Musselshell County Commission Minutes

Commissioner December 1st, 2023 Minutes

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

Pledge of Allegiance.

Commissioner Goffena made the motion to approve the agenda for the day after adding the 8:45 business will be signed at 2:30 after the 2:30 public comment and adding Road Department Supervisor Stockert to the agenda at 9:30. Commissioner Pancratz seconded the motion as amended.

Commissioner Pancratz made the motion to approve the November 24 meeting minutes as written. Commissioner Goffena seconded the motion. Motion carried.

*SIGNED AT 2:30 AFTER THE 2:30 PUBLIC COMMENT*

There was no public comment.

Commissioner Pancratz made the motion to sign Resolution 2023-63 approving a June year end 2023 budget amendment. Commissioner Goffena seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Commissioner Goffena made the motion to sign Resolution 2023-64 for a current budget amendment. Commissioner Pancratz seconded the motion carried.

Commissioner Turley attended the Refuse Board meeting on Tuesday November 28, 2023. They have still not received the contract from Republic on their services.

Maintenance Supervisor Jett gave her weekly report to the Commissioners. The electric meter at the Complex is a safety hazard and needs moved. The Commissioner will contact Northwestern Energy to see about moving it.

Sherri Flanscha met with the Commissioners regard County Property she purchased. The Commissioners will discuss the issue with the County Attorney.

Road and Bridge Supervisor Stockert met with the Commissioners regarding the restructuring of the Road Department.

County Agent Solf gave her weekly report to the Commissioners. She will be having a beef nutrition class and a canning class this month. They are getting ready for the Ag Sessions. They will be having a table at the Christmas Stroll this weekend. There will be a Fair Board Meeting in January but not sure of the dates yet.

Sheriff Lesnik gave his weekly report to the Commissioners. It was a good week. The new jailer is doing a lot of organizing and everything looks so much better. Deputy Randall will be graduating from the Academy on December 5, 2023. The Employee Policy and Procedure Manual needs to be updated. The Commissioners will mention the Policy update at the January 2024 Department Head Meeting.

DES Director Russell and Coordinator Rook gave their weekly report to the Commissioners. They have been doing Esri training for the address books and submitted some certificates. The FEMA Town Hall will be December 12, 2023 at the Central Commons. The ad will be in the paper next week. The culvert grants are moving along. They were asked to assist in the Incident Action Plan for Sheriff Darrell Kings funeral. There was a structure fire on Eagle Rock Road. There were no new addresses this week but lots of signs were put up.

Treasurer Hetrick met with the Commissioners to discuss the other 17.1 mill decision.

Clerk & Recorder Tomassi met with the Commissioners to let them know that the Local Government Study Commissioner will be on the primary ballot next year. Mayor Jones entered the meeting and mentioned the City also has to do it. It is done every 10 years.

Mayor Jones also discussed the Snowy Mountain Board.

Lisa Dillman and Josie Shaw visited with the Commissioners to see about getting heat in the horse barn at the fairgrounds for the 4H agility equipment and training. The Commissioner will check into it.

Public comment on:

Resolution 2023-63 approving a June year end 2023 budget amendment.

Resolution 2023-64 for a current budget amendment.

No Public comment.

Monty Sealey visited the Commissioners with an update on the Montana Regional Water Authority systems. They are now working on the piece to Melstone.

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

Commissioner Turley and Commissioner Pancratz did claims on Thursday November 29,2023.

Claims for November 29, 2023= $41,599.67

Commissioners December 8, 2023 Minutes

The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Turley. Commissioner Goffena was present. Commissioner Pancratz was absent.

Pledge of Allegiance.

Commissioner Goffena made the motion to approve the agenda for the day. Commissioner Turley seconded the motion. Motion carried.

(The 9:00 meeting with CFO Kirk and Auditor Denning was moved to 1:00 due to Commissioner Pancratz absence.)

Commissioner Turley made the motion to approve the December 1, 2023 meeting minutes as written. Commissioner Goffena seconded the motion. Motion carried.

No public comment.

No business.

Commissioner Turley attended the Hospital Board meeting Thursday December 7, 2023. Billings Clinic may have someone interested in taking the CEO position at the hospital.

Commissioner Goffena reported that the Commons has been vandalized again. They need to have our IT department work on the Wi-Fi for the cameras. Brenda Vescovi resigned from the Musselshell County Council on aging.

Old business:

Telephones have been ordered. We are going to be doing an update to the computers next week to install the software.

We are waiting on a title commitment for the Hitching post building that may be used for County offices in the future.

Maintenance Supervisor Jett could not make it to the meeting but gave Secretary Hagstrom her report. The freezer at the Food bank quit working and it will cost 5 to 6 thousand to get it repaired. The sump pump at the Commons was replaced. The courthouse received coal Thursday December 7, 2023 but we could only get half the load because the auger wasn’t working.

County Agent Solf gave her weekly report to the Commissioners. Shavings have been hauled to the horse barn. Classes have been going well. The 2nd Ag Legacy session will be December 13, 2023. Private applicator class will be in Billings Monday December 11, 2023.

DES Director Russell and Coordinator Rook gave their weekly reports to the Commissioners. They met with FEMA twice last week about the spring 2023 flooding. They went to the Dean Creek Fire meeting last week and set up the IamResponding program. They will be going to Hawk Creek next week. There was a wildfire on Radio Road that was caused by the wind slapping wirelines together. Multiple signs have been installed. One new address this week. 97 letters have been sent out to potential buyout participants. Reminder about the FEMA Town Hall next week December 12, 2023.

Ron Solberg met with the Commissioners to let them know that the ambulance that was ordered 2 years ago should be here in February. They may start working on the old ambulance barn for dispatch.

Treasurer Hetrick and CFO Kirk met with the Commissioners to go over some information from the Elected official training.

CFO Kirk and auditor Denning had a conference call with the Commissioners. Commissioner Pancratz joined the meeting. Mr. Denning stated that our new contract price of the audit dropped 7% which is significant because the increases statewide in FY 23 ranged from +25 to +200%. Musselshell County is their only audit that the price decreased in FY 23.

County attorney Larsen met with the Commissioners.

Sheriff Lesnik met with the Commissioner but had nothing new to report.

Dave Ponte, Warren Hansen and Ken Naylor from the Middle Musselshell County Water District met with the Commissioner to let them know that they have attained counsel regarding a judgement on “easements” which is their number 1 priority. They asked if there is a possibility of using anything that was left over from the PER money to help with the cost of the attorney. The Commissioners will check with County Attorney Larsen and GreatWest to see if that is allowable.

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

Monday December 11, 2023 Road Department Meeting.

Commissioner Turley, Commissioner Goffena Road and Bridge Supervisor Stockert and Secretary Newman were present.

The backhoe has arrived and Mr. Stockert would like the Commissioners to come and get a picture with it to send to the Coal Board. They are back to working on Goffena Road again. They had an MDT pre-construction meeting last week. Sletten won the bid for the contract. It probably won’t get done until 2025 because they ordered the beams and they are a year out. They will be getting foam insulation on the north wall and west corner of the old shop building.

End of business.

 

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