Minutes: October 18, 2021
The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, October 18, 2021, in the Carter County Commission Board Meeting Room of the Carter County Courthouse at 214 Park Street in Ekalaka, Montana. Steve Rosencranz, Chairman; Rod Tauck, Vice Chair and Mike Watkins, Member; were present.
There was no public comment.
Jesse Scott weed Board supervisor presented leave requests.
The Carter County Weed District application to be a host site for The Big Sky Water Shed project was accepted. She is requesting permission from the Commissioners to go ahead with the process. Including interviews of a potential member to work for the County Weed Board during spray season. The total time frame for the contract is 10.5 months. The member would be shared with The State Weed Association. The County and the State Weed district would split the cost $12,000.00. The commission decided to table the decision until the October 29, 2021 meeting. Jessie left the meeting.
County Attorney Corbit Harrington and Sheriff Neil Kittlemann joined the meeting. Neil recommends that Carter County follow Forest Service and BLM, and remove Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. Commissioner Tauck made the motion to remove Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in Carter County at Midnight October 10-18-2021. Commissioner Watkins seconded the motion. There was no public comment. The motion carried.
Clerk and Recorder Pam Castleberry joined the meeting. Senate Bill # 238 requires the salary of the Under Sheriff at 98% of the Sheriff wages, with the option to increase the Deputy Sheriff wages to 85% - 95% of the Sheriffs wages. Commissioner Watkins made the motion to increase the Under Sheriff and the Deputies salaries by 3%, taking effect October 01, 2021. Commissioner Tauck seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried. Neil left the meeting.
Ekalaka Town Clerk Kitty Schmid joined the meeting where the Commission and Attorney Harrington reviewed the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) fund contract between Carter County and The Town of Ekalaka. Commissioner Tauck made the motion to update the contract. Commissioner Watkins seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried. Kitty left the meeting.
Shawna from DNRC called regarding several corrections need to the ARPA application.
The commissioners discussed the Insurance policies for the new hospital building.
The meeting adjourned for lunch and reconvened at 1:00 pm.
Attorney Harrington presented an updated rental agreement for the Carter County Event Center.
Jesi Pearson joined the meeting to present journal vouchers for the commission to approve and sign.
Pam Castleberry, Clerk and Recorder and Judy Wright Deputy Clerk and Recorder joined the meeting as the discussion of the Event Center rental agreement continued. Judy questioned whose duty it would be to check people out, i.e. inspect the Center after each event, special in the late evenings. Pam is not sure how the accounting procedure with the deposits would be handled.
The suggested event fee schedule for the Event Center would be $35.00 without the kitchen. $50.00 with use of the kitchen. $100.00 for a wedding. Cheri Gentry County Custodian joined the meeting. Attorney Harrington questioned Cherri about hours worked and duties performed including cleaning at the courthouse and the event center. She currently works 30 hours a week. She keeps track of the event center schedule that is kept in the Clerk and Recorders office. She checks the Event Center after every use. If it takes her more than an hour to clean the Center the person renting the center did not do their job cleaning up after themselves. Pam suggested handing out a check list to the renters to be signed and returned with the keys. Cheri would then inspect the building and let Pam or Judy know if the renter would receive their deposit back. Attorney Harrington will work on this proposal, as well as place calls to MACo and Bob Denning about handling a deposit.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 3:40 Board of County Commissioners
Carter County, Montana
Attest: /s: Steve Rosencranz Attest: / s: Pamela J Castleberry
Steve Rosencranz, Chairman Clerk of the Board