RID assessment approved, new County Public Works Director introduced at Government Day

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton joked about the fact hardly anyone comes to Lincoln Government Day meetings when he comes to visits, but with the meeting room at the Lincoln library crowded, he figured there must be something about roads on the agenda.

The May 6 meeting served as both the regular monthly meeting of the Lewis and Clark County Commission in Lincoln and as the public hearing on the third and final hearing on both the Lincoln and Lambkins Rural Improvement Districts.

Commissioners approve RID levies and loan applications

Commissioners Andy Hunthausen and Tom Rolfe, who chaired the meeting and hearings in the absence of Commission Chair Jim McCormick, approved the levies and assessments to fund chip sealing of both the Lincoln and Lambkins Rural Improvement Districts during the hearings at the end of meeting.

Special District Coordinator Jessica Makus read the motions after reviewing the need for the assessments.

"We realized probably in late 2020 the districts didn't have enough funding for the chip seal maintenance," Makus said.

When the commissioner approved assessments for the RIDS in 2014, they were expected to cover the cost of a second chip seal, but recent cost increases changed the equation.

Last year the county began addressing the RID issue during community council and government day meetings after a yearlong delay due to COVID. By the start of 2022 enough signatures had been gathered on petitions to begin the process to fund the improvements.

The commissioners approved an annual special assessment for the Lincoln RID of $37.75 per property per year for seven years, in addition to the regular assessment of $59.40 per property per year. The commissioners also approved an application to the Intercap Loan program for $74,969.03. The seven-year loan and the balance of the Lincoln RID funds should cover the $206,221 total project cost for pothole patching and chip sealing of the RID's hard surface roads and the application of mag chloride to the gravel surface roads.

The commissioners went on to approve the levy and assessment for the Lambkins RID, which is assessed by square foot rather than by lot. The assessment came to $0.00504 per square foot per property per year for seven years. That averages to about $83 per property per year. Properties in the Lambkins RID see a regular assessment of $0.001972 per square foot per property, or an average of $72 per year.

The total cost of the Lambkins RID project amounted to $59,400, which requires a loan for $40,325.48. The commissioners approved the application to the Intercap Loan program for that funding.

Makus said the Lambkins RID, which covers the streets in the northeast corner of Lincoln, could be changed from the square footage assessment to a per lot assessment if the citizens there initiated such a change through a petition process.

The May 6 hearing was the culmination of that process and supplied the last opportunity to comment on or protest the assessments and a pair of Intercap loan program applications to cover the extra funding needed for the work.

"This will allow us to start the assessments and get the loan to get the work done," Makus said.

During the hearing, Makus responded to several questions, including one about possible grant funding for the project. She said they can get grants for "everybody roads," but to her knowledge, they don't exist for smaller-scale rural infrastructure projects.

Makus also addressed the possibility of simply patching potholes until the ROIDs have the money to pay for the repairs without the additional assessments. She explained that the surface of the roads is a double shot chip seal, rather than an asphalt mat.

"By deferring that maintenance until the money would be available, it's just not a great idea for these roads. What we end up with there is a potential unraveling to the point of not being able to fix it very well.

Makus also clarified that if properties are within the boundary of the RIDS they are assessed for the maintenance even if they aren't directly adjacent to a paved street.

Bids for the projects are expected to be opened at the May 24 commission meeting.

Law enforcement update

During the meeting ahead of the hearing, Dutton kicked things off, reporting that the county detention center has been busy, with a population that recently has hovered around 100 prisoners.

"We have a bed space of about 154," Dutton said. "We just don't have everybody hired to open it completely."

Dutton also reported that he, Lincoln Deputy Robert Rivera and one of his captains attended coroners' school for recertification hours to maintain their certificates.

"It's interesting," he said. "When I say interesting, when you think about looking at dead bodies and all that kind of stuff for three days, it's somewhat sobering."

He said the class focused quite a bit on aquatic death investigations, where homicides can sometimes be ruled as drownings. "It's quite a science when you go into all of those things about what people will dream up to kill somebody and can make it look like a drowning."

Lincoln's new resident Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Jessie Short followed up with an update on what he has been focusing on in the Lincoln area

"Recently I've been trying to do a lot of speed stops here through town," he said. An issue he's been seeing is that a lot of people speeding are coming in from the east side of town. "People see the 30 miles an hour (at) the school zone and assume it speeds back up to 40. That's part of the issue. Some people are just doing 50 and don't pay any attention at all," he said.

Short said he's also been trying to enforce the issue of drivers following too closely. "You may have noticed you're driving through town and there's a Washington plate in your rearview mirror and they're about to run you over. We're trying to enforce that a little more because it does cause crashes."

One person at the meeting also noted that vehicles passing on the right is a year-round issue that he'd like to see addressed.

Short also noted he's working to see about "no engine brakes" signs to help keep big rigs from using Jake brakes in town. "I know a lot of people have been complaining about that."

Community Council update

Upper Blackfoot Valley Community Council chairman Zach Muse reported that the Montana Department of Transportation has replaced the 60-mph sign at the start of the new speed zone east of Lincoln near the airport and will update the no passing zone markings when they complete a chip seal project on the highway slated for 2023.

The original truck speed limit sign had duct tape covering the word 'truck." Although he talked to the traffic engineer about a larger speed limit sign there, those are only available for four lane roads. However, he said they are looking into installing a "reduced speed" sign further east to alert drivers to the lower speed limit.

He said the council will re-approach the issue of a possible radar speed sign at the May 17 UBVCC meeting.

He also reported there were several vacancies on the council, following the lack of candidates for open seats and the recent resignations of Toni Austad and Kelly Tynes.

New Public Works director introduced; MDT pushed Dalton bridge replacement out to 2024

The meeting also gave Rolfe the chance to introduce the new County Public Works Director Jenny Chambers.

Chambers came to the county from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, where she worked as the Remediation Division Administrator. In that role she took part in several community meetings in Lincoln related to the cleanup of the upper Blackfoot Mining Complex in the Mike Horse area.

"I'm so pleased to be here," she said. "This is my first week on the job, so don't scare me away."

Chambers began her new position May 2 and said she'd been busy meeting her staff, getting familiar with different program areas and priorities.

She said for most people in the Lincoln area, the Dalton Mountain Road bridge is a priority. Last week crews worked on repairs to piles damaged by overweight loads.

"New steel sleeves will shore up the fiberglass sleeves that have split on the bottom so we can keep that operational for the next couple seasons," she said.

Her update included the news that the Dalton Mountain Bridge replacement, which has been under the MDT off system bridge program since 2019, has been pushed back again to 2024.

"It got a little bit of delay," Chambers said, mentioning state government has slowed down on projects. "They're tentatively going to let that bid out in the fall of 2023, with construction in 2024."

Last August, MDT announced it was expecting the bridge replacement in 2023.

Pat Hagen, who lives in the area south of the Dalton bridge, shared his consternation at the news the bridge replacement had been pushed back yet again.

"This is the first I've heard they're delaying the bridge another year out," he said. "Every year I hear this. It's another year out, another year out. It's getting really old," he said, noting the bridge has been an issue since 2017.

"That's fair," Chambers replied. She offered to contact MDT and tell them its a huge concern and that the county is trying to piecemeal things together to keep it open. She said it's a matter of keeping the pressure on MDT to say "we've got the funding; lets get the work completed and lets get construction going. "I agree with you guys; you shouldn't have to be waiting another year, another year on delays."

Hunthausen reminded the audience that they went to MDT to save county taxpayers from funding the entire thing, but in doing so gave up control of the project.

"The state or Montana takes over, they design it, it's on their timeline. We knew we'd lose a few years on this. But we didn't think it would go this far. We're with you in terms of frustration," he said. "We can go and push, and we've been doing that as much as we can, but they're going to tell us when the bridge is going to be done."

Horne said it was originally projected to cost around $700,000 to replace the bridge in 2018, but with the volatility in the markets and the pricing, the price is now pushing $3 million.

Curt Dallas, a candidate for the county commission seat being vacated by Jim McCormick introduced himself at the close of the meeting and also offered some insight into the delays.

Dallas, who works for MDT, said they get 80-83 percent of their funding from federal dollars. "Any time you throw five cents of federal dollars into a highway project, all of sudden you throw yourself into the uniform code, CFR 49, chapter 24."

He said MDT puts together a pool of money up front to get stuff done, but that changes all the time as pieces change. "Every time that changes, they have to go to Federal Highways, who can't decide where to go to lunch for six months, for approval of that additional funding. It's a frustrating thing."

With questions ranging from the status of Copper Creek Road repairs to bridge work on Stemple Pass Road and the recurring potholes by the Hotel Lincoln, Muse reminded the group that the UBVCC rearranged their schedule several years ago so such issues could be brought up and passed on to the county ahead of the government day meeting.

"To get the better service and your questions answered, come to the community council, third Tuesday of every month at 6:30, right here, and ask those questions," he said.

Voting, tax and motor vehicle registration

Hunthausen shared a reminder from Amy Reeves, the county clerk and recorder about the upcoming elections and property tax bills.

Absentee ballots for the June 7th Primary Election were mailed out May 13. They ask that voters mail them back before May 31 to ensure their ballots are received in time. They can also be dropped off at polling places on election day or at the clerk and Recorders office in Helena

Polls open for the primary election at 7 a.m. June 7.

For people not registered to vote, Reeves recommends going to the elections office before noon, Monday June 6. Although a 2021 law allows for same day registration, there is an injunction on it and its unclear whether it will be overturned.

Property tax bills are due May 31. Property owners can go to the county website, http://www.lccountymt.gov, to see their balance or to pay with a credit card. They can choose Property Tax Inquiry and Payment on the home page under popular links. They can also call the property tax departments at (406) 447-8329.

"We are the tax collector, but all of the property taxes you pay don't come to the county," Hunthausen explained. "We get about 20-25 percent in our county taxes. The rest are either state or school taxes for the most part."

Residents visiting the Motor Vehicle department will see some changes in the form of four new windows. Appointments can be scheduled by phone at 406-447-8328 or online through the county website. There is also a new waitlist that can be monitored via cell phone, which allows customers to sign into the waitlist and then leave to run errands. It alerts them when they are getting close to the head of the line.

Hunthausen said the motor vehicle system is a state system the counties run for the Montana Department of Justice. "It's their computer system, their process, their rules. Many times, we are as frustrated as you are about some of that. It's going to improve though. They're looking at a new computer system by 2025."