Commissioners approve storage upgrade, accept $15,000 donation and remove underwater ROV item pending RFP

Flathead County commissioners on Oct. 23 approved amending the county's Capital Improvement Plan to fund a storage area network for the sheriff's office, accepted a $15,000 donation from Parsons Tractor for remote-vehicle equipment and removed a separate proposal for an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from the agenda pending a future competitive procurement.

The meeting opened at 9 a.m., and the chair led a brief procedural agenda before commissioners took up sheriff's office equipment needs. The sheriff said the office is "running out of space due to our video and evidence storage" and that the county had been saving to replace its system but was prompted to act sooner because vendors had sale pricing available. "We had budgeted well over $50,000," the sheriff said, describing the need to apply existing saved funds to a storage-area-network purchase.

Commissioner [Commissioner] moved consideration of the CIP amendment for the storage area network, a second was recorded, and the board approved the motion on a voice vote.

On a related item, commissioners accepted a $15,000 donation from Parsons Tractor to support remote-vehicle operations used in water and search-and-rescue missions. The sheriff said the donation followed continuing concerns about drownings in Flathead County and a rise in equipment costs. "We've had multiple drownings in Flathead County throughout the years," the sheriff said, and described donated funds as helpful to acquiring needed equipment.

"I move to consideration and acceptance of donation to the Sheriff's Office of $15,000 from Parsons Tractor," one commissioner said; another commissioner seconded, and the board approved the donation.

Commissioners then considered a separate CIP amendment to acquire an underwater ROV. The sheriff told the board that ROVs previously purchased for about $60,000 are now "well over $200,000," and that models vary in capability and price. He said the increase likely pushes the purchase over the county's procurement threshold and would require a formal request for proposals (RFP). "They are now well over $200,000," the sheriff said, and recommended the county follow procurement rules rather than pursue an immediate sole-source purchase.

Commissioners and staff discussed timing: staff estimated an RFP process of roughly 30 days to advertise and receive bids and noted a special meeting could be scheduled quickly to move funds if necessary. Given those considerations, a commissioner moved to remove item C (the underwater ROV CIP amendment) from the agenda so the county could proceed with an RFP and return with a formal recommendation; the motion carried on a voice vote.

The board concluded the meeting after taking those actions. Next procedural steps described by staff included issuing an RFP for the ROV if the sheriff proceeds and returning to the commissioners with bid results and a recommended funding action.