Commission Minutes – February 19 – February 23, 2024

9:30 AM AGENDA/NON-AGENDA ITEMS – PUBLIC COMMENT

    No one appeared for Public Comment.

9:41 AM PERMISSION TO RECRUIT SEASONALS/ Julie Straub, HRM; Sara Berger, Weed Control Coordinator; Jennefer Wheeler, Fairgrounds Manager; Melissa Rost, Museum Curator

    Discussed recruitment for seasonal crew hands. Advertisement will be put in the paper February 23^rd.

9:55 AM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.

10:00 AM ROAD/SHOP UPDATES / Bobby Wiedmer, Road Superintendent; Mitch Overn/Carl Overland, Shop Mechanics

   Updated on fire training and County vehicle maintenance. Continuing to scoria on South Plevna Road. Discussed crushing scoria for the landfill.

10:06 AM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.

10:30 AM Brenda Wood, Clerk & Recorder joined the meeting.

10:31 AM PROJECT UPDATES/ Shannon Hewson, Brosz Engineering

    1.Review/discuss Memorandum of Agreement between Fallon County and North Baker Water &/or Sewer District for ARPA Funding

    Discussed procurement policies.

10:37 AM Brenda left the meeting.

    Updated on Bergstrom Hill Road project and mitigation of wetlands. Finished main Buerkle scoria pit measurement, will measure second pile at a later date; landowner share will be updated. Updated on GIS road mapping project. Discussed timeline for the golf course. Discussed moving fence onto County property.

10:58 AM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.

11:26 AM INSIDE MAINTENANCE UPDATES/ Lynda Herbst, Inside Custodial Supervisor

    Courthouse fire alarm went down during power outages. Will get a quote for the fire alarm’s motherboard. Looking for a contractor to paint the library. The roof leak should be fixed before the library is painted. Discussed building easy access to sewer when moved out of the sidewalk in front of the courthouse. Asked to purchase a new vacuum cleaner, permission granted.

11:37 AM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.

11:39 AM DISCUSS OLD EXHIBIT HALL BID & LETTER TO THE PUBLIC/ Jennefer Wheeler, Fairgrounds Manager

    Discussed information that should be included in the article. Jennefer will discuss with the Fair Board about the article before sending it to the newspaper.

11:46 PM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.

1:15 PM RECONVENED

PRESENT: Steve Baldwin, Chairman; Kevin Braun and Roy Rost, Members; Megan Slagter, Recording Secretary

FALLON COUNTY COURTHOUSE

1:15 PM AGENDA/NON-AGENDA ITEMS-PUBLIC COMMENT

    No one appeared for Public Comment.

1:30 PM Brenda Wood, Clerk & Recorder and Cindy Irgens, Recording Clerk joined the meeting.

1:37 PM COUNTY ATTORNEY BUSINESS SESSION/ Darcy Wassmann, County Attorney

    1. Lease Agreement for scoria pit.

Discussed updating lease agreement with an addendum.

    2. Gate Permit Language.

Updated on changes made to Gate Permit.

    3. Westmore Resolution.

Discussed adding a Warranty deed to the bid.

    4. Indigent Burial Policy.

Discussed burial rate.

    5. Lease Agreement.

Discussed changes that a lessee wanted to have made to the updated land lease agreement.

2:14 PM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.

2:14 PM REVIEW AIRPORT HAY LEASE / Debbie Wyrick, Deputy Clerk & Recorder

    Airport hay lease will be updated in September. Will send out notice of billing and renewal.

2:16 PM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.

2:16 PM COMMISSION WORK SESSION

1. Approve February 12^th – February 16^th, 2024 Commission Minutes/Closed Session Minutes

Commissioner Rost made the motion to approve February 12^th – February 16^th, 2024 Minutes. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Rost made the motion to approve the Closed Litigation Proceedings. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.

    2. Approve February 2024 Mid-Month Claims.

Commissioner Rost made the motion to approve February 2024 Mid-Month Claims for the amount of $504,619.01. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.

    3. Executive/Action Items:

        a. Approve Mountain Alarm Commercial Alarm System Agreement for the Museum.

            Agreement was signed by Chairman Baldwin.

        b. Approve Memorandum of Agreement between Fallon County and North Baker Water &/or Sewer District

            Memorandum of Agreement was signed by Chairman Baldwin.

        c. Approve Task Order for Environmental Health and Food Safety Licensing

            Task Order was signed by Chairman Baldwin.

        d. Approve Mutual Aid Agreement for Dispatch Services between Fallon County, Montana and Slope County, North Dakota

            The Commission has decided to wait for Slope County’s response.

            Commissioner Rost stepped out briefly.

    4. Old Business as needed

Commissioner Braun made the motion to adopt Resolution 1124 for indigent burial. Commissioner Baldwin stepped down to second the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 2 Ayes. 0 Nays. 1 Absent. (Commissioner Rost). The motion carried.

    5. Approve Fair Contracts (as needed)

    6. Appointments/Resignations to various boards (as needed)

Commissioner Rost made the motion to appoint Amanda Frickel to the Baker/Plevna TV District Board. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Braun made the motion to appoint Amanda Frickel to the Weed Board. Commissioner Rost seconded the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.

    7. Review & Approve Approach/Encroachment/Gate permits (as needed)

    8. Review Board Minutes/Agendas (Boards other than Commission)

    9. Review Department/Office reports/sign journal vouchers (as needed)

    10. Emails/Correspondence

3:30 PM Dave Kirschten, Roddy Rost, Wanda Pinnow, Bev Burghduff, Board members joined the meeting.

3:31 PM WEED DEPARTMENT & SPRAYING UPDATES/ Sara Berger, Weed Control Coordinator

    Spraying, training, and program updates. Discussed Weed program age restriction and options for hiring local or commercial cost-share applicators. Discussed having Road Department spray county roads and have a road crewman licensed.

3:55 PM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.

4:00 PM FY25 SALARY WORK SESSION/ Brenda Wood, Clerk & Recorder; Debbie Wyrick, Deputy Clerk & Recorder; Julie Straub, HRM; Christa Alford, Payroll Clerk; Trenton Harbaugh, Sheriff

    Discussed separating the Weed Department from regular seasonal wages.

Commissioner Rost made the motion to start Seasonal Weed Crew Drivers at $21.00, second year at $22.00 and third year at $23.00. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 2 Ayes. 1 Nay. (Commissioner Baldwin) The motion carried.

    Discussed other seasonal job wages.

Commissioner Braun made the motion to start seasonal employees for other seasonal departments (Outside Maintenance, Golf, Museum, Library, Fairgrounds) at $15.00, second year at $16.50, and third year at $18.00. Commissioner Rost seconded the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 3 Ayes. 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.

Commissioner Rost made the motion to start Seasonal Cemetery Groundkeeper at $16.00, second year at $17.50, third year at $19.00, and after third year at $21.00. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 2 Ayes. 1 Nay. (Commissioner Baldwin) The motion carried.

Commissioner Rost made the motion to start Fairground and Golf Lead Crew Hands at $19.00, second year at $20.00, and third year at $21.00. Commissioner Braun seconded the motion. Commissioner Baldwin asked for any further discussion; being none. 3 Ayes 0 Nays. The motion carried unanimously.

4:58 PM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.

3:30 PM RECONVENED

PRESENT: Steve Baldwin, Chairman; Roy Rost, Member; Brenda Wood, Clerk and Recorder

ABSENT: Kevin Braun, Member

FALLON COUNTY COURTHOUSE

3:30 PM LISA MITCHELL VS FALLON COUNTY (Labor and Industry Wage and Hour Unit Claim)/ Julie M Straub, HRM

     Commissioner Baldwin opened the meeting and noted the agenda had a grammatical error and should have reflected the parentheses around (Labor and Industry Wage and Hour Unit Claim). 

Commissioner Rost made the motion to accept the settlement agreement and mutual release of claims. Commissioner Baldwin stepped down from the Chair to second the motion.  Commissioner Baldwin asked for any discussion; being none. 2 Ayes. 0 Nays. 1 Absent. (Commissioner Braun).  The motion carried.

    The claim, being part of the settlement, was approved for payment in the amount of $20,000.00.

3:31 PM Chairman Baldwin ended the discussion.