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Summary BOCC Meeting- Sep. 28, 2016

Opening invocation, pledge, approval of agenda.
Consent agenda approved: vouchers approved, approval of purchase orders for 2 John Deere graders

Elected officials/department heads/staff reports: Home schoolers studying government welcomed. Clerk's office reported that overseas ballots are out and that signs for the 100' electioneering prohibition rules are up. Reports of a good budget meeting on 9/27/16.

Rick Pettit, treasurer, stated that the 6 month trustee's report will be published in the newspaper. Commissioner Ross recognized the fair board for the success of the recent county fair.

Public comment:
1) Mr. Gingrich from Cottonwood area handed out packets to commissioners summarizing issues related to unpermitted structures. Susan Shick complimented staff on the budget meeting; however no copies of the draft budget were provided to the public so it was difficult to understand what was being discussed. The lack of response to her questions about cancellation of the Thimgan contract is a concern as conditions of employment of that company have never been fulfilled.
2) Marlene Groves gave a presentation proposing the reinstitution of a Citizen Finance Oversight Committee. The presentation included scope/purpose, general concept, guidelines, membership, past history, and the need for such a committee - county unwilling to share information, always behind in budget process, need for transparency, unidentified bank accounts, etc. Patty Sward responded about the excellence of Ms. Grove's presentation and expressed the importance of utilizing diversity in a wide variety of areas when selecting volunteers to serve on such a committee.

New business:
1) Expansion of the authority of outside counsel to handle matters contained in the Lark Fogel letter dated 9/22/16 (related to personnel issue). Passed 2-1 with Robert Rowland dissenting.

2) Instruct outside counsel to respond to the email from Attorney Lark Fogel to BOCC dated 9/23/16 (related to personnel issue). Passed 2-1 with Robert Rowland dissenting.

Executive session: Commissioners went into executive session to discuss privileged communication for personnel related matters, Fogel letters, MSEC investigation and Larson report to receive legal advice with outside counsel Steve Larson. (Commissioner Rowland stated that he would recuse himself from voting during executive session because he believed it would be an illegal meeting.)

New business (continued):
3) Voted to extend by one year the CWCB contract amendment regarding the water supply grant.
4) County attorney authorized to move forward in four outstanding code enforcement cases in the Cottonwood area in Deer Trail related to unpermitted structures.

County manager Ed Ehman came to the podium to inform the public that he had changed his decision from the previous day's budget meeting (9/27/16) where he had stated that the draft budget would NOT be put online. As of today, the draft budget will be available on the county website.

Meeting adjourned.

-Jill Duvall