DNRC Trust Lands Havre Office to close due to staffing difficulties

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation State Trust Lands Havre Field Office will officially close Friday due to staffing difficulties with the office’s duties being absorbed by the department’s office in Lewistown.

DNRC Lewistown Unit Manager Jocee Hedrick said they are attempting to minimize any disruption the closure will cause, though it will necessitate more travel on the part of DNRC staff to manage lands in Hill and Blaine counties.

“We understand this will make it more difficult for our customers to come into the office,” a press release on the closure said. “We hope that by making this change we will create more consistency in staffing and customer service.”

Hedrick said their office in Havre has only ever needed one person, but they lost that person when they couldn’t find housing, which has become a common problem for DNRC Offices in rural areas.

As for how the closure will affect things, she said, the Havre office had always been administered under the Lewistown office so they haven’t had to do much restructuring to account for its closure.

She said other than not being able to easily go to a physical office there shouldn’t be much trouble for people in the area looking to interact with the agency, as nearly everything can be done online or by phone.

The exception to this rule will be meeting in-person with people using DNRC lands, she said, but the department can accommodate.

“We can always go up there to meet them, they don’t need to come down here,” Hedrick said.

She said they will also still have someone in Havre working for their Forestry and Fire Division, so there should be no disruptions regarding fire protection.

She also said their Water Resources Office in Havre, which mostly deals with water rights regarding wells and reservoirs, will still be open in its current location for people who need it.

She said anyone with questions can call the Lewistown Office at 406-538-7789 or visit in-person at 613 NE Main St. in Lewistown.