County Commission supporting veterans in Operation Greenlight

The Hill County Commission passed a resolution supporting Operation Greenlight, at their weekly business meeting Thursday, a national initiative meant to spotlight the struggles of veterans counties across the U.S. struggling to reintegrate with their communities after their service.

Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson, who ran the meeting in the absence of Commission Chair Diane McLean, read the resolution, which says the people of the county are grateful to the people who served in the armed forces and put themselves in harm’s way for freedom.

Peterson, reading from the resolution, said veterans often face serious difficulties transitioning back to civilian life and the resolution encouraged citizens to recognize the importance of honoring veterans by putting up green lights in their homes or places of business from now until Veterans’ Day.

The resolution passed unanimously, and Hill County Commissioner Jake Strissel said he encourages all departments to put green lights in their windows as well.

During the meeting the commission also discussed a report on repairs and improvements being made to the spillway at the Beaver Creek Dam.

Peterson said the dam’s piezometers, devices that generally measure water pressure, are being repaired, which should be done at the end of this month.

He said the Montana Department of Natural Resources Conservation is also installing measuring devices on the dam to measure inflow, outflow and water levels in the lakes, with data they collect available on the department’s website.

He said DNRC is responsible for maintaining these devices.

After discussing these issues, Hill County Treasurer Sandy Brown raised concerns about the status of a few American Rescue Plan Act-funded projects the county is helping coordinate.

She said she hasn’t received important documents regarding fund reallocations and if they don’t have all of that documentation ready by the first of November, they will lose access to some of their ARPA funds.

“I’m getting nervous,” she said.

The funds in question are provided to the country and its surrounding entities through Minimum Allocation Grants, money that can be reallocated depending on circumstances.

However, reallocation requests need to be submitted to the state by the afternoon of Nov. 1 otherwise the county will lose access to the funds provided through these grants.

Strissel said he would follow up with the necessary parties right after the meeting and make sure everything gets done in time for the Nov. 1 deadline.