REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Tuesday January 4, 2022

 

          ALL PRESENT:  Commissioner Jones, Chair; Commissioners Ostlund and Pitman; Board Clerk Teri Reitz; Clerk and Recorder Jeff Martin.

          PLEDGE.

          MINUTES – November 9, 2021, November 16, 2021, November 23, 2021, November 30, 2021, December 14, 2021, December 21, 2021, and December 28, 2021.  Commissioner Ostlund made a MOTION to approve the Minutes, Commissioner Pitman seconded.  Passed Unanimous. 

          9:30 a.m. PRESENTATION – Swearing in of New Sheriff’s Deputies – Deputy Michael Clabuagh and Deputy Kevin Stahlberg.

          9:30 a.m. BID OPENING – Bid Opening for Miller Building Materials Abatement for the 2^nd and 3^rd Floors.

                                      Lump Sum             Start Date              Days to Complete

Schroeder Contracting, Inc.   $188,400.00            01/18/2022              75 Days

Safetech, Inc.                    $157,224.00            01/31/2022              60 Days

Commissioner Ostlund made a MOTION to refer the bids to staff for recommendation, Commissioner Pitman seconded.  Passed Unanimous. 

          PUBLIC COMMENTS ON COUNTY BUSINESS – Billings Chamber CEO Jon Brewer and Nichole Mehling, Director of Strategic Advancement at Billings Clinic spoke to encourage the Board to do a broad exploration of options for the future management of MetraPark. 

          COMMISSIONERS – Notice of Public Hearing to Discuss Management Options Private and Public at MetraPark – Public Hearing Scheduled for Tuesday January 18, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 3108.  Commissioner Ostlund made a MOTION to approve the Notice of Public Hearing, Commissioner Pitman seconded.  Commissioner Pitman asked are we doing a public hearing or just a discussion and what is the intent of this and what is the outcome of the public hearing.  Commissioner Ostlund responded that there are lots of public hearings that commissioners can schedule, so thanks for asking the question.  You could be quasi-judicial if you have a zone change hearing and wouldn’t take testimony until they come back before you.  Because you are quasi-judicial you would then decide.  This public hearing is clearly to discuss both public and private management options for MetraPark.  Like Mr. Brewer commented this is so that the public, user groups and promoters can weigh in and ask questions of the board and the board can answer back.  Commissioner Jones stated that he is going to do a substitute motion and change on the notice of public hearing everywhere it says both public and private management options for MetraPark to Request for Qualifications and Information.  That is the road that we are going down.  Commissioner Pitman seconded.  Commissioner Ostlund stated that he thinks they are two separate issues.  Commissioner Ostlund stated that’s fine if we get the public in here and they have the chance to weigh in and ask the board to review both options.  Commissioner Jones stated that the public will have that opportunity.  Commissioner Jones also stated that we are on a parallel tract right now.  Pro Venue Solutions is looking at internal operations at MetraPark and then we will go out and ask for RFQ&I’s to see what a private company could possibly do as far as management.   Commissioner Ostlund stated that he thinks internal operations are a good thing to look at, you can always do better at business.  Commissioner Ostlund also stated that he has clearly heard from everyone out there and they want a thorough review of both public and private options at multiple facilities, so we understand the impact of both.  If we are going to head down the path of just one; the public has clearly stated that is not what they want.  Commissioner Pitman stated he had a legal question.  We are in the process of an RFQ&I, and we have a company evaluating the internal operations at MetraPark, is this public hearing going to interfere with those processes moving forward?  Ms. Jeana Lervick, Chief Deputy County Attorney stated that all three of the individual Commissioners have indicated they want as much information as possible.  Depending on what the Board as a whole chooses, the public hearing shouldn’t interfere with what has taken place already.  Commissioner Pitman replied ok.  Commissioner Jones stated he wanted to make it clear when we are asking for the RFQ&I that it doesn’t automatically lead to a contract.  It specifically says that we do not have to accept any contracts.  This does not mean that we will sign a contract at the end of the day.  We will be able to look at what private management would look like and what it would look like to leave it public.  Commissioner Ostlund stated that his clear choice is to have a parallel track where we study both options and throw them out there for the public to review carefully, because this is a big deal for Yellowstone County.  Commissioner Ostlund also stated that an RFQ&I in my mind and Ms. Lervick correct me if I am wrong allows the board to collect the information from qualified people and negotiate a contract, so I want to make sure the path we go down clearly demonstrates that we review both options.  Commissioner Jones stated, absolutely.  Commissioner Ostlund responded, ok.  Commissioner Jones stated that this is part of the process, and we don’t know what that looks like and may take some negotiations.  It may never get to the point where we can see what they could actually do, it could fall apart during negotiations and could be off the table before we get to the end of what the two look like.  That’s been the plan from the very beginning and that’s the track we are moving forward.  So, with the amendments to the Notice of Public Hearing all in favor.  Passed Unanimous. 

          CLAIMS – Batches 22-096 and 22-097.  Commissioner Pitman made a MOTION to approve the Claims, Commissioner Ostlund seconded.  Passed Unanimous. 

          CONSENT AGENDA – 1.  COMMISSIONERS – MFPE Salary Adjustment Letter.  2.  FINANCE – Request for Records Disposal.  3.  PLANNING DEPARTMENT – Final Resolution 22-02 for Zone Change #706 – A Zone Change Request from Corridor Mixed Use 1 (CMU1) to Corridor Mixed Use 2 (CMU2) on Lot 4, Cole Acreage Tracts, a 2.009 Acre Parcel of Land.  4.  PUBLIC WORKS – A.)  Contract for Asphalt Overlay Project I – Knife River.  B.)  Request to Extend Abandonment for 1 Year for the Proposed Abandonment of Carter Avenue in Sanford Subdivision.  5.  HUMAN RESOURCES – PERSONNEL ACTION REPORTS – County Attorney – 1 Appointment; MetraPark – 1 Salary & Other; Sheriff’s Office – 1 Termination.

          FILE ITEMS – 1.  AUDITOR- Payroll Audit December 1 to December 15, 2021.  2.  HUMAN RESOURCES – December 1 through December 15 Payroll Audit.  Commissioner Ostlund made a MOTION to approve the Consent Agenda and place the File Items to file, Commissioner Pitman seconded.  Passed Unanimous. 

          PUBLIC COMMENTS ON COUNTY BUSINESS – Hearing no comments Commissioner Jones adjourned the meeting at 9:46 a.m.

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