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Commissioners hear public health training items; library governance review tabled and residents raise predator-control concerns
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Summary
March 11 meeting included a public health training with state staff about codes and bylaws, a library governance status update tabled until April 22, and public comments about predator-control funds and a potential cattle tax petition.
Garfield County commissioners devoted part of their March 11 agenda to public-health governance and local service oversight.
Sherlie Hains, the county public health representative, led a training session joined by Kerry Pride and Neva Loney of the Montana System Improvement Department via Zoom. Presenters reviewed Montana public health codes, the public health framework and identified the need to update the Local Board of Health bylaws and membership to comply with Montana Code Annotated requirements.
During the same meeting, county library stakeholders including Sharon Nelson reported that staff and board members are still piecing together how the library board and accounts were originally established; commissioners agreed to table further action until the April 22, 2026 meeting to allow more review.
In public comment, local resident Jack McRae urged discussion of the Predator Control Fund and County Bounty Fund and mentioned a potential petition to increase a county cattle tax; Betty Lou Weeding read a letter to the commissioners asking them to investigate concerns she raised. Chairman Kelly Witt said he would investigate Ms. Weeding's concerns. The public comments were recorded but no formal agenda action followed at the March 11 session.
The training materials in the packet reference Montana Code Annotated 50-2-116 regarding Local Boards of Health duties and recommend bylaw updates; commissioners recorded the training and noted follow-up by local public-health leadership.