County Commissioners Okay Advertising Higher Wage
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
County Commissioners Okay Advertising Higher Wage
MT 43 News Staff Reporter
County Commissioners Okay Advertising Higher Wage for 2nd Deputy County Attorney
Broadwater County Attorney Cory Swanson explained he has been unable to attract another deputy county attorney to his office because of the county’s salary level. He asked the commission to raise the salary level from $87,500 to $95,000. The higher salary will allow him to advertise for a second deputy county attorney at a more competitive wage.
Swanson’s office agreed to take over covering the city’s criminal litigation for which the city will pay $18,300 annually. This addition to the county attorney budget will help offset the added costs of higher salaries. The commissioners approved the wage adjustment.
Swanson presented an extensive discussion about the school equalization tax controversy. Please see the separate story.
In his quarterly report, Broadwater County Sheriff Nick Rauser said for the year the department has made 15,842 calls for service including 482 actual charges. Those include 42 Driving While Intoxicated(DUI) charges and 23 Deaths. His department has two open positions.
School Resource Officer Position Discussed
Rauser also presented his idea to reinstate a school resource officer at Townsend Schools. He had approached the school board for a formal commitment. His department would pay the upfront costs for funding the position for one year. The full-time resource officer would work at the school during the school year. During the summer the officer would cover South Broadwater full-time.
School Board Chairman Jason Noyes explained to the commissioners that school board members and staff are very much in favor of reinstating the position, they did not make a formal motion to absorb ongoing costs for the position. “Funding becomes the real question. We don’t want to start something we can’t maintain,” he said.
Montana Linemen Rodeo
Montana Lineman Rodeo representative Tim Newman approached the commissioners about holding the Lineman’s Rodeo at the Fairgrounds. The rodeo, organized by Northwestern Energy in 1992, would need a 4 or 5-acre location at the Fairgrounds to place permanent unenergized posts for the contest.
The rodeo would be on the 3rd Saturday in July annually. Currently, 265 lineman apprentices, including local man Dillon Doane, would be encouraged to participate.
Townsend Rodeo Chairman Wynn Meehan said his organization is in favor of the lineman rodeo. It would be possible to move the fence in the pasture north of the fairgrounds to make room for the permanent structure, he pointed out.
Parks and Recreation board member Adam Six said his board favors a second rodeo activity in the county. “We really need more electrical resources at the fairgrounds. We would collaborate with Northwestern Energy as a partner to bring in better electricity,” he said.
Northwestern Energy representative Howard Skjervem encouraged the commission to accept the rodeo. “I’m not here to make any commitments, only to listen. I will say this is a quality program that showcases what you people (linemen) can do and is good for the community as well,” he said.
Newman will meet with the Fair Board on Nov. 16 to present the lineman rodeo program.
Transfer Solid Waste Scale Open for Business
Public Works Supervisor TJ Graveley reported the solid waste scale is installed at the Indian Creek Road Site. “We’ll be ready to accept loads larger than 3 cubic feet beginning next week,” he said.
All large pickup and truckloads will be referred to the transfer station by the canister site attendants. At the transfer site, the automatic scale will weigh and charge the driver. The waste scale only takes credit cards as payment.
Graveley reported gates at the Winston canister site have been moved closer to the highway to discourage illegal dumping at the site. Additional site hours will be Tuesday and Thursday 2-6 p.m. with regular hours on Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: New Hours posted at Winston cannister site
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
