April 11, 2022
The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, April 11, 2022, in the Carter County Commission Board Meeting Room of the Carter County Courthouse at 214 Park Street in Ekalaka, Montana. Present were Steve Rosencranz, Chairman; Rod Tauck, Vice Chair and Mike Watkins, Member.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Steve Rosencranz.
There was no public comment.
DES Coordinator Georgia Bruski joined the meeting to request signatures on Drug Task Force agreement. Commissioner Watkins made the motion to sign the Memorandum of Assistance with the Drug Task Force agreement. Commissioner Tauck seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried unanimously.
Dahl Memorial CEO Ryan Tooke joined the meeting. He let the commission know that the window company representative will be at the hospital as well as Cody Taggart, Scull Construction and Scott Cromwell of Slate Architecture. They will be leaving early due to the weather. Ryan left the meeting.
County Attorney Corbit Harrington joined the meeting. Corbit recommended that the commission adopt a Policy for re-naming roads. The Commission agreed.
Commissioner Watkins made the motion to approve the meeting minutes for March 31, 2022 with corrections. Commissioner Tauck seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.
Carter County Treasurer Jessi Pierson joined the meeting to present the Treasurer report. The discussed the Capital improvement funds use and the PLLT Grant funds. The commission reviewed and signed the transfers and the investments.
Jessi also presented the Journal vouchers dated January 22 – March 22, 2022, report L100 for signature by the commissioners. Jessi left the meeting.
Clerk and Recorder Pam Castleberry joined the meeting with a letter from Stahly Engineering. They are offering a County Subdivision regulation template to the 12 counties that they contract with a cost share rate. The rate would change based on the number of Counties that agree to participate. The Commissioners agreed to purchase the template from Stahly Engineering.
Commissioners Rosencranz and Tauck met at the New hospital building with the crew reviewing the window installation. The returned to the commission chambers at 1:00 pm.
Road and Bridge Supervisor Carl Knapp stepped into the meeting to report that the crew is currently installing part of the railing on the Stagville Draw Road bridge. They hope to have it finished by the end of the day. Carl left the meeting.
Payroll Clerk Cecile Kuehn joined the meeting to discuss Deputy Coroner salary. Dewayne Bruce received the training last April and is currently preforming the duties a long with his Deputy Sheriff Duties. He does not at this time receive compensation for the duties of Deputy Coroner. Sheriff Kittlemann does however receive a $6,000.00 stipend as the coroner. Cecile proposes that Deputy Bruce receive 93% of the $6,000.00 stipend in addition to his Deputy Sheriffs pay with back pay for the year. There was discussion with the commission, Pam and Cecile. There was no decision made. The discussion was tabled. It will be placed on the Tuesday April 19, 2022 agenda.
District Ranger USFS Kurt Hansen and Rangeland Management Specialist Buck Buchanan joined the meeting. They presented the commissioners with a precipitation totals for the area for the last year that shows the average to be approximately 5.6 inches below normal. Bearing this in mind Buck is recommending a late turnout for area ranchers on Forest Reserve livestock permits. Normal dates are May 15th. He is looking at June 15th-20th this year, but will make the final decision on a case by case basis.
Kurt stated that the thinning contracts were slated to get under way later this week, but with the predicted blizzard conditions, they have set back the start date for more practical weather conditions. Kurt and Buck left the meeting.
DES Coordinator Georgia Bruski joined the meeting with a weather up date. She will contract the school, Dahl Memorial Hospital and Southeast Electric to note plans and preparations with the National Weather Service’s prediction of heavy snow and strong winds.
The commission placed a call to County attorney Harrington with regard to Deputy Corner position pay scale.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:52 pm.
Board of County Commissioners
Carter County, Montana
Attest: /s: Steve Rosencranz Attest: /s: Pamela J Castleberry
Steve Rosencranz, Chairman Clerk of the Board