Broadwater County Commissioners Tackle Health Services and Highway Safety in Busy Meeting
Author: Rachael Brug, MT43 News Staff Reporter
Broadwater County Commissioners Tackle Health Services and Highway Safety in Busy Meeting
Rachael Brug
MT43 News Staff Reporter
The Broadwater County Commissioners covered a packed agenda at their recent meeting, ranging from vital public health contracts to a bold step toward improving highway safety for local drivers.
The session opened with approval of the county’s annual contract with Rocky Mountain Development Council, ensuring continued funding for homemaker, skilled nursing, and respite care services. Thanks to a long-awaited base increase, the $38,250 contract will allow the county’s homemaker program to expand by two or three slots, providing light housekeeping and in-home assistance to more residents. Skilled nursing services, which include medication management, wound care, and occasional appointment advocacy, remain available for those with a doctor’s order.
Commissioners also gave the green light to a newly formalized mission statement and scope of work for the Board of Health. The updated mission aims to promote and protect public health and environmental quality in Broadwater County through education, partnerships, collaboration, and policy. The scope now clearly outlines five focus areas: policy development, health education, disease prevention, environmental health, and emergency preparedness.
The meeting’s most robust debate centered on whether to pursue a highly competitive federal “BUILD” transportation grant for the long-discussed Winston North highway project. If successful, the no-match grant—potentially worth up to $25 million—would accelerate long-needed safety and capacity upgrades along Highway 287, a corridor traveled daily by thousands of county residents. Commissioners weighed the risk of spending up to $50,000 on the grant application, knowing the funds are non-refundable even if the bid is unsuccessful. Ultimately, they voted unanimously to move forward, citing the project’s potential to benefit the entire county and the rare opportunity the grant presents.
In other business, the commission approved routine claims and meeting minutes. The next commission meeting is tentatively scheduled, with residents encouraged to check the county website for updates.
