Hill County Commission approves grants for sheriff's office

In a series of unanimous votes the Hill County Commission approved grants and a resolution in their weekly business meeting Thursday.

The commission approved the renewal of the Operation Stonegarden Grant for the Hill County Sheriff’s Department.

Hill County Sheriff Jamie Ross said the grant will allow the department to augment security on the northern borer and would cover overtime and vehicle maintenance involved in these efforts.

The grant provides funds to local law enforcement to support U.S. Border Patrol in its mission to secure the U.S. borders.

The commission also approved a COVID-19 Supplemental Funding Grant for the department as well.

Ross said the funds will be used for PPE, sanitizer and remote training.

The commissioners also passed a resolution accepting the determination that categorical exclusions in the Montana Environmental Policy Act are appropriate for the project to upgrade communications infrastructure at the Hill County Detention Center.

Hill County Commissioner Mike Wendland said the commission held public meetings on the subject as required by law, but there was no substantial comment from the public and the commission determined the project has no significant potential to damage the environment and an environmental assessment and impact statement are unnecessary in this case.

Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson said this project is one that is very much needed. Wendland said it’s been a long time coming.

The commission also approved an indigent cremation reimbursement request from Wilderness Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Peterson said the county wasn’t able to find any relatives or assets related to the request so, according to the law, the county can approve the request.

Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean said lacking a public administrator makes it difficult to move forward on these kinds of things, but based on the investigation that has been done there doesn’t appear to be assets involved.