding that she works 40 hours a week. The Conservation District is part of the County payroll, she would not eligible to work for the Conservation District. The Health Manager position currently requires full time hours while the County Health Department plans for and offers a full range of services. There was also discussion regarding hours work and overtime hours. The commission requested that Stefanie call and request overtime hours if the situation required her to work more than 40 hours. Doug, Wayne and Cecile left the meeting.
Attorney Corbit Harrington presented the Commissioners with a letter of information for the Hospital Building RFQ.
Seth Whitney, Doug Bonsell, and Cam LaBree representing the Fair Board joined the meeting to present the 2021- 2022 budget. Cam adjusted the funds to include more monies for entertainment. They have also included the purchase of a new computer in the budget. The Fair Board has advertised for someone to paint the barns. They enquired about having maintenance water the playground area by the Event Center.
Bob Denning of Denning Downey and Associates joined the meeting for the exit audit review. Bob explained the rules established for the use of the CARES Act funding and the ARPA funds. He also set forth steps needed to grant the ARPA funds to the Town of Ekalaka. The receipt of the CARES Act and or ARPA funds would require the County and the Town; if they receive the funds to have a Federal audit. Bob reported no findings and will have draft sent to the County next week. He requests that the annual report for 2021 be completed by November.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:54.
Board of County Commissioners
Carter County, Montana
Attest: /s: Steve Rosencranz Attest: /s: Pamela J Castleberry
Chairman Clerk of the Board