COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ROUND UP LAST MINUTE BUDGET REQUESTS
 | Author:
Nancy Marks, Reporter
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ROUND-UP LAST MINUTE BUDGET REQUESTS
Nancy Marks, Reporter
Broadwater County Commissioners fielded last minute requests for employees and a $1.50 an hour raise for employees who receive wages on the lower end of the pay scale.
Broadwater County Museum board members are requesting a second part-time employee for help from May 15 to Aug. 30 of each year. The basic wage is $12-$13 an hour for a 24-hour pay period.
The county will decide on a $1.50 hour wage increase. That would be in addition to the $ 28-a-month partial health coverage premium for each employee. The wage increase would be 50% of what the group was asking. “This allows for a little bit of growth, then next year we can factor in more. We are thinking long-term about wage increases,” Chair Debi Randolph explained. The vote is not yet final.
Audrey Martin, a retired emergency services expert, suggested to the commissioners that they update their application form on the website, make their response to applications timely and organize a recruiting event to encourage and hire more emergency service volunteers. She spoke during the public comment period.
FAMILY PROMISE SERVICES UPDATE
Family Promise of Great Helena gave the commissioners an update on their work in Broadwater County. Leslie Heisey of Radersburg explained homelessness in the county is low according to their survey but the organization has helped two families who were passing through town. Family Promise was able to help with work and getting kids enrolled in school for people new to the area.
Heisey said people in the south end of the county are tough to reach, but the organization does operate in Radersburg where she lives. They are working on getting counseling in the county. As of now, people must go to Helena to receive services. The Family Promise office is in the basement of the Methodist church on Cedar Street. Family Promise members work with other mental health organizations and the Broadwater County Sheriff’s Office to reach those in need. “We have received funds from a Montana Children’s Trust Fund grant so we are able to help vulnerable children stay out of the state child protective services system,” she said.
SIGN UP FOR MOSQUITO FOGGING
Broadwater County Weed Coordinator Jessica Bushnell reported to the commissioners that this will be an active mosquito season for the county because of the continuing rain. Her team will be using mosquito insecticide fogging during their usual night fogging. She will notify people when the fogger is coming through via Facebook, the website and the newspapers. She emphasized that the Silos area is not in a mosquito district. “If residents want to set up a district in their area, they must organize a petition with 40% of the landowners’ signatures. Please contact me via the website or through Facebook for more information on how to do that,” she said.
People interested in learning about control materials and environmentally safe treatments should contact her office or attend the Townsend Mosquito District board meetings. She needs board members.
Her office has two Montana Conservation District interns mapping fire areas for weed contamination. Her office is working with landowners to get grants to spray those areas. She is also working on spraying weeds on the backside of Canyon Ferry Lake along the roads. She is working with Public Works Supervisor TJ Graveley in experimenting with chemical mowing of roadsides versus mechanical mowing. Test strips are in place on Flynn Lane and Beaver Creek Road. Her office is also involved in four West Nile-carrying mosquito traps. They are in Townsend and the Wild Life Management Areas.
Her county weed board is active and good to work with. “They show up and run efficient meetings,” she said.
COMMISSION APPROVES COUNTY ALCOHOL TAX FUND ALLOCATION
The board approved 70% of the county‘s alcohol tax revenue funds to Boyd Andrew Mental Health Services, and 30% to Butte, Cares, Southwest Montana Prevention for use in the treatment of alcohol and drug addiction, and for educating youth about the dangers of those diseases. The county acts as a passthrough for the funds from the Montana Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS). No money comes directly to the county, according to the DPHHS handout but is dispersed to the designated service organizations.
The two organizations approved for alcohol tax funds may then donate some of the monies to the Broadwater County DUI (Driving Under the Influence) Task Force, according to Commissioner Reynolds.
