Cascade County work session advances multiple contracts and grants, including Black Eagle Road engineering and United Way donations

Cascade County commissioners reviewed a package of contracts, grants and planning items at a June 3 work session held in the commission chambers and via Zoom. Several items were placed on the regular or consent agendas for action at upcoming meetings.

Les Payne of the county's Public Works Department presented Contract 26-58, an engineering agreement with TD&H Engineering for the Black Eagle Road project in the amount of $77,900; the commission discussed the item and scheduled it for the regular agenda. Acting Chairman Briggs participated in the brief exchange recorded in the minutes.

Acting Chairman Briggs presented Contract 26-56, a designation of state-approved providers to receive earmarked alcohol tax monies for chemical dependency treatment and prevention services in Cascade County for the term July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027; that item was moved to the regular agenda.

The commission recorded Contract 26-57, a Noxious Weeds Trust Fund Project Grant Agreement for the Chestnut Valley Weed Management Area to perform noxious weed control on 1,492 acres of private land. The grant maximum is $24,500 and carries a 50% landowner match; the minutes list the item for the regular agenda.

Contract 26-59, a proposed modification to the county's Pretrial Services Program contract with Compliance Monitoring Systems (a price adjustment to electronic monitoring daily rates and per-service testing, effective July 1, 2026), was noted by the chair and pulled from the agenda.

Contract 26-60 is a lease agreement with Pitney Bowes for a MailCenter 2000 system at $690 per month for 60 months; the minutes report this will replace the current mail system with a reported monthly savings of $824 and will include scales, label printers and service support. The item was placed on the regular agenda.

Two interagency court security grant items (Contracts 26-61 and 26-62) involving the Office of the Court Administrator and the 8th Judicial District Court were pulled from the agenda; the minutes list amounts for door inserts ($1,455) and for a Clerk of Court keyless entry/window tinting and juvenile probation cameras ($6,725 and $2,720 respectively).

Kim Thiel-Schaaf, appearing on Zoom, presented an add-on, Contract 26-63, recommending FY2027 United Way donations: $25,000 to Meals on Wheels and $8,000 to the Foster Grandparents Program; the minutes place this item on the consent agenda. Mykenzie Eliason (Planning) presented a preliminary subdivision plat for Horizon Meadows Minor (Parcel #2639500); the commission discussed the application and moved it to the regular agenda. Trisha Gardner (Public Health Officer) presented Amendment No. 1 to MT DPHHS Task Order 26-074-4-31-106-0 (Immunization Program Fund) reporting a funding increase and the item was placed on the consent agenda.

There were no public comments on matters not on the agenda. Acting Chairman Briggs adjourned the work session at 2:45 p.m.

Details the minutes do not provide include the specific amendment language for the Pretrial Services and Detention Center contract amendments and precise procurement comparisons for the mail system beyond the single reported monthly saving; those items will require review of the full contract documents or the regular meeting record for complete terms.