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Commissioners discuss broken fairgrounds water pump, irrigation and Hamilton Heights culvert; explore Zoom-room wiring options
Summary
At the April 8 meeting commissioners reviewed a cracked water pump at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds, discussed automating arena watering, considered cabling options for a new Clerk of Court Zoom room and heard a resident concern about a culvert installed on Hamilton Heights that may disrupt irrigation.
Commissioners spent part of the April 8 meeting on operational issues at the county fairgrounds, including a cracked water pump, possible upgrades to arena watering systems and a separate public-service issue involving a recently installed culvert on Hamilton Heights.
County staff reported the fairgrounds’ water truck pump has a significant crack, likely caused by freezing. Staff described the crack as pushing out the pump case and said they will remove the pump case on site and assess whether it can be welded or whether internal components (the impeller) have been damaged. The board directed staff to remove and inspect the pump casing and attempt in-place repairs before deciding on replacement.
Commissioners also discussed options to reduce manual watering needs at the arena. Staff suggested exploring solar-powered reel systems that could automate pulling hoses and delivering water, and the possibility of installing larger, above-frost irrigation lines off the pump house to support a water cannon or automated sprinklers. Staff noted current temporary hoses have operational limits and are vulnerable to vehicle traffic and frost.
Separately, a county official reported receiving a complaint about a new culvert installed at an approach in Hamilton Heights. The official said the new approach culvert was installed lower than the existing culvert that runs under the road, causing irrigation flows to divide improperly and potentially route water across the roadway and a driveway. The board noted the installation appeared to be part of a private approach permit and said it would check whether the road department had signed off and whether the applicant had completed construction to permit standards. Staff described the issue as likely to require corrective construction by the permit holder; commissioners described it as a potential civil matter among landowners but said they would review permit records.
On technology and facility upgrades, staff described bids for CAT‑6 cabling and installation for a Clerk of Court Zoom room. One electrical bid from PCI Electrical for pulling and terminating cable was $4,600 for labor; the overall room cost including hardware and previously budgeted items was presented by staff as a total of $29,005.32, exceeding a previously authorized $25,000 not-to-exceed amount. The board approved the additional expenditure and staff said the Clerk would use identified internal funds from a district-court-related source to cover the higher cost.
The board asked staff to follow up on pump repairs, obtain contractor pricing if welding proves infeasible, verify culvert permitting and ensure bids for cabling and long-term irrigation options are evaluated for frost protection and durability.
The meeting record shows these were matters of county operations and infrastructure; no ordinance or new policy was adopted during discussion.
