Broadwater County commissioners hear election updates, parks plans and sheriff’s office report
Author: Rachael Brug, Staff Reporter
Broadwater County Commissioners Hear Election Updates, Parks Plans and Sheriff’s Office Report
Rachael Brug
Staff Reporter
TOWNSEND — Broadwater County commissioners on Feb. 11 heard updates on upcoming local elections, county building security changes, parks and trail planning, and ongoing efforts to refine how the county reviews subdivision exemption requests.
Chair Debbie Randolph opened the meeting with public comment, where Clerk and Recorder and Elections Administrator Angie Paulsen outlined key election dates and the candidates who filed for Townsend School District No. 1 trustee positions.
Paulsen said the district has two open seats for three-year terms and one open seat for a one-year term. By the filing deadline, Jean Hodges and Jason Cool filed for the three-year terms, along with Chase Ragan, also for a three-year term. For the one-year term, Judy Gillespie filed and will be appointed by acclamation, Paulsen said. The school election is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5.
Paulsen also previewed the 2026 federal primary and general election cycle and said candidate filing for county offices opens Feb. 17 and closes at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 4. She said the shortened filing window is a statewide change intended to help election administrators prepare ballots because the school election and June primary fall close together.
Paulsen listed filing fees, which she said are set in Montana law and generally tied to base salary. Fees she cited included $353.39 for justice of the peace; $353.39 for clerk and recorder/elections administrator/surveyor; $355.39 for treasurer and superintendent of schools; $721.93 for county attorney; $392.21 for sheriff/coroner; and $363.39 for county commissioner.
County building, community events
During commissioner comments, Randolph said the county is still working through the possibility of purchasing the Silo building using ARPA funds that were set aside for an emergency building. She said the issue is still in process and could return to the agenda in early March.
Randolph also addressed public questions about changes to courthouse doors, saying the adjustments are intended as a long-term public safety measure for residents and employees. Commissioners asked the public to bring questions directly to the commission rather than relying on rumors.
Randolph also thanked volunteers, donors and the sheriff’s office for support at a Super Bowl party held at the school for middle and high school students, saying about 45 students attended.
Parks and trails
Carol Hatfield, who identified herself as a member of the Broadwater County Parks and Recreation Board, told commissioners the board has been busy since January. Hatfield said two members resigned and one new citizen was recruited and approved, leaving the board with four members. She encouraged additional applicants so the board can return to an odd number of members.
Hatfield said the board updated its recreation plan evaluation and report from 2023 and reviewed projects and priorities as recommended in that document.
She said the board also issued letters of support for trail-related efforts, including a Broadwater County Development Corporation (BCDC) application to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for a Trail Stewardship Grant to resurface the asphalt trail north of Townsend. Hatfield said the board hopes to hear about that grant in April.
Hatfield also said the board issued a letter to the Montana Trail Coalition related to trail planning and a pilot-county effort. She said the Montana Trail Coalition may place Broadwater County into a later phase focused on pursuing funding because the BCDC trail committee has already completed scoping, planning and a vision trail plan.
Hatfield said board members are also working with the BCDC trail committee on implementation and are developing a checklist for citizens who want to propose projects on two county parcels at Canton Lane and in the Centerville area. She said cleanup is expected on the Centerville property over the summer ahead of a December deadline for a Fish, Wildlife and Parks recreation trail grant.
Sheriff’s office
Sheriff Nick Rauser told commissioners the sheriff’s office recently completed an impound lot project, allowing the county to move vehicles out of paid storage units. Rauser credited community donations, including labor for concrete work, for helping reduce costs.
Rauser also said the office received a drone donated by Greymont and that a deputy is nearing certification to fly it. He said the drone could be used for searches, unsafe situations and crime-scene documentation.
Rauser said a jail remodel project is complete and invited commissioners to tour the improvements.
He also addressed questions he said he has received about immigration enforcement, stating the sheriff’s office is not Immigration and Customs Enforcement and does not have authority to enforce federal law. Rauser said that if federal agencies request assistance, the sheriff’s office would respond to help ensure safety, but he does not view illegal immigration as a major local issue.
Rauser and Undersheriff Mark Wood also discussed ongoing efforts to restore a school resource officer (SRO) position. Rauser said he was meeting with the school superintendent and PTA later that day and said he hopes an SRO could return next school year, though funding remains the main obstacle.
Rauser said grants can help with equipment or limited costs but typically do not cover the full ongoing wages, which he estimated at roughly $100,000 per deputy per year. He said one federal program can provide partial funding for a limited period before local funding must fully sustain the position.
Wood said he is pursuing additional funding through the Broadwater County Trust Board and is also exploring a trust board grant for a search-and-rescue boat. He thanked commissioners and community partners, including Rotary, for help with prior grant efforts.
Subdivision exemptions and family transfers
Community Development and Planning Director Nichole Brown asked commissioners to table a Hansen family transfer exemption request, saying the county is shifting to a best practice of requiring both a family transfer affidavit and an exemption application form. Brown said she had notified the Hansens that an application is needed and that once submitted, the 20-working-day review timeline under Montana law would restart.
During public comment, resident Chuck Hahn asked how the county would handle a previously approved family transfer that relied only on an affidavit. Brown said she would defer to County Attorney Kevin Bratcher for guidance.
Commissioners voted to table the Hansen request. Brown later asked commissioners to table the Copelands family transfer for the same reason, saying the applicant understood the need to submit the exemption application.
Brown also walked commissioners through a proposed, more formal subdivision exemption review process and an updated exemption application form. The process includes a pre-application meeting, submission requirements, and a new certificate-of-survey (COS) review committee intended to provide another layer of review before items reach the commission for a decision.
Commissioners said they want additional time for public review and scheduled the exemption process and application amendments to return on Feb. 25. Hahn urged the county to ensure the application captures needed written documentation, noting recent legal changes and increased penalties related to subdivision regulation evasion.
Brown also asked commissioners to pause action on broader subdivision regulation amendments and instead hold a new public hearing later in March, citing additional proposed changes and the need to compare county regulations with model rules provided by the Montana Association of Counties. Commissioners tentatively discussed a March 25 public hearing date.
The commission approved minutes from multiple prior meetings and approved claims, including a payroll amount of $285,210.75. The meeting adjourned at 11:03 a.m.
