CARTER COUNTY COMMISSION PROCEEDINGS

04-04-2022

The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, April 04, 2022, in the Carter County Commission Board Meeting Room of the Carter County Courthouse at 214 Park Street in Ekalaka, Montana. Present were Steve Rosencranz, Chairman; Rod Tauck, Vice Chair and Mike Watkins, Member.

County Maintenance Bob Jacobs joined the meeting to discuss the utilities for the old hospital building. Dahl Memorial is currently paying the electric, water and propane bills. The water and electrical services would need to stay on as long as the boiler system is still running. The group discussed the number and locations of the water shut off to the various areas of the building as well as re keying the locks sometime in the near future. Bob left the meeting.

The Commission called Shelli Isle, she is the Brownfield grant program coordinator. She has not gotten word back from EPA if Carter County will qualify for assistance with clean up funds. They discussed what type of assistance the County may be eligible for. The commission would like to apply for clean-up funds for the Old Hospital building and grounds as well as public outreach. Shelli will contact the commission with information as soon as she receives it.

County attorney Corbit Harrington joined the meeting.

The Board called Cody Taggert of Scull Construction to confirm the OAC meeting date of April 19th at 9:00. Cody also informed the commission that the window manufacturer representative will be at the new hospital facility to inspect the windows on April 11, 2022.

There was a call placed to Montana State Representative Jerry Schillinger to request that the commissioners and anyone else interested meet with an independent voting machine expert and Representative Bob Phalen. They scheduled a special meeting for Thursday April 07, 2022 at 10:00.

Clerk and Recorder/ Carter County Election Administrator Pam Castleberry and Deputy Clerk and Recorder Judy Wright joined the meeting Where Pam reviewed the practices and procedures that must be followed by herself, her staff and the election judges during an election. She does not agree to a meeting with an independent consultant regarding the voter machines.

There was discussion regarding the Stahly road use assessment fees that where split with Denbury.

Commissioner Tauck made the motion to approve the Resolution # 04042022-01 for the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program (PDM) grant provided by The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Commissioner Watkins seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.

The Commission also signed the in-kind agreement with The Carter County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Forest Service Sioux Ranger District.

County attorney Corbit Harrington reviewed the procedures for a County/ City inter-local agreement for fire suppression. He also brought up the need for a written County policy for re naming roads.

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

Tracey Goerndt and Carey Tronstad from Prairie Hills Recovery, Addition Counseling services joined the meeting. They have scheduled a meeting with the commission to request State Alcohol tax funds designated to the County to be used for Addiction services. Tracey and Carey outlined the services that they could provide The County including, MIP classes, Family Education class, parenting classes and Money management classes. They have offices in Baker and Glendive and they also staff a 24-hour crisis line.

Carter County currently provides the funding to Eastern Montana Mental Health out of Miles City and would be required to resubmit the forms with DPHHS to change the funding designation. The commission will look into what is required to include Prairie Hills Recovery for funding.

Attorney Harrington requested that they contact the schools and County Public Health office to offer their services. He also stated that the County is in the process of re-establishing the Child Intervention Team (CIT) in Carter County. Tracey and Carey left the meeting.

Clerk and Recorder Pam Castleberry reported that they County has received the Denbury Road Use Payment of $749,000.00.

The commission called Rachel Hayes from the MTDHHS regarding the designation of who is allowed to receive the alcohol tax distribution. The only designee listed is Eastern Montana Mental Health, because of this they would be the only organization eligible for the funds. Rachel agreed to look into making sure that Prairie Hills Recovery is eligible and listed on the forms. The forms are due in June 2022 for the 2022 allocation.

Clerk and Recorder/ Election Administrator Pam Castleberry joined the meeting with concerns about having the vote tabulating machines examined by an independent consultant. Wibaux Co. has refused to meet those involved. The commission called Jerry Schillinger to discuss what the meeting will pertain to and who will be included in the meeting. Jerry stated that there will be an educational discussion on the use of machines counts VS hand counting of ballots.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:10 pm.

Board of County Commissioners

Carter County, Montana

/s/ Steve Rosencranz, Chairman

Attest:/s/ Pamela J Castleberry, Clerk of the Board

04-07-2022

The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in Special session on Monday, April 07, 2022, in the Carter County Commission Board Meeting Room of the Carter County Courthouse at 214 Park Street in Ekalaka, Montana. Present were Steve Rosencranz, Vice Chair and Mike Watkins, Member. Chairman; Rod Tauck was absent.

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 am by Chairman Steve Rosencranz.

There was no public comment.

Persons in attendance included Representative Jerry Schillinger, Representative Bob Phalen, I.T. expert Mark Cook, Election Administrator Pam Castleberry, Assistant Election Administrator Judy Wright and Robin Kuntz.

Mr. Cook gave a history of voter machine systems in the US. Including what companies provide services to run the programs involved in the operating systems.

He also spoke to the software updates and current standards of operation, and the 2020 election. He is in the process of developing systems to improve the voter counting systems and welcomes any input on how best to met those goals.

Pam Castleberry, Carter County Election Administrator, finds that the systems used in smaller counties such as ours is well thought out and carried out to the letter of the law. Poll books are made in house, the signatures of voters are hand verified. There is a Canvas board that checks votes following the election.

Mr. Cook recommended that everyone look into the processes and the systems used to tabulate votes and the companies running said systems. He would like to bring awareness to the legislation set forth to run elections and recommends that as much as possible the process be kept in house and by hand.

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 pm.

Board of County Commissioners

Carter County, Montana

/s/ Steve Rosencranz, Chairman

Attest:/s/ Pamela J Castleberry, Clerk of the Board

04-11-2022

The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, April 11, 2022, in the Carter County Commission Board Meeting Room of the Carter County Courthouse at 214 Park Street in Ekalaka, Montana. Present were Steve Rosencranz, Chairman; Rod Tauck, Vice Chair and Mike Watkins, Member.

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Steve Rosencranz.

There was no public comment.

DES Coordinator Georgia Bruski joined the meeting to request signatures on Drug Task Force agreement. Commissioner Watkins made the motion to sign the Memorandum of Assistance with the Drug Task Force agreement. Commissioner Tauck seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried unanimously.

Dahl Memorial CEO Ryan Tooke joined the meeting. He let the commission know that the window company representative will be at the hospital as well as Cody Taggart, Scull Construction and Scott Cromwell of Slate Architecture. They will be leaving early due to the weather. Ryan left the meeting.

County Attorney Corbit Harrington joined the meeting. Corbit recommended that the commission adopt a Policy for re-naming roads. The Commission agreed.

Commissioner Watkins made the motion to approve the meeting minutes for March 31, 2022 with corrections. Commissioner Tauck seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.

Carter County Treasurer Jessi Pierson joined the meeting to present the Treasurer report. The discussed the Capital improvement funds use and the PLLT Grant funds. The commission reviewed and signed the transfers and the investments.

Jessi also presented the Journal vouchers dated January 22 - March 22, 2022, report Ll00 for signature by the commissioners. Jessi left the meeting.

Clerk and Recorder Pam Castleberry joined the meeting with a letter from Stahly Engineering. They are offering a County Subdivision regulation template to the 12 counties that they contract with a cost share rate. The rate would change based on the number of Counties that agree to participate. The Commissioners agreed to purchase the template from Stahly Engineering.

Commissioners Rosencranz and Tauck met at the New hospital building with the crew reviewing the window installation. The returned to the commission chambers at 1:00 pm.

Road and Bridge Supervisor Carl Knapp stepped into the meeting to report that the crew is currently installing part of the railing on the Stagville Draw Road bridge. They hope to have it finished by the end of the day. Carl left the meeting.

Payroll Clerk Cecile Kuehn joined the meeting to discuss Deputy Coroner salary. Dewayne Bruce received the training last April and is currently preforming the duties a long with his Deputy Sheriff Duties. He does not at this time receive compensation for the duties of Deputy Coroner. Sheriff Kittlemann does however receive a $6,000.00 stipend as the coroner. Cecile proposes that Deputy Bruce receive 93% of the $6,000.00 stipend in addition to his Deputy Sheriffs pay with back pay for the year. There was discussion with the commission, Pam and Cecile. There was no decision made. The discussion was tabled. It will be placed on the Tuesday April 19, 2022 agenda.

District Ranger USFS Kurt Hansen and Rangeland Management Specialist Buck Buchanan joined the meeting. They presented the commissioners with a precipitation totals for the area for the last year that shows the average to be approximately 5.6 inches below normal. Bearing this in mind Buck is recommending a late turnout for area ranchers on Forest Reserve livestock permits. Normal dates are May 15th. He is looking at June 15th-20th this year, but will make the final decision on a case by case basis.

Kurt stated that the thinning contracts were slated to get under way later this week, but with the predicted blizzard conditions, they have set back the start date for more practical weather conditions. Kurt and Buck left the meeting.

DES Coordinator Georgia Bruski joined the meeting with a weather up date. She will contract the school, Dahl Memorial Hospital and Southeast Electric to note plans and preparations with the National Weather Service’s prediction of heavy snow and strong winds.

The commission placed a call to County attorney Harrington with regard to Deputy Corner position pay scale.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:52 pm.

Board of County Commissioners

Carter County, Montana

/s/ Steve Rosencranz, Chairman

Attest:/s/ Pamela J Castleberry, Clerk of the Board