Minutes:August 16, 2021
The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, August 16 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 Chairman; and Mike Watkins, member was present.
The meeting was called to order at 9:04. Chairman Steve Rosencranz asked for public comment. There were no guests and no public comment.
County Attorney Corbit Harrington joined the meeting.
Commissioner Tauck made the motion to approve the August 09, and 12, 2021 meeting minutes. Commissioner Watkins seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.
Clerk and Recorder Pam Castleberry joined the meeting to review the 2021-2022 budget.
The commissioners called Eric Lovec at the Ekalaka Eagle to discuss publish the Commissioners proceedings in the paper. There was no answer and they left a message.
Pam discussed the 2021-2022 budget
Stefanie Harrington joined the meeting.
There was conversation about the CARES covid-19 funding. The County received $265,000.00. Pam stated that the funds would be best used for public health.
Commissioner Tauck questioned the need for funding for the Child Protective Team, and Adult Services Program that Attorney Harrington discussed in the August 12 meeting. Attorney Harrington sees no need for funding. He will come to the commission with plenty of time to work through funding.
Pam intends to have the budget sent to the Commission by Thursday.
OAC meeting Present: Scott Cromwell of Slate Architecture, Ryan Tooke DHMC CEO, Georgia Bruski, Stefanie Harrington, and Corbit Harrington. John Neisner Scull Construction joined by phone.
The certificate of occupancy inspection will take place August 24, 2021. The propane to the building has been turned off in an attempt to find the reason for the high fuel usage. They will turn it back on when the dryers are installed to test them.
The group discussed propane usage that has been about 600 gallons in the last 2 weeks. Scott will touch base with James Taylor to see if the issue is with the HVAC systems. Commissioner Rosencranz as well as Cody Taggart Scull Construction have been reading the propane tanks to monitor the usage.
The punch list items and closeouts are in the final stages.
(Contingency allocation request) CAR # 8- after reviewing, John will have Cody revise the document and send out the new one. Ryan raised questions about the pharmacy tube expenses listed as part of the contingency funds. There were a grant funds available for the Pharmacy tube install.
There is a pallet of glass panels with several broken panels on it on the Southside of the building that Scott and John will look into.
Scott brought replacement signage for the bathrooms and will have several more replacement signs when he returns.
The commissioning of the building is not finalized but should be in the next week or two.
Brian Nelson for DPHHS quality assurance will inspect the new hospital facility. This will allow for state accreditation.
Commissioner Tauck asked Ryan Tooke Dahl Memorial Health Care CEO, if they are preparing for the mock ups and moving in. Ryan stated that they have decided to wait until they have a lease agreement before they move.
Ryan voiced concern about the CT scanner and the lab analyzer that will need to be kept at a constant temperature. Scott stated that the CT has its own mini split system that should keep the room a constant temperature. The CT scanner is slated for delivery by the seconded week in September.
OAC meeting adjourned at 10:43. Scott and Ryan and Georgia Bruski left the meeting. Stefanie Harrington remained.
There was a discussion about the COVID-19 virus.
The meeting adjourned for lunch at 11:45 and reconvened at 1:09.
Airport expansion meeting: guests included landowners Bob and Sally Young. Airport Advisory members Troy Fruit and Bill Kalstrom. Craig Canfield and Andrew Zielike from KLJ called into the meeting.
During the previous meeting the members chose option 1 and 3 with the runway to extend from 3,800‘to 4,600’. The group discussed the various options to allow both Youngs and Hammel’s access to their property and still be able to extend the airport and install the updated AWS system.
They discussed the paving project completed by Sacrison Paving. The guests left the meeting.
The Commissioners reviewed items for the meeting agenda.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 2:52.
Board of County Commissioners
Carter County, Montana
Attest: /s Steve Rosencranz Attest: / s Pamela Castleberry
Steve Rosencranz, Chairman Clerk of the Board