February 1, 2024

026
COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
February 1, 2024
Commissioners Scott Miller and Bill Bullock, and Administrative Officer Angela Newell were present.
8:30 Pledge of Allegiance.
8:50 Blain joined the meeting.
9:00 Public Health Director Erin Cross met for her monthly update (report attached). The Department is starting to see some walk-in traffic, Medical Director Swan is working on standing orders for routine services and has issued orders for vaccinations. Cross is also looking at becoming a limited pharmacy for the treatment of STIs. 9:05 Denise Rivette joined the meeting.
Cross and Commissioners discussed rent to utilize Fromberg Senior Center for mental health services in the valley.
9:15 Commissioners discussed employee time reporting. Newell noted she worked on FEMA reimbursement submissions on Saturday to make up hours.
9:25 Bullock moved to approve Commissioners Proceedings for January 25, 2024; Blain seconded; motion carried.
9:35 Mayor Dave Westwood met for his regular appointment. Westwood provided a letter confirming the forgiveness of County water bill penalties due to late payments from procurement policy changes. Discussed the City’s resolution changing the airport boundary; the item is on a later agenda is to provide an official response to the City. Westwood is concerned that alterations to the Airport map could complicate the lease with the Rodeo Association. Discussion of Council extending the dissolution of assets under the termination of the airport interlocal until a new agreement can be negotiated. Westwood and Miller discussed maintenance issues and upkeep of fences, grounds, and dogpark as part of the lease terms.
Westwood noted the City is looking into Bastian property destroyed by the 2022 spring flood, options for housing at the old hospital property, and is investigating improving trails along Highway 78 or constructing an alternative walkway on 8th or 9th street.
Commissioners approved a schedule change request for Kate Asbury to 6:30 am – 5:30 pm Tuesday – Friday with a one-hour lunch.
10:00 County Attorney Alex Nixon met for his regular meeting.
10:30 Sanitarian Barbara Krizek and Human Resource Specialist Kate Asbury met to discuss Krizek’s request to alter her schedule to Monday – Thursday 8:00 am – 5pm no lunch and Friday 8 am-12 pm. Discussion of eating lunch while working. Bullock is concerned that it may be more difficult to accommodate personal appointments, needs, and errands without a regularly scheduled lunch break. Krizek believes she can work through the communication piece when those needs come up but does not need a consistently scheduled leave. Discussion of approval to alter work times; may be considered for sick leave or an emergency or to avoid overtime, Miller noted strict adherence to policy is expected as Krizek expects installers to adhere to rules and standards. Krizek believes that it may then be prudent to alter the request to schedule to end at 5:30 Monday – Thursday with a 30-minute lunch.
Krizek provided a graph of a 5-year lookback on various Department functions, noting that the septic permitting backlog is caught up there is still a significant increase in demands on the department in all areas compared to 2018-2020 levels. Discussion of the need for cross-training and Krizek’s concerns that this can not be accomplished in 40 hours. Bullock asked what is definition of being caught up – Krizek would like to be fully cross-trained between her and Gutierrez. Would like housekeeping, missing files and partially digitized files organized. Discussion of budget and demand; Bullock noted it may not be realistic to have housekeeping items caught up in a short timeline.
Newell noted the expectation is not that there is never overtime, but that the need for overtime is communicated and approved on a case-by-case or project-by-project basis. Commissioners confirmed this is their expectation. Blain noted the work on MLK day was striking for him. Asbury discussed the need to reign in across all departments to make sure there is efficient work being done. Krizek noted a push to finalize training materials while Community service workers were available to help compile binders. Asbury noted that as special projects come up, Sally Birkelo may be able to assist the department.
Bullock moved to approve Krizek’s schedule change as requested to Monday – Thursday 8:00 – 5:30 with 30-minute lunch and Friday 8:00 – 12:00. With the caveat that if worked through lunch approved to leave at 5:00; Blain seconded; motion carried.
11:10 DES Coordinator Cyrina Allen met for her monthly update. Discussed FEMA site visits this morning including Grove Cr. Newell and Allen noted Force Labor accounting was not done on OT status and is not eligible for FEMA PA emergency response. FEMA was intrigued by the project on Grove Creek and the mitigation needed due to changes from the Robertson Draw fire. Work that has been done could be overridden because it was necessary to get the work done.
Bullock moved to withdraw the Emergency Protective Measures project from disaster number DR 4745 and to look toward other mitigation funding sources; Blain seconded; Miller noted have done everything they could do and are restricted by the declaration dates of June 1 -June 8th. Motion carried
Allen noted both she and Taffoia will be at the Montana Association of Counties Mid-Winter conference this month. Will be traveling out of state this spring to attend Public Health Emergency Preparedness training and the FEMA conference.
11:30 Contract Planner Forrest Mandeville, Clerk and Recorder Macque Bohleen, Deputy Clerk and Recorder Piney Helmuth, Sanitarian Barbara Krizek, Travis West, Burns Davison, Roy Zimmerman, and Denise Rivette met regarding the Narrow Gate Subdivision. Mandeville reviewed the project memorandum and Planning Board Recommendation.
Bullock having reviewed and considered the application materials, project memorandum, public comments, Planning Board recommendation, and all of the information presented, moved to approve of the Narrow Gate Subdivision, with the findings and conditions included in the project memorandum; Blain seconded; Discussion of road use agreement, West noted they are working through that with HOA and understand will be needed for final plat, Bohleen suggested access easement be recorded with Clerk and Recorder so it is of record; discussion of shared wells, historically DEQ COSA required cisterns, but there was a considerable effort to obtain approval from DEQ to get a multi-user well approved by DEQ. Discussion of water rights to the shared well and how they are allocated per lot. Motion carried.
12:00 Adjourned.

Respectfully submitted: Angela Newell, Administrative Officer