Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environmental Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Broadwater County board approves informational letter on RVs and septic compliance
Summary
The Broadwater County Board of Health approved an informational letter, drafted by the county sanitarian, to notify property owners that occupied recreational vehicles and other additional living units may trigger sanitation review; the board asked for wording that clarifies monitoring and follow‑up.
The Broadwater County Board of Health voted to approve a revised informational letter to property owners clarifying when occupied recreational vehicles (RVs) and other additional living units may trigger sanitation and DEQ review.
The board’s sanitarian, Megan, presented the draft and said the letter’s intent is informational: to explain the county’s sanitation standards and to prompt owners to contact environmental health with questions. "This is step 1," Megan said, adding that the letter is meant to inform residents before any enforcement action. Board members asked for language that makes clear compliance will be monitored during the summer camping season, with follow-up if problems persist.
Why it matters: board members said the summer months bring the highest number of complaints about RVs and wastewater handling. Megan told the board the department tracks certified septic installers (about 13 attended the January training) and has targets to inspect roughly 90% of food and lodging establishments annually to maintain reimbursement eligibility.
Several members urged caution in how the mailing is carried out. The group debated using regular mail for initial notices versus certified mail for formal violations; Megan said certified mail would be used only if there is an actual violation, because certified mailing for every property would be prohibitively expensive. The board asked staff to use county tax records to assemble addresses and to attempt regular mail first, with certified mail reserved for escalation.
The board clarified that the letter should refer to "occupied" additional living units to avoid confusing residents who simply park campers on their property but do not use the septic system. "If they call and say, ‘I've got these people that park here and they dump their wastewater,’ then I can determine that you're not out of compliance," Megan said.
Action taken: a motion to approve the letter with the agreed edits (clarify "occupied" RVs, add language that sites will be monitored for compliance during summer) passed on a voice vote. The chair said the letter will be shared with county commissioners and posted as appropriate.
What’s next: staff will finalize the wording, circulate the revised draft to board members and commissioners, and prepare a mailing list drawn from county property records. The board did not adopt new enforcement rules; members described the step as an informational outreach that could lead to further action only if noncompliance is documented.
