Commission Minutes
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021
9:30 AM CONVENE
PRESENT: Roy Rost, Chairman; Steve Baldwin, Kevin Braun, Members; Brenda Wood, Clerk and Recorder
FALLON COUNTY COURTHOUSE
The Pledge of Allegiance was held in the Commissioner’s Office to start off the week.
9 :30 AM PUBLIC COMMENT –AGENDA/NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Melissa Rost, Museum Curator-Will be traveling to Billings for personal reasons; also needs to return the Traveling Exhibit to Billings. The Traveling Exhibit was on loan to the Museum for a specified amount of time. Would like permission to use the personal hours traveled to Billings as hours worked. This would alleviate Melissa’s use of another full day of work to return the exhibit. The Commission will check with Human Resources/Payroll and let Melissa know what they find out.
Land North of the Metal Building-Melissa found some old plans for a new building. The Museum Board
would like to place another building on the lots north of the metal building, due to lack of room in the metal building. Melissa is wondering what the next step would be. The group discussed contacting the Planning Department; may have to aggregate the lots per City Zoning. Commissioner Baldwin will get some information on the lots and get back to Melissa.
9:45 AM COMMISSIONER MINUTES APPROVAL FOR November 15-19, 2021
Commissioner Baldwin made the motion to approve the minutes from November 15-19, 2021, as written. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Rost asked for any other discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.
10:00 AM ROAD REPORT/PROJECT UPDATES
Bobby Wiedmer, Road Superintendent and Carl Overland, Shop Mechanic joined the meeting.
Road updates-County Roads-The roads are frozen so they had to quit pulling shoulders; will wait until spring to start back up.
Highway 12 culvert install, and detour route-Commissioner Braun stated Highway 12 will be open today.
In a couple of weeks, the contractor will place drainpipes on the sides. Commissioner Braun would like to schedule a meeting with the Contractor, Bobby and the Commission to make a decision on repairs to the county roads used for the detour route.
Shop updates-Carl stated the Ambulance turbo went out again. The paperwork is being completed to be able to send the recently installed turbo back, under warranty, and replace with a new one. The plan is to order an ATS remanned turbo; also plan to put some safeguards in the computer to help keep the turbo from going out again.
10:15 AM Bobby and Carl left the meeting.
10:40AM Shannon Hewson, Brosz Engineering joined. PROJECT UPDATES
Baker Lake Restoration Monitoring Report-The group reviewed the 3rd year Baker Lake Restoration
monitoring report completed by Geum Environmental Consulting. The Commission and Shannon felt the report was complete and had no comments. Geum will be notified so the report can be submitted to the EPA.
Improvements Projects-Discussed what items will be put in a contract, to be submitted to the contractor,
regarding completion of the improvement projects. The decision is the pipe for the waterfall will be completed by December 10th with the remainder of the waterfall project to be completed by May 1, 2022. The south parking lot at FMC will be completed by June 1, 2022. The contract will include $500 per day penalty.
Ismay Bridge-Shannon has set up a meeting tomorrow, with the landowner adjoining the Ismay bridge project. Discussed the box culvert will be designed so the landowner is able to move cattle just as the landowner does with the current bridge. The report from Fish, Wildlife and Parks was received. Ethno Science should complete the Historical within the next two to three weeks.
10:55AM Julie Straub, HRM and Kim Bryan, Public Health Nurse joined.
Bonnievale Bridge-They should have the design completed this week. Hopefully, they will be able to go to bid the first week of January, with the agreement to follow in February, upon receipt of the Army Corp of Engineers permit.
11:02 AM Shannon left the meeting.
11:03 AM Debbie Wyrick, Deputy Clerk and Recorder joined.
11:03 AM PERMISSION TO HIRE STAFF NURSE
Discussion regarding hourly pay for Public Health Staff Nurse position ended with the Commission’s
decision to offer $30.00 per hour. Julie will make offers based on this decision.
Commissioner Baldwin made the motion to offer $30.00 per hour for the Public Health Staff Nurse starting wage. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Rost asked for any other discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.
Discussed increasing wages for one of the positions in Public Health. Julie stated although an adjustment in wages is well deserved, she would encourage the Commission to wait to make this change at budget time. Kim would like the adjustment to be made as soon as possible. This will be discussed next week due to not being on the agenda.
11:08 AM Debbie, Julie and Kim left the meeting.
11:15 AM TRANSCANADA PERMIT TRANSFERS/LETTER TERMINATING PERMITS/OTHER OUTSTANDING BUSINESS PERTAINING TO THE WORKFORCE HOUSING SITE
John Olms, TRC; Dean Patterson and Brock Tayler, TC Energy and Tye Williams, Southeast Electric joined via conference call.
Electrical-Tye started the conversation by stating Southeast Electric had an agreement with MDU; as soon as TC Energy was finished with the site, Southeast Electric would pull the single and three phase service lines. There will not be a monthly billing for the workforce housing site. Regarding the transformers and other electrical remaining inside the site, an invoice will be sent to Fallon County for $1.00. Discussed fees to retire the lines; TC Energy prepaid Southeast Electric to retire the lines. Dean felt the agreement was to abandon the in- ground service in-place. Tye stated that the lines will be abandoned in-place/poles removed. Discussed what happens down the road if someone/new landowner want the lines removed and TransCanada is already out of the picture. The Commission stated that would be on Fallon County to take care of this, if necessary. Tye is not sure when Southeast Electric will be able to remove poles and abandon lines.
Approaches-The approaches were approved by the State of Montana. The State of Montana will be
turning the permit over to Fallon County as soon as all paperwork is complete. John Olms will follow up with MT DOT regarding the letter releasing TransCanada and transferring the eastern approach to Fallon County.
Bond-As soon as Fallon County receives the check from TC for the Workforce Housing Site, Fallon County
will email the signed letter releasing the bond.
Commissioner Braun made the motion to release the bond upon reception of the check received from TransCanada. Commissioner Baldwin seconded the motion. Commissioner Rost asked for any discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. Motion carried unanimously.
11:27 AM John Olms, Dean Patterson, Brock Taylor and Tye Williams hung up, therefore leaving the meeting.
11:30 AM Commissioner Braun made the motion to take a noon recess. Commissioner Baldwin seconded the motion. Commissioner Rost asked for any other discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.
NOON RECESS
1:15 PM RECONVENE
PRESENT: Roy Rost, Chairman; Steve Baldwin, Kevin Braun, Members; Brenda Wood, Clerk and Recorder
FALLON COUNTY COURTHOUSE
PUBLIC COMMENT –AGENDA/NON-AGENDA ITEMS
No one appeared for Public Comment.
1:30 PM COMMISSION WORK SESSION
The Commission reviewed, revenues received, reports, emails and other correspondence, board minutes and agendas. A letter was submitted to the Montana Main Street Program Staff in support of SMART (Southeastern Montana Area Revitalization Team) for initiating the project of refurbishing the old community clock and façade improvements to the Old Baker State Bank building. The Commission approved a quote received from Pioneer Carpet and Upholstery to shampoo carpets at Public Health in the amount of $704.10. The Commission signed agreements with Johnson Controls for Sprinkler System Inspections at Parkview and Fallon Medical Complex.
Commissioner Baldwin made the motion to approve Resolution #1072 opposing the Federal Government’s 30 x
30 Land Preservation Goal. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Rost asked for any other discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. Motion carried unanimously. Resolution #1072 is on record in the Clerk and Recorder’s office.
2:00 PM Julie Straub, HRM joined; Mindi Murnion, Public Health Specialist joined.
2:00 PM GUIDANCE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
The group discussed the CMS (Centers from Medicare & Medicaid Services) guidelines for Public Health are the same guidelines followed by Fallon Medical Complex and would like some guidance from the Commission regarding vaccination of employees.
Montana law states you cannot discriminate, and reasonable accommodation measures have to be made. However, CMS allows no reasonable accommodations.
Commissioner Braun feels we should follow the Governor’s guidelines presently in place.
2:25PM Darcy Wassmann, County Attorney joined.
Darcy stated we need to follow the current laws in place. The Commission made the decision to continue business as usual and follow the laws as they play out.
2:35 PM Darcy, Mindi left the meeting.
Question from this morning: The Commission stated an employee will be leaving town on personal business. The employee would like to return a Traveling Exhibit, on loan to our Museum for a specified time frame, when on her way to Billings for the Holiday. This would alleviate the employee from taking an additional full day of work to return the Traveling Exhibit. Julie stated that would absolutely be within the Commissions abilities to
grant and is a savings to the employee and County. The Commission will let the employee know the travel time to
Billings, MT will be allowed as time worked.
2:38 PM Julie left the meeting.
2:40 PM Commissioner Baldwin made the motion to adjourn. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Rost asked for any other discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.
ADJOURN
s/Roy Rost, Chairman
ATTEST:
s/Brenda J. Wood, Clerk and Recorder
