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Resident alleges procurement and governance problems at Stillwater Conservation District during Columbus council meeting
Summary
Resident Doug Harrington told the Columbus City Council he has provided documents to the clerk alleging procurement irregularities, conflicts of interest and legal enforcement actions at the Stillwater Conservation District; council members said they may review appointments and expect district recommendations at the next meeting.
Doug Harrington, a Columbus resident, used the public-comment period to make a series of allegations against the Stillwater Conservation District, saying he has submitted supporting documents to the city clerk.
Harrington said the district “refused to comply with the cease and desist” issued by the Carbon County attorney’s office and that the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) “has shut them off” from some state programs. He also alleged the district failed to provide procurement records and that two board members who were contractors had been awarded projects while serving on the board.
Harrington cited figures and contract examples during his remarks, saying one project was bid at $571,000 and a competing bid was $881,000, and that change orders later increased that work; he also said he has payroll records and other paperwork backing his statements. “Any grant money from the state of Montana is done over,” he said, and he told the council he had provided bid documents and letters from Fish, Wildlife and Parks to the clerk.
The claims were presented as allegations. Council members did not make any formal findings during the meeting. A council member had previously said the council expects to receive applications and recommendations from the conservation district by the next meeting and that the council may vote on appointments on the 17th; that member indicated he would send follow-up correspondence asking about disclosures and whether board members were on the board at the time they applied and were subsequently awarded contracts.
Harrington characterized the situation as involving multiple legal steps already underway in other offices and said he believed the county attorney had issued an injunction and subpoenas for payroll records. He also said DNRC bureau staff told him the district had been removed from some state programs pending compliance. Harrington added he had given copies of supporting documents to the clerk to be part of the public record.
No council motion or formal action regarding the district was recorded during the meeting; council members said they may receive district recommendations and applications at the next meeting and could take further up-or-down action then.
The council meeting record shows no staff rebuttal or on-the-record response from the Stillwater Conservation District during this session. The documents Harrington said he provided were noted as submitted to the city clerk for the public record.
