County Commissioners Meeting Minutes

July 9, 2021

The meeting was called to order at 8:30 by Commissioner Goffena. Commissioner Turley and Commissioner Pancratz were present.

Pledge of Allegiance.

Commissioner Pancratz made the motion to approve the agenda after adding Resolution 2021-24 County assist for additional resources for the Western Fire and the Peterson Fire. And Resolution 2021-25 Declaring Musselshell County a Drought Disaster Area. Commissioner Turley seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Commissioner Turley made the motion to approve the minutes from the July 2, 2021 meeting as is. Commissioner Pancratz seconded the motion. Motion carried.

There were no board meetings last week.

Maintenance Supervisor Jett gave her weekly report to the Commissioners. The boiler has been cleaned and the tubes are in. Trees have been trimmed at the Commons. Ms. Jett will be looking at lawn mowers and hand rails for the Commons.

Sheriff Lesnik met with the Commissioners with a fire update.

Public meeting for the PAR of the County Impound Building.

Jeremy Fadness with WWC Engineering, Scott Cromwell with Slate Architecture and Sheriff Lesnik were present.

There was no public comment.

They are going to keep looking at numbers to see if prices go down. They will be talking to MACo to see if they could possibly use some of the COVID money for construction. Mr. Lesnik is going to also go to Snowy Mountain Development and Signal Peak. Local contractors will be contacted to get estimates.

County Agent Solf gave her weekly report to the Commissioners. With the Type II Incident Management Team housed at the Fairgrounds, Ms. Solf is going to have to find a new place to have the 4-H Fair. Livestock will go to Currant Creek; Ridge Riders will take the horse stuff and the rest will be at the Community Center.

Interim DES Coordinator Russell gave a fire update. There are 2 fires active as of now. The Type II Incident Management team will be taking over Saturday Morning. There will be a briefing tonight at the Fairgrounds. Air resources are limited for today. Darren Rook and Susan Mikkelson are managing the office. Emergency Drought Resolution is definitely needed.

Fred and Joe Wipf from the Martinsdale Colony met with the Commissioners regarding a ARPA Water & Sewer Infrastructure Grant Application. Is the Colony able to apply for this grant as a “local government body or political subdivision”? The Commissioners will try to get the information to give to them next week. They also told the Commissioners that they would like Colony Road graveled. The Colony will donate the gravel if the County will load and spread it. The Commissioner will discuss this with Road and bridge Supervisor Stockert.

Public Comment.

Virgil Merfeld and Theresa Doumitt with the Roundup Memorial Hospital were present.

Mr. Merfeld let the Commissioners know that the water is no longer running in the creek and a hay truck tore up the cattle guard off of Horsethief. They are talking to the school to add Cameron Road as a bus route.

A tax payer of Musselshell County popped in and she had heard that the County Attorney had asked for a substantial raise for himself and his secretary. She feels that he has not been beneficial to the County and his actions of the past do not merit a raise that is any bigger than the other elected officials.

Another tax payer asked how the split with Golden Valley County and salaries work with other Counties. Commissioner Goffena said we are the only Counties that do it.

Ms. Doumitt reminded the Commissioners about signing the Coal Impact Grant Applications Form for the Hospital Generator and gave an update of the Roundup Community Partner meeting and gave them a copy of the Welcome Plaza Concept from the Roundup Downtown Master Plan.

End of public comment.

Commissioner Pancratz made the motion to sign the Coal Impact Grant Application Form for the Equipment and Implementation of Phase 2 of the Hospital Generator Project submitted by Roundup Memorial Hospital. Commissioner Turley seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Commissioner Turley made the motion to appoint Florence Wacker as Consumer Representative and Mike Goffena as Commissioner Representative for Area II Agency on Aging for Musselshell County.

Commissioner Pancratz made the motion to sign the Standard Lease Contract between the Montana Department of Revenue, “Lessee” and Musselshell County, “Lessor. Commissioner Turley seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Commissioner Turley made the motion to approve and sign Resolution 2021-24 Requesting Additional Resources to Assist in the Suppression of the Western and Peterson Fire. Commissioner Pancratz seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Commissioner Pancratz made the motion to approve and sign Resolution 2021-25 Declaring Musselshell County a Drought Disaster Area. Commissioner Turley seconded the motion. Motion carried.

There being no further business Commissioner Turley made the motion to adjourn. Commissioner Pancratz seconded the motion. Motion carried.