Minutes: March 8, 2021

Commission Proceedings

03-08-2021

The Carter County Commissioners met on Monday March 08, 2021 in the Carter County Courthouse Boardroom. Present were Steve Rosencranz Chairman, Mike Watkins Member, and Attorney Corbit Harrington. Absent Rod Tauck Vice Chair.

Commissioner Watkins made the motion to approve the 03-01-2021 meeting minutes with corrections. Commissioner Rosencranz seconded the motion. There was no pubic comment and the motion carried.

Commissioner Watkins made the motion to sign an early warrant for the Chase credit card bill in the amount of $799.89. Commissioner Rosencranz seconded the motion. There was no pubic comment and the motion carried.

Commissioner Rosencranz made the motion to appoint Commissioner Mike Watkins as the Environmental Certifying official for Carter County. Commissioner Watkins seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.

Lee LaBree, Weed Board Secretary and Jesse Scott, Weed Coordinator joined the meeting to review and sign Jesse Scott's job performance improvement Plan. Lee also agreed to Jesse working full time for the Weed Department without hiring an assistant. There maybe a need for a crew boss if she has several spray crews this season. Commissioner Watkins made the motion to approve Jesse Scott's Job Performance Improvement Plan. Commissioner Rosencranz seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried. Lee and Jesse left the meeting.

Commission discussed staffing a second part time Public Health Nurse.

Carl Knapp, Road/Bridge Supervisor joined the meeting where he and the commissioners marked a County map with the roads that would be used by the Denbury Pipeline crews.

The Town of Ekalaka has approached Carl about purchasing gravel. They have $10,000 budget. Carl suggested that they use up the 7,000- 8,000 yards they have first. The commission are ok with The Town purchasing more gravel.

Carl requested permission to sell the boom for scrap. The Board suggested trying to sell it at an online auction first and then for scrap if it doesn't sell.

The Dakota gravel trailer is broken beyond repair, the crew as taken all the usable parts off of it and would like to sell it for scrap as well. The Board approved selling the trailer for scrap.

Carl would like to purchase bulk calcium chloride to mix with the sand to use in the new road sander.

The remote-controlled roller compactor is expensive to maintain and Carl would like to trade it in on a walk behind roller compactor. The Board is ok with replacing the compactor.

There is a Trail King trailer for sale in Fargo, N.D. that Road Department has the budget to purchase to replace the Dakota trailer that they will scrap. It is priced at $45,800.00. The Board approved the purchase of the trailer.

The Culvert on the old dump road needs replaced. The Commission is ok with replacing the covert as it is a county road. Carl left the meeting.

The commission reviewed the job description for the Airport Board Maintenance employee. Commissioner Watkins made the motion to advertise for the permanent part time intermittent position. Commissioner Rosencranz seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.

Commissioner Rosencranz signed the Carter County Fuel Tax map for fiscal year 2022.

The commission broke for lunch at 12:00 and reconvened at 1:00.

Greg Benjamin from Stahly Engineering joined the meeting to finalize the details of the ADA access in front of the new hospital, the Courtyard design, and drainage on the East side of the new building.

Greg will visit the work site to see what concrete is already in place and then look into stairs with a hand rail the would make a direct route from parking to the front door.

The Courtyard should have a 3ft concrete apron around the foundation instead of landscape. This to facilitate water drainage away from the building. Greg presented a revised drawing that Scott Cromwell from Slate sent him that reflects these changes. The group discussed who would be responsible for the tables and benches in the Courtyard. The Contractor would install flat surface concrete for the patio area.

Greg suggests a gravel or large rock strip on the East side of the Hospital. He would like to see the rock laid to depth of 8-12 inches. This would take approx. 60 yards of rock and would be furnished and hauled by Carter County. It would then be installed by the landscape contractor.

The Board discussed having Greg Benjamin and Stahly Engineering do the road assessment for the Denbury Resources pipeline. Stahly would use the same parameters as with the previous road assessment. Greg stated that the road assessment would start the middle of May 2021 and the post assessment would start by November 2021. The contract with Stahly would be payed jointly by Carter County and Denbury Resources. Greg left the meeting.

Commissioner Rosencranz made the motion to approve the Carter County Weed Management Plan. Commissioner Watkins seconded the motion. The was no public comment and the motion carried.

The Board joined a conference call with Fallon County Commissioners and Larry Brence, Regional Supervisor for MSU Extension Service regarding filling the position of County Extension Agent. The group agreed to continue with a Fallon/Carter Extension agent. Commissioner Watkins moved to continue to share the Extension Agent with Fallon County, Commissioner Rosencranz seconded the motion and it passed. There was no public comment. They will run the same advertisement used last time the position was open. The conference call ended.

Troy Fruit, Airport Board president joined the meeting. They will have the ground work done by the May 1, 2021 so that Sacrison Paving can lay the asphalt.

The Commission placed a call to Jade Boggs at the insurance store enquiring about the need for a driver with a CDL to operate the plow truck at the airport. A CDL is not required but is recommended. Commissioner Rosencranz recommended having two people on call to plow the airport; that way there would always be someone available.

The commission requested that Pam Castleberry, Clerk and Recorder place an ad for a part time assistant Public Health Nurse in Ekalaka Eagle and the Fallon County Times.