Pondera County commissioners approve substance‑abuse designation and facility, road purchases; phone‑system decision tabled

Pondera County commissioners at their April 16 meeting approved the county’s annual Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) substance‑abuse designation, a courthouse carpet‑cleaning contract and a road‑department cold‑mix purchase, and tabled a proposal to replace the courthouse phone system pending more technical information.

The commission designated the county’s DPHHS substance‑abuse funding — reported in the meeting as $6,125 — to the provider noted during the discussion. “It’s $6,125,” said K., the commission chair. Commissioners voted in favor and the motion carried.

The carpet‑cleaning contract for shampooing and disinfecting three courthouse floors, presented as a KD Cleaning (also referred to in discussion as AD Cleaning) bid, was approved for $3,355. The county indicated the work would be paid from building‑maintenance funds; no specific departmental cost split was recorded in the meeting record.

The commission also approved an additional 40 tons of cold mix for the road department at $250 per ton, a $10,000 purchase from United Materials (Great Falls). The board said the road department had previously ordered material earlier in the season and required an additional allocation to meet needs.

A proposal from 3 Rivers to replace the courthouse phone system — including equipment, standard installation and cabling — was presented with a price of $47,675.43. Commissioners discussed that the existing system uses obsolete components and had been temporarily patched; one participant said the board’s longtime technician, identified in the meeting as Doug, had pieced together a temporary fix and that original parts are no longer made. Commissioners did not approve the replacement at the meeting and agreed to contact the technician for more detail and a possible on‑site explanation before deciding. One commissioner said the cost would likely come from capital‑improvement funds, but the meeting record stated that the specific funding source had not been finalized.

The agenda item concerning continuing bank‑authorization paperwork remained unresolved; commissioners said bank authorization language and signatures still needed clarification and the item will be revisited at a future meeting.

Votes at a glance - DPHHS substance‑abuse designation to named provider (amount stated as $6,125): approved; motion carries. - Courthouse carpet shampooing and disinfecting contract (KD/AD Cleaning) — $3,355: approved; motion carries. - Cold‑mix purchase for road department — 40 tons at $250/ton (United Materials) — $10,000: approved; motion carries. - Courthouse phone‑system proposal (3 Rivers/Avaya equipment) — $47,675.43: no formal vote to approve; item tabled pending technician consultation. - Bank authorization paperwork: tabled for further clarification.

The meeting concluded after the commissioners agreed to follow up with the county technician and bank contacts and return the unresolved items to a future agenda.