County Commission moves forward with capital improvement plan

The Hill County Commission is taking steps to develop a capital improvement plan that will seek to address the infrastructure needs of the community, voting to submit a planning grant application to the Montana Coal Endowment Program to begin its creation at their monthly meeting Thursday.

Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson said they are allocating $8,000 in local funds that can be used as a match for grants.

Peterson said capital improvement plans seek to access the longterm needs of the community and can be used as a guide to addressing them over 10 to 15 years.

During the meeting the commission also voted to set the salaries of office holders including an addition $2000 per year to the clerk and recorder, treasurer, clerk of district court and justice of the peace as well as the superintendent of schools.

The resolution also authorized the Hill County Sheriff to be paid 15 percent of the base salary of the clerk and recorder for assuming duties of coroner.

Hill County Commissioner Jake Strissel thanked the Hill County Compensation Board, Hill County Clerk and Recorder Lexis Dixon and all the people who put time into making sure this proposal was crafted properly.

The commission also voted to approve the county’s final budget and appropriations for the coming year.

Strissel said constructing these budgets takes an incredible amount of work from people throughout the county and he wants them all to know that their time getting all of this in order is much appreciated.

All resolutions passed unanimously, though Hill County Commissioner Sheri Williams was not at the meeting.

Peterson and Strissel said she was at a meeting the Rocky Boy Tribal Council and she wanted everyone to know had an excused absence.