Commissioners review consent agenda: parking lease, lighting, jail water system and roof contract discussed

Cascade County commissioners reviewed multiple consent‑agenda items during a May 5 work session, including contracts and grant renewals covering parking, lighting, jail facilities, and an annex roof replacement.

Committee member (speaker 6) described Contract 26‑44, a proposed five‑year lease with SRD Properties for a downtown parking lot at 302nd Avenue North. The presenter said the county has been trying to secure additional employee parking and described an initial fee structure and a target start once insurance and site prep are completed; he said, "I would assume that once you sign it, we will probably start June 1."

Commissioners reviewed a $20,500 bid recommendation from Blue Ribbon Electric to replace roughly 30 light heads on county poles to improve security and safety in parking areas. "This just increases security and safety," the presenter said when describing the lighting project.

The board also considered Contract 26‑47, a $31,240 recommendation to replace a 200‑gallon hot‑water heater at the sheriff’s office penthouse with two on‑demand units for redundancy. Presenter (speaker 6) explained the redundancy rationale: "If either side ever goes down, we will always have hot water in those particular locations." Commissioners asked about warranties and operational experience; staff noted on‑demand units typically have good early warranties but longer‑term parts costs.

Cammy Stone, crisis division coordinator with the sheriff’s office (speaker 5), presented Contract 206‑43 — a master contract amendment with Montana DPHHS — saying the state reorganized service categories and the county needed to align the local budget to the new federal contract tiers; she reported the county had sent the revised contract to the appropriate reviewer and had no outstanding concerns.

An add‑on, Contract 209, was a low‑bid award recommendation to A.T. Clemens for annex roof replacement; the presenter said two bids were received and A.T. Clemens submitted the low bid at $606,630 and that the work was expected to start as soon as weather allows, potentially June 1. The board also reviewed a small renewal grant from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality for air‑quality monitoring and outreach (Contract 208; total federal funding $23,410 over the contract period).

Commissioners placed many of these items on the consent agenda for the next regular meeting and had no substantive objections during the work session. No formal votes were recorded at the May 5 work session; the session was a preview and review ahead of the May 12 meeting.

Sources: presentations by county staff and department representatives at the Cascade County Board of County Commissioners work session, May 5.