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Fallon County commissioners approve deputy, grants and personnel hires; table USPS plan
Summary
At its regular meeting commissioners approved adding a sheriff deputy, accepted a $10,000 vision grant and authorized vaccine orders, approved an extension agreement with MSU, and hired a new dispatcher. A proposed USPS cluster‑box installation on county land was tabled pending more information.
Fallon County commissioners took a range of routine and budget actions after hearing departmental updates and partner presentations.
Budget and personnel actions The commission approved using budget funds to add an additional deputy to the sheriff's office after a discussion with Sheriff Trent about overtime, staffing and recruitment. Commissioners asked for follow‑up metrics (overtime reductions and increased vacation usage) to justify long‑term costs.
The commission also approved a $10,000 vision grant (applied with the Caring Foundation of Montana/Blue Cross Blue Shield) intended to pay for referrals, doctor appointments, gas cards and glasses. Health staff estimated roughly $500 per patient and a target of about 20 people to be served. Commissioners voted to amend the budget to accept the grant and later authorized vaccine and supply orders, with staff instructed to stay within existing vaccine line items and notify the commission as spending thresholds approach.
In personnel actions, the board approved hiring Haley Tollsey as a dispatcher (start date noted as October 7); the motion carried by voice vote.
Contracts and agreements The commission approved an extension service agreement with Montana State University (extension) and approved Resolution 11 62, a budget amendment to accept grant funds, during the meeting record.
Tabled items and follow-up Commissioners discussed a request by the U.S. Postal Service to install cluster mailboxes on county property north of town and questioned whether the county should pay to install a concrete pad for a small number of boxes. They asked USPS representatives to provide a clearer, long‑term plan and tabled the item pending more information.
Other updates Staff updated commissioners on roads and culverts, landfill operations (including DEQ permission to use shredded tires as alternative daily cover), ARPA project closeouts for the North Baker water and sewer work, tourism and economic development planning tied to a regional grant opportunity, IT/ADA website compliance needs and options to purchase a county‑owned ATM (staff to verify warranty and operational details).
Votes at a glance - Add additional deputy to sheriff's office: motion carried (voice vote) — motion moved during budget discussion beginning SEG 569 and carried SEG 874–877. - Vision grant ($10,000) budget amendment: approved (motion and aye vote) — discussion beginning SEG 1053 and vote SEG 1236–1246. - Vaccine orders and supplies: approved (motion and aye vote) — recorded SEG 1246–1256. - Resolution 11 62 (budget amendment): approved (motion and aye vote) — motion SEG 2111–2124, vote SEG 2127–2130. - Extension service agreement with MSU: approved (voice vote) — SEG 2319–2332. - Hire dispatcher (Haley Tollsey) approved: motion carries (voice vote) — SEG 3734–3754.
What happens next Commissioners asked staff to provide additional documentation for multi‑parcel land swap negotiations (detailed maps, easement language, valuation breakdown), to forward USPS for a presentation with more detail, and to return with updates on deputy staffing metrics, vaccine spending thresholds and ATM warranty terms. No further votes were taken on the land swap during this session.
