Park County commissioners sign off on river clean-up fee waiver, family transfer, contracts and staffing changes

Park County commissioners on Tuesday approved a series of routine administrative and operational items, including a fee waiver for a volunteer river cleanup, a family‑transfer plat amendment, contracts to bring internet service to a new county building and to update detention‑center policies, and the reposting of a disease intervention specialist position.

The board voted unanimously to waive the county roll‑off container fee for Montana Freshwater Partners’ fourth annual river cleanup, scheduled for Sept. 13. "This is the fourth annual coordinated river cleanup that Montana Freshwater Partners puts on," said Jennifer Norris, who asked the board to waive the fee and noted the group received the waiver last year. County staff told the board the department had no objection but that such decisions should be made by the three commissioners.

The board also approved a family transfer for the Kramer property, a transfer the planning office described as the county’s first family transfer within a platted subdivision under a 2021 amendment to Montana statutes that allows family transfers by filing an amended plat. Planning staff described a "convoluted" property history with portions inside and outside platted subdivisions that required review by planning, sanitation/DEQ and the health department before approval.

Commissioners agreed to sign a Spectrum contract to bring internet service to the new Northwest Energy (B Street) building; staff said the build‑out is likely to take 30–60 days. Finance staff said portions of that work will be paid from ARPA funds for building improvements rather than the general fund.

The board voted to enter a yearly subscription with Lexipol to provide an updated detention‑center policy platform and training. County staff said a Mako peer review recommended updating the county’s detention policies, which had not been revised since about 2014, and presented an annual cost of $6,436.80 for the Lexipol service.

Public‑health staffing was also adjusted: health department staff proposed reclassifying a previously posted community health worker position (which carried a medical‑license requirement) to a disease intervention specialist to improve recruitment. The board approved reposting the position; staff said the funding remains grant‑funded and the change adjusts qualifications, not the funding source. The health department said the role would focus on communicable disease work among roughly 78 reportable conditions the county tracks, including Legionnaires, campylobacter and seasonal influenza.

The commissioners signed a resolution formalizing previously approved road‑loan forgiveness; staff described the action as an accounting technicality and stated it did not mean the county would not repay the BN fund. The board also approved signing a stipulated entry of judgment and consent decree to resolve litigation filed against the county in 2022 over a public road (case referenced as DVDash34Dash2002Dash189). County Attorney Paul Spidler said the parties had negotiated a settlement and the county was the last signatory needed to finalize the agreement. "This is a consent decree which will resolve litigation that was filed against Park County in 2022," Spidler said.

During public comment, Linda Kramer thanked the commission for approving her family transfer and invited commissioners to visit her property to review conditions on Dry Creek Road; commissioners and staff said the road boss was preparing a plan to address the request.

The meeting included routine department updates from the county attorney, sheriff's office, finance, DES, planning and parks. Commissioners approved minutes from late August and adjourned.

Votes at a glance

- Waive roll‑off container fee for Montana Freshwater Partners river cleanup (Sept. 13): approved (voice vote, unanimous). - Kramer family transfer (SC 20‑25): approved (voice vote, unanimous). - Spectrum contract for Northwest Energy (B Street) building: approved (voice vote, unanimous); partial ARPA funding noted. - Lexipol annual subscription for detention policies ($6,436.80/yr): approved (voice vote, unanimous). - Post/hire disease intervention specialist (reclassifying community health worker): approved (voice vote, unanimous); grant‑funded. - Resolution to sign road loan forgiveness: approved (voice vote, unanimous). - Stipulated entry of judgment and consent decree for case DVDash34Dash2002Dash189: approved (voice vote, unanimous).

What’s next

The county will execute the contracts and resolutions; staff said the Lexipol subscription and the Spectrum build‑out will move forward immediately and that the health department will repost the position. The consent decree is now ready for the county’s signature to finalize the litigation settlement.