August 6, 2020

COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
August 6, 2020

Commissioners Scott Blain and Bill Bullock; Administrative Officer Angela Newell; and Scott Miller were present.

8:30 Pledge of Allegiance.

8:50 DES Coord. / Fire Warden Tom Kohley joined the meeting. Discussed the Nat’l Guard’s involvement in contact tracing; the contact mapper has been approved for another two weeks. Kohley does not anticipate having that resource for a longer term.

9:00 Superintendent of Schools Lori Lynde and Superintendent of Schools assistant Lori Kane met with Commissioners for the Transportation Committee meeting. Participating via Teleconference were: Bill Phillips, Michelle Swansborough, Julie Jones, Mary Herden, Allison Evertz, John Fitzgerald, Alex Ator, Carry Entenmann, Melvin Stein, and Gordon Sirrine. Lynde called the meeting to order. Each school presented their bus routes.

9:30 Red Lodge Mayor Bill Larson joined for the City of Red Lodge’s regular meeting. Carbon County News reporter Eleanor Guerrero also participated via teleconference. Mayor Larson and Commissioners discussed CARES Stimulus reimbursements, COVID-19 Public Health Order violation complaints, and Dispatch Interlocal Agreement reimbursements. Guerrero departed the meeting.
Bullock moved to approve claims for August 2020; Blain seconded; motion carried.

10:00 County Attorney Alex Nixon met with Commissioners for his regular meeting. Blain discussed an encroachment permit for a gas line under N. Whitehorse Road; the permit allows the County to require a bond or bill the permittee for road repairs. Nixon discussed an issue in Stillwater County that may change how MACo assigns attorneys to liability cases; the case brings to light the conflict of interest with the insurer also overseeing legal counsel. Nixon and Commissioners discussed COVID-19 event reviews. Commissioners would like to get out of the formal event review process; Nixon agreed the liability is cleaner if there is no perception that the County is signing off on events. Discussed violation complaints and investigation process; Nixon willing to keep an open conversation with contractor Jason Mahoney regarding when it would be necessary to elevate the response to a violation or to look at possible citation.

10:30 Sirrine departed the meeting.

10:40 Miller departed the meeting.

Bullock moved to approve Commissioners’ Proceedings for July 30, 2020; Blain seconded; motion carried.

Bullock moved to accept the Clerk and Recorder’s Monthly Deposit Reconciliation for July 2020; Blain seconded; motion carried.

Bullock moved to accept the District Court Fines and Fees Receipts Summary for July 2020; Blain seconded; motion carried.

11:00 Commissioners discussed the Governor’s press conference regarding the November General Election; the Governor will leave it to local jurisdictions to decide whether to hold a poll or mail ballot only election. Election Administrator Macque Bohleen joined via teleconference. Bohleen noted she typically has 65 judges; 55 for polls and for absentee counts and another 10 for the post-election audit. Currently about half of the judges are not willing to work polls because of COVID-19. For a poll election, Bohleen would need to train judges with a 4-hour in person training. Training for the Primary Election was done on site the day of the election because it was all mail. Commissioners would like to explore holding a poll election. Bohleen will reach out to the polling places to determine what kind of disinfection will be required to use the facilities. She will also reach out to the parties to see if they can put out a call for judges. Commissioners agree it may be an uphill battle, but would like to have poll voting if it is possible.

11:50 Clerk and Recorder Christine Stovall met with Commissioners to discuss putting up plexiglass around the recording station. Also discussed holding the General Election as a poll election; Stovall has requested Bohleen reach out to the Secretary of State and Commissioner of Political practices to determine the potential impacts if COVID-19 requires judges to be quarantined; Stovall is concerned that if judges are quarantined resulting in an insufficient number of judges, it may invalidate the election.

12:00 Adjourned.

Respectfully submitted: Angela Newell, Administrative Officer