CARTER COUNTY COMMISSION PROCEEDINGS

08-15-2022

The Board of Carter County Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, August 15, 2022, in the Carter County Commission Board Meeting Room of the Carter County Courthouse at 214 Park Street in Ekalaka, Montana. Steve Rosencranz, Chairman; and Mike Watkins, Member; were present. Rod Tauck, Vice Chair called into the meeting.

The meeting was called to order at 9 a.m. There was no public comment.

Attorney Harrington joined the meeting.

The Commission called Sheriff Neil Kittelmann regarding a County wide burn ban. Neil is not in favor of a burn ban at this time.

Commissioner Watkins made the motion to approve the meeting minutes for August 8, 2022. Commissioner Tauck seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.

Clerk and Recorder Pam Castleberry and Judy Wright Deputy Clerk joined the meeting for the virtual meeting with Garrett Johnson, DIS Technologies.

The County will be required to set up multi factor authentication (MFA) on all County owned computers and email accounts in order to acquire cyber security insurance. MFA and insurance coverage will require the County to update the software and policy manual. The switch to the office 365 email accounts is also necessary to secure County data and accounts.

MACo will not offer cyber security insurance this year; there maybe an option to purchase coverage from Travelers Insurance. The County will be required to set up the system in 45 days. DIS Technologies will be able to install the MFA system in a few days once all the employee emails and policies are in place. The meeting with Garrett ended.

The Public Health Personnel meeting - Present: Public Health Manager Stefanie Harrington, County Attorney Corbit Harrington, and Clerk and Recorder Pam Castleberry.

The Carter County Public Health staff want to have the timed light switches in the office replaced with regular switches. The commission suggested that they put in a request to the hospital maintenance department.

Commissioner Watkins made the motion to set up an interview for the Public Health Officer position. Commissioner Tauck seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.

The commission reviewed applications for the Health Board and the Health Officer position, checked emails and other correspondence.

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

Dell Dague submitted a bid in the amount of $410.00 for a 90-day grazing lease on the old airport property. Commissioner Watkins made the motion to accept the bid for $410.00 from Mr. Dague for the 90-day lease contingent on signing of the lease agreement with Carter County. Commissioner Rosencranz seconded the motion. There was no public comment and the motion carried.

Care taker for Camp Needmore / Event Center Coordinator Courtney Montgomery, Human resource officer Pam Castleberry and Attorney Harrington joined the meeting. Courtney requested executive session that was called to order by Chairman Rosencranz at 1:35 to 2:32 at which time Pam and Courtney left the meeting.

Custer National Forest, Sioux Ranger District Ranger Kurt Hansen and Range Specialist Buck Buchannan joined the meeting to request the approval of the modification to the in kind weed spraying contract between the Forest Service and Carter County. There would be an addition of $2,000.00 added to the contract for spraying Forest Service roads.

There was discussion of fire session and a burn ban. Kurt doesn’t see the conditions in the Forest at this time for a burn ban. The Forest Service and BLM have been monitoring the conditions regularly and will be in touch with the sheriffs office has the conditions change.

The commissioners placed a call to Scott Cromwell, Slate Architecture for an update on the hospital generator up date. The current generator was put in place as “life sustaining” power only, there for it will not power the facility and the ER. The options are purchase one larger unit to replace the one in place now or purchase a second smaller one to add to the one already in service. The location of the additional generator maybe discussed in greater detail. Scott will contact the Commission next week with proposed plan.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 11:45 p.m.

Board of County Commissioners

Carter County, Montana

/s/ Steve Rosencranz, Chairman

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