April 30, 2021
The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in regular session on Friday April 30, 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, and Attorney Corbit Harrington were present. Board Chairman Steve Rosencranz called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
The commission reviewed and approved the claims in the amount of $927,446.18 and Payroll in the amount of $205,720.93
The Board called Georgia Bruski, DES Coordinator regarding the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan (PDMP). Carter County is working with Fallon County to purchase a new plan and have received bids for Intergraded Solutions $ 46,794.76, KLJ Engineering $79,500.000, and Great Western Engineering who submitted an hourly rate.
The commissioners called Fallon County Commission Chairman Roy Rost and left a message to discuss the PDMP.
Attorney Harrington informed the commission that he spoke to Mike Madler requesting information on a map. Mike can produce a hard map of Ekalaka land surveys since the 1976 survey. He will have a submit a quote May 13, 2021.
Commissioner Tauck made the motion to approve the meeting minutes from April 19 and the 22, 2021. Commissioner Watkins seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried unanimously.
Commissioner Rosencranz and Attorney Harrington signed the FAA Airport Coronavirus Response Grant program offer approval forms. (ACRGP).
Commission called Lee LaBree Carter County Weed Board secretary to discuss overtime at the Weed Department this summer and his ideas on prioritizing the spraying this season.
Kathy Rosencranz joined the meeting to present a report of traffic tickets for the year. Commissioners discussed speed limits on highway 212.
Jessie Scott, Weed Supervisor joined the meeting. She had the commissioners sign the grant contracts for 2021 season. They included
· Boxelder- $15,000.00
· South End- $15,000.00
· Little Beaver- $10,000.00
· Hammond- $5,000.00
· Capital- $20,000.00
Commissioner Tauck made the motion to approve the grant projects. Commissioner Watkins seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.
Jessie presented the commission a Weed Board Standard Operating Procedures Manual for the weed crew employees. Attorney Harrington and the commission will review the document and discuss the document at the next meeting.
Jessie has one applicant for the weed spray crew this season. She is concerned that she may not have enough help to complete all of the jobs that normally get done in a season. She is requesting overtime. There was discussion on the number of extra hours that she would need. She could work 6 am to 7 pm approximately 3 weeks in June with no weekend hours. July and August could be regular hours 40 to 50 hours. No motion was made to grant her over time.
She has her priority jobs set as County roads and gravel pits, State contracts including MDT, DNRC and Medicine Rocks State Park. Federal Lands and finally private properties.
Roy Rost returned the commissioners call. Georgia Bruski, Carter County DES Co will attend the Fallon Co. Carter Co. Commissioners agree with the decision that Fallon Co. makes.
The meeting recessed for lunch at 12:00 and reconvened at 1:00.
Judy presented the Board with a letter from the State outlining a building code violation with the courthouse elevator. Bob Jacobs, maintenance is aware of the problem.
The Carl Knapp, Road and Bridge Supervisor joined the meeting were the commission called Greg Benjamin of Stahly Engineering to discuss Denbury Resources pipeline road use agreement. The commission asked for $21.00, Denbury countered with $19.00. The board will research previous contracts as $21.00 maybe too low to cover the cost of gravel replacement in the Southern end of the County. The call with Greg ended.
Carl discussed the cost of repairing the Road Department work truck. It has been taken in for repair where they found a minimum of $9,000.00 worth of repair needed. They discussed replacing the truck.
Carl also explained that he will be applying for the Volkswagen emissions settlement. There is funds available to help with replacement costs older diesel-powered trucks with new more fuel-efficient models. The commission and Carl discussed the grading around the new hospital building.
There was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:45 PM
Board of County Commissioners
Carter County, Montana
Attest: /s: Steve Rosencranz Attest: /s: Judy Wright Deputy Clerk
Steve Rosencranz, Chairman Clerk of the Board