Vol. 31 No. 9 SEPTEMBER 2002
MACo Second Vice President
CANDIDATES
JOHN PRINKKI
MACo Board of Directors
Land Use Planning Committee Vice Chair
Oil, Gas and Coal Counties Board
Joint Powers Insurance Authority Board
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Beartooth Rural
Electric Cooperative Board -16 years
Carbon County
Memorial Hospital Board - 10 years
Roberts Rural Fire
District - 6 years
Red Lodge EMS
ambulance driver - 2 years
OCCUPATION AND EDUCATION
Dairyman / Farmer /
Rancher
Trained as
Electronics Technician
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Consensus building
and conflict resolution
Likes working with
people.
I believe the main role of
the Montana Association of Counties is to provide education and
information; the most difficult role
for MACo is in defining our legislative agenda. The Board of Directors and Executive Board need to assure the
membership that their concerns are given consideration. MACo leadership needs to have the patience
to discuss any issue that commissioners have, and be willing and able to give an
historic perspective to these issues.
I believe MACo should focus on
health insurance, jails, and tax
policy.
If I am elected as MACo 2nd VP, I
expect to spend a lot of time on the phone, traveling and working with
commissioners. We all have roles in
defining MACo's mission so I encourage every commissioner to serve on a MACo
committee.
BILL KENNEDY
YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
ELECTED 1993
Health & Human Services Committee Chair
BOS Workforce Investment
Council
NACo Health Steering Committee
NACo Rural Action Caucus
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
BLM Resource
Advisory Board - 5 years
Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee - 4 years
State FAIM Advisory
Board - 7 years
Governor’s
Statewide Technology Board - recent
OCCUPATION AND EDUCATION
Educator
Masters in
Personnel & Guidance
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Ten years of
legislative experience
Knowledge of
Transportation, Workforce Investment and TANF legislation
By being actively involved in
county, state and federal issues through the legislative sessions and national
hearings, I feel my experience and knowledge will be an asset for MACo during
the next two legislative sessions.
Counties all across Montana are
struggling with lack of revenues and the means to provide services. From Ekalaka to Libby and Dillon to Wolf
Point, I feel I can adequately represent my fellow commissioners. I am willing to learn, will listen to your
needs and will do my very best to lead our organization to great success.
I was thrilled with the county
support for my candidacy. Thank you for
your continued support and your vote in September.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Sunday, September 22
Resolutions
Committee 1:30
Board
of Directors 3:00
President’s
Reception and Banquet 6:00
Monday, September 23
Prayer
Breakfast 7:00
General
Session 9:00
NACo
Internet University Program 9:45
District
Courts 10:30
Luncheon
- NACo President-Elect Noon
General
Session 1:30
BOS Job Training
Consortium 2:00
Joint
Meeting-Insurance Pools 3:00
Urban
Counties 4:00
Hard
Rock Mining Counties 4:00
Oil,
Gas and Coal Counties 4:00
Tuesday, September 24
Reservation Counties 7:00
JPIA
Trustees 7:00
All
MACo Committees Meet 8:30
General
Session—Committee Reports 10:00
“Grow
Your Nest Egg” 10:30
Luncheon
- Governor Judy Martz Noon
Workshops
Rules for Lobbying 1:15
Employee Lawsuits 1:15
Intergovernmental Transfers 1:15
Legislative Lobbying 2:45
Contemporary Issues 2:45
Welfare Reform 2:45
Six-County Fort Peck Lake
Group 4:00
Coalition of Forest Counties 4:00
Buffet 6:00
Entertainment
and DJ Dance 7:30
Wednesday, September 25
General
Session 8:30
Resolutions and Bylaws
Election of Second Vice-President
2004 Conference Site Selection
Annual
Meetings:
JPA Workers’ Compensation Trust
JPIA Property and Casualty Trust
Installation
Luncheon Noon
Board
of Directors 2:00
Health
Insurance - Open Meeting 2:00
SPECIAL
ENTERTAINMENT
BREWERY FOLLIES
From Virginia City
Expect the UNEXPECTED
fol'ly, n.; pl. fol'lies, (ME. folye, folie, foly,
foolishness, from fol, a fool). Syn. - madness, nonsense, misconduct,
imprudence, silliness, foolishness, absurdity, imbecility.
re-vue (ri vyoo') n.; a musical show with skits,
dances, often parodying recent events, etc.
im-pro-vise (im 'pro viz') vt., vi.
-vised, -vising. (L. in "not", plus providere, "forsee").
1.
To compose or perform without preparation.
2.
To make or do whatever is at hand.
Appearing: Sunday Night President’s Banquet
BARBARA FAIRCHILD & ROY MORRIS
Since 1992, Barbara Fairchild and
her husband, Roy Morris, have been entertaining in Branson, Missouri. Their regular Sunday Morning Worship
Services and their Tribute to Veterans every November continue to be their
focal points. They appear at the
Braschler Music Theater September through December.
Fairchild was nominated for two
Grammy awards for her hit records, “The Teddy Bear Song” (1973) and “Lullaby for Teddy” (early ‘80’s). She has made numerous television appearances
on Nashville Now, The Tonight Show, Hee Haw, and recently
on TNN’s A Country Homecoming.
Appearing: Monday Morning Prayer Breakfast and Tuesday
Night Barbecue.
MUSIC FOR DANCING AND
KARAOKE
WILL FOLLOW TUESDAY NIGHT’S
PERFORMANCE.
DELEGATE ASSEMBLY RULES
Resolutions and/or Bylaws
Rule 1 Any resolution or bylaw change from a member district or
county not submitted at the District meeting must be submitted to the
Resolutions Committee no later than the Sunday before the Annual Convention in
order to be presented to the Board of Directors for their approval.
Rule 2 Any resolution or bylaw change not submitted through Rule 1
will not be considered by the Delegate Assembly unless two-thirds of the
delegates present and voting elect to suspend the rules to consider late
proposals. Late proposals shall be
accompanied by copies for all delegates and shall be available prior to the
Introduction and Consideration of Bylaw Changes or Resolutions.
Voting
Procedures
Rule 3 Each regular member has one vote. (Regular members shall be those counties
which contribute annually to the financial support of the Association.) There shall be one county delegate and one
alternate with the authority to vote.
The delegate and the alternate must be elected county officials.
Rule 4 In speaking to a motion, a delegate will be limited to
three minutes except wherein this rule has been suspended by a delegate vote.
Rule 5 All voting shall be by show of hands or voice vote,
subject to the call of the chair. A
roll call vote will be conducted upon request by a delegate from the floor.
Rule 6 Debate is considered privileged and a “call for the
question” cannot be used to limit debate.
A vote to close debate requires a two-thirds vote of the delegates
present and voting.
Suspension
of Rules
Rule 7 Any of these rules may be suspended by a two-thirds vote
of those present and voting.
PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section
4. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
c) The Executive Committee shall serve as an
Evaluation Committee for purposes of annually evaluating the performance of the
Executive Director by surveying the member Boards of County Commissioners…
The
intent is to have each Board of County Commissioners participate in the
evaluation of the Executive Director by being involved in a survey questionnaire
regarding the Executive Director. Currently the surveys are sent only to the
Board of Directors.
Section
1. DUTIES &
RESPONSIBILITIES
(paragraph 4) The hiring of an Assistant Director by the Executive Director requires
the concurrence of the Executive Committee and confirmation by the Board of
Directors.
The
intent is to involve the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors
directly in the hiring of an Assistant Director by requiring concurrence and
confirmation. This is currently the
sole responsibility of the Executive Director.
AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE
ARTICLE VI - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 3 DUTIES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES
j. function as the nominating committee and select
at least two candidates each for the offices of Second Vice President and
Fiscal Officer. No candidate can be nominated and run for two offices simultaneously...
The intent is to prevent any one candidate
from being nominated and running for two positions. This will require a
candidate to have him/herself removed from nomination for one or the other of
the two positions, remaining as nominee for the one office.
AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR
ARTICLE IX - ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Section 4. NOMINATIONS
c)
All nominations
will (be) remain open until the time of the election during
the closing (closed at the conclusion of the opening)
general session.
The intent is to keep nominations open for all elective offices
until the closing general session.
NUMBER TITLE COMMITTEE
HIGH PRIORITY
2002-1 Wireless
Communication Standardized Regulations Information
Technology
2002-2 Internet
Motor Vehicle Registration Renewal Information
Technology
2002-3 Wildlife
Management and Crop Protection Agriculture
2002-4 Local
Drought Advisory Committees Agriculture
2002-8 Indigent
Defense and Youth in Need of Care Health and Human Services
2002-9 County
Use of State Waters Transportation
2002-10 Appointment
of a Non-Paid Local Registrar Resolutions
2002-11 Compensation
of Election Judges Resolutions
2002-12 Architecture,
Engineering, Land Survey Contracts Transportation
2002-14 Uniform
Unclaimed Property Act—Amendments Resolutions
2002-15 Exempt
Levies Pledged Against Indebtedness Resolutions
2002-16 Revising
Bidding Requirements Transportation
2002-17 Clarifying
Public Officer Participation in Organizations Resolutions
2002-18 Expand
Definition of “Elected Official” Resolutions
2002-19 Focal
Points for Mental Health Services Health & Human Services
2002-20 Increase
Assessment on Medicaid Provider Rate
Health and Human Services
2002-21 Retain
Control of Substance Abuse Funds Health and Human Services
2002-22 Reimbursement
of Increased Indirect Costs Health and Human Services
2002-23 Prisoner
Medical Expenses Assumed by State Health and Human Services
2002-24 Involuntary
Commitment Expenses Paid by State
Health and Human Services
2002-25 Mental
Health Pre-commitment Costs Health and Human Services
2002-26 Interlocal
Agreements to Create Regional Jails Justice and Public Safety
2002-28 County
Ability to Set Lower Speed Limits Transportation
2002-30 Charging
Fees for Processing Exemption Applications Land
Use Planning
2002-33 Local
E-Government Convenience Fees Information
Technology
2002-34 Prevent
State Deductions from County Monies Tax, Finance and Budget
2002-35 State
Public Defender System Justice and Public Safety
2002-37 Funding
of Summer Youth Employment Program
Health and Human Services
2002-38 Standard
Utility Allowance Through FY 2003 Health and Human Services
2002-39 Establishing
County Role with State & Federal Agencies Public
Lands
Board Resolution 2002-1 Information
Technology Coordinator Information
Technology
MEDIUM PRIORITY
2002-5 County
Weather Stations Agriculture
2002-27 Municipal
Annexation to Include Streets and Roads Transportation
2002-31 County
Appointment to City Planning Board Land
Use Planning
LOW PRIORITY - none
RECOMMENDATION TO TABLE
2002-6 Entitlement
Growth Rate of 3% Tax, Finance and Budget
2002-7 Health
and Human Services Funding Health and Human Services
2002-13 Permit
Burning in Landfills and Transfer Sites Resolutions
2002-29 City
Funding and Maintenance of Bridges Transportation
2002-32 Annexation
of Land Contiguous to Zoning Districts Land
Use Planning
2002-36 Reimbursement
for Search and Rescue Operations Justice
and Public Safety
THERE WILL BE 17 RESOLUTIONS PRESENTED FOR RE-AFFIRMATION.
WHEREAS, PURSUANT TO THE
BYLAWS OF THE MONTANA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, ARTICLE IV, SECTION 3, (h), “
The Board shall have the power to present recommended dues increases and
assessments, if any, to the membership at the annual conference for approval
and adoption;” and
WHEREAS, THE MACo INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY
COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A “LOCAL GOVERNMENT INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR”,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD
RECOMMENDS THAT THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE PROPOSAL, AS ATTACHED, BE
REFERRED TO, AND CONSIDERED BY, THE MEMBERSHIP TO IMPLEMENT A DUES INCREASE OF
UP TO TWENTY- FIVE PERCENT OVER CURRENT DUES FOR FISCAL YEARS 2004 AND 2005.
ATTACHMENT A
General
Description:
The Local
Government Information Technology (IT) Coordinator is a joint position funded
by MACo and ITSD (State Information Technology Services Division). The Coordinator will be responsible for
advising Montana counties on IT issues including planning, design, acquisition,
hardware and software, and other information technology issues. The Coordinator will develop and distribute
model policies and practices, act as a liaison between state and county
government, and represent IT activities to state and local government as
needed. The Coordinator will be located
at the MACo building in Helena. Some travel will be expected. The MACo Executive Director will supervise
the Coordinator with oversight from the MACo Executive Committee and the MACo
IT Committee. The State participation
in the position will be directed by the State ISD Deputy CIO. The long-term objective for the IT
Coordinator is to evolve the position and its services into a self-sustaining
enterprise.
Duties and
Responsibilities
The Coordinator
will:
1. Advise
counties and MACo staff on planning, design, acquisition, and use of IT
hardware and software, as well as IT service and personnel issues.
2. Coordinate
IT planning among counties to enhance IT investments.
3. Develop
appropriate model policies and practices for county management of IT resources
including model procurement practices and RFPs.
4. Serve
as a resource for applications of technology among counties.
5. Communicate
the State Strategic Plan and standards; encourage common policies and
standards.
6. Represent
county IT activities to local and state officials as needed.
7. Prepare
quarterly reports and other summaries of activities for MACo and ISD.
8. Participate
in county projects as available.
9. Become
familiar with county IT structures.
10. Support
MACo IT Committee.
11. Assist
counties with vendor evaluation and act as liaison between counties and
vendors.
12. Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
· Degree
in Business Administration, Computer Science or equivalent combination of
education
· 3-5
years experience in IT or related field
· Outstanding
oral and written communications skills
· Extensive
knowledge of IT applications, software/hardware, and IT practices
· County
or State government experience preferred
Salary: $35,000 - $45,000 DOE
Total Budget: $70,000 - $80,000 with benefits, travel (per
diem and mileage), and equipment
Two-year commitment
50/50 split between MACo and State
PRESIDENT
HARMON’S
It
seems the year of my Presidency went by very fast. I attended three NACo meetings, two MACo meetings, ten multi
District meetings and several Executive Board meetings, as well as insurance
meetings for JPA/JPIA. In addition, I
served on the Governor’s Agricultural Tax Advisory Committee and the Governor’s
Tourist Tax Advisory Committee. In all
of these I listened, learned and, when appropriate, contributed.
I
have been fortunate to see parts of our state I had not seen before. My appreciation of Montana and its
diversification has grown.
The
best part of my term was having the pleasure of working with a very fine MACo
Executive Board, MACo staff and involved commissioners across the state.
If
you were to ask me what I accomplished, the answer would be “nothing
earthshaking”. I never had that in
mind. What was accomplished, in my opinion,
were a few small improvements in understanding, openness and trust. These things will always need work.
To
have the privilege to serve the public is a very gratifying experience. To be given the privilege to serve my peers
is an honor I will always cherish.
COUNTY NEWS
PHILLIPS
COUNTY has a new Clerk of
District Court. Iris Robinson was
appointed to serve the remaining 2½ years left in the position vacated by
Frances Webb. Webb retired after 21
years of service.
BEAVERHEAD
COUNTY is one of thirteen
counties nationwide which was awarded a NACo Five Star Restoration grant for
work with a community-based partnership to restore wetlands and streamsides, to
improve local water quality and to restore fish and wildlife habitats.
MADISON
AND GALLATIN COUNTIES use their “Code of
the West” to inform prospective real estate buyers and developers about rural
living.
LAKE
COUNTY Commissioners
suspect that their Caterpillar road roller was stolen and taken to Nevada.
FLATHEAD
COUNTY is auctioning off
Courthouse East, a 90 year-old building which has housed a variety of service
agencies. Terms of the sale allow the
county offices to stay rent-free until October 31.
GARFIELD
COUNTY Health Center is
threatened with closure because of a Federal regulation requiring a health
services practitioner to be on-call 24 hours and within a one-hour drive to the
facility.
GALLATIN
COUNTY had a 51% response
to its mail ballot for a jail bond measure.
The vote defeated the measure by a 3 to 1 margin.
CUSTER
COUNTY’S Tongue and
Yellowstone Irrigation District covers 9,300 acres and 298 users. Lack of water has led them to consider
hiring a ditch rider to regulate the system.
LAKE
COUNTY, state, federal, and
tribal officials are proposing that the state and the tribes jointly process
requests for new groundwater uses.
GALLATIN
COUNTY recently received a
$4 Million loan from the State Revolving Fund for construction of the West
Yellowstone/Hebgen Basin Composting Facility.
BLAINE
COUNTY special primary
election for county commissioner in District 1 is to be held September 19. All five candidates are Democrats, so the
winner will proceed unopposed in the General Election. The candidates are:
Reuben
Horseman
Wesley
A. Main
Carletta
H. Benson
Janice
E. Hawley
M.
Dolores Plumage.
The current Commission is appealing the federal order to
hold this election, but the federal judge refused to block the September
primary to wait for the appeal process.
In VALLEY, ROOSEVELT, SHERIDAN AND
DANIELS COUNTIES, the Assiniboine Sioux Tribes and the US Department of
Reclamation united two water systems, now named the Fort Peck Reservation Rural
Water System.
PARK
and LINCOLN COUNTIES recently attached
fines to county green box rules for dumping trash outside of the green boxes or
the fences and for removing any item which has been thrown away.
LINCOLN
COUNTY is planning to use
Plateau, instead of Tordon, to control leafy spurge in an 80-acre infestation.
BEAVERHEAD
COUNTY updated its noxious
weed list by taking off eight weeds, which are not problems or do not qualify
to be on the list.
GALLATIN
COUNTY is considering a
transportation district, with support from Bozeman and the State
University. They hope to match enough
federal funding to run a bus system in the Belgrade, Four Corners and Bozeman
areas.
YELLOWSTONE
COUNTY hosted a five-month
long bowling congress, using a
myriad of revenue sources to cover the $1.5 Million in
costs.
JEFFERSON
COUNTY is proposing an 8.5%
increase in waste disposal fees, raising the residential fee from $123 a year
to $133.51.
INFORMATION REMINDERS
1. Please send us your
2002-2003 Compensation Board Recommendations, including your health insurance
levy. We have responses from about half
the counties and we want to complete the information for next year’s
Compensation Boards.
2. When you submit your 2002-2003 Annual Budget to the Department of Administration, please send a copy to MACo, also. The budgets are used to prepare information and testimony for the upcoming legislative session.
ARBITRATION AND LABOR RELATIONS
CONFERENCE
The 23rd annual
Arbitration and Labor Relations Conference will be September 26-27 at the
Heritage Inn in Great Falls. The
Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Board of Personnel Appeals, Montana
Arbitration Association, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the
National Labor Relations Board are the sponsors. The conference program includes:
• Presentation from Saturn Motors on their latest labor/management
techniques
• Arbitration and mediation processes with
presenters from public and private industry; legal updates from representatives
of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service (FMCS)
• Montana employment law developments
• Fundamentals of arbitration presented by
nationally recognized arbitrator, Jack Flagler,
and a session in remedies in arbitration
for advanced
practitioners
• Red Light/Green Light— Instant case
analysis by a panel of arbitrators who will give reasons for their decisions.
More information, including
registration form, is available at
http://erd.dli.state.mt.us/LaborStandards/Conference/Conference_Home or Vicki Knudsen, Conference Coordinator,
406-444-0038, vknudsen@state.mt.us.
Attorney General
OPINIONS
Volume 49 No. 19
Question:
When a Board of
County Commissioners denies a Justice of the Peace’s request for clerical
support, which the Justice of the Peace considers to be an actual and necessary
expense for conducting court business, what procedure may the Justice of the
Peace follow in seeking to compel the Board of County Commissioners to honor
the expense?
Held:
Boards of County Commissioners
have a duty to accept and pay claims for actual and necessary clerical expenses
associated with the operation of justice court. The procedural rule adopted in State ex rel. Browman v. Wood,
168 Mont. 341, 543 P.2d 184 (1975) applies to disputes between Justices of the
Peace and Boards of County Commissioners regarding payment of actual and
necessary expenses.
Requested
by:
David G. Rice, Hill
County Attorney
Volume 49 No. 20
Question:
1.
Does a judge
have a duty to advise persons accused of fish and game violations of the
potential forfeiture of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges as a result of
a conviction, plea, or forfeiture of bond in order to assure a “knowing “ plea;
and
2.
Should a judge
or the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) enforce the forfeiture of
hunting, fishing and trapping privileges?
Held:
1.
The loss of
hunting, fishing and trapping privileges that occurs upon a guilty plea,
conviction or forfeiture of bail of a fish and game violation is a direct
consequence of that violation. A judge
must inform an individual accused of a fish and game violation of the potential
forfeiture of fishing, hunting and trapping privileges as a result of
conviction, guilty plea or forfeiture of bond in order to assure that a “knowing”
plea is entered.
2.
Notification regarding loss of hunting, fishing and trapping privilege
is, by statute, to be done by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Requested
by:
David G. Rice, Hill
County Attorney
The 2002 Governor's Range Tour will
be September 11-12 at St. Mary Center in Deer Lodge. Registration will begin at 10:00 am the first day; the tour will
end around 5:00 pm the second day.
The Governor's Range Tour is an
annual event which rotates around the state. The two days include field tours
to view rangeland management practices and to recognize landowners who are
excelling. The first day will be
centered in the Deer Lodge area, featuring the Grant-Kohrs National Historic
Site, Windy Mountain Ranch, leafy
spurge control using sheep and the Montana Correctional Enterprises. The second
day will include stops at Helmville, Whitetail, Mannix Brothers Ranch and
Blackfoot Challenge Projects.
For more information, contact Carla
Lawrence, State Coordinator, Rangeland Resource Program at (406) 444-3022 or
Susie Johnson at (406) 846-1703 ext. 300.
RURAL BANK ROBBERIES
While bank robberies
over-all rose 17% from 1995 to 2001, FBI statistics show they jumped 82% over the
same period in small towns and unincorporated rural areas. Nearly a third of the nation’s 8,259 bank
robberies last year were in small towns.
Bankers, law enforcement
officials and sociologists offer several explanations. Small-town crime has generally increased,
especially drug traffic. Roads are
better, making towns more accessible and familiar. Modern robbers seem to be counting on simple facts of life in
small towns, where metal detectors, cameras and security guards are not present
and the sheriff may be clear across the county when the call comes.
New York Times “Robbers
Rediscover the Small Town Bank”; based on an article from Texas Association of
Counties
2003 Western
States Wildland Urban Interface
Grant Program
Applications for grants to reduce
hazardous fuels in the Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI) in and around communities
in Montana will be accepted on or before September 30, 2002, and are to be
submitted to one of the six DNRC Area Offices in Missoula, Helena, Kalispell,
Lewistown, Miles City or Billings.
The grant has three areas for
projects:
Hazardous Fuel Reduction
Projects
of this type include fuel breaks, thinning, pruning, landscape modifications,
etc. The purpose is to break up the fuels in such a way as to lessen
catastrophic fire, its threat to public and firefighter safety and damage to
property.
Information and Education
(I&E)
These
proposals are to deliver educational outreach programs to individuals and
communities.
Homeowner and Community Action
Projects
are sponsored by communities, agencies or groups such as homeowners
associations, which are looking for fuels reduction in a WUI in their area.
Application information, forms and
guidelines are available at www.dnrc.state.mt.us/forestry/index.htm or call
DNRC at 406-542-4235.
SAFETY INFORMATION
FROM EMELIA McEWEN
ASSISTANT RISK
MANAGER
The Petroleum Equipment Institute is working to
make people aware of automobile fires as a result of
"static" (that is, static electricity) at gas pumps. They have
researched 150 cases of these fires in a variety of makes and models. The
results were surprising:
1) Almost all cases involved people getting back into vehicles while gas was pumping. When pumping
was completed, they went back to pull the gas nozzle and the fire ignited from
static.
2) It is the gas vapors that
cause the fire, when connected with static charges.
3) Most people had on rubber-soled
shoes.
4) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were
women.
5) Most men never get back in their
vehicles until completely finished. Consequently, they are seldom involved in
these types of fires.
6) Don't ever use cell phones when
pumping gas.
7) 29 fires occurred when the vehicle
was reentered and the nozzle was touched before pumping was completed.
8) Seventeen fires occurred before, during
or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before fueling began.
Don’t get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas. If you absolutely
must get back into your vehicle while the gas is pumping, TOUCH the METAL on
the door when you get out of the car and before you get near the nozzle and
its fumes. This way the static from your body will be discharged before you
remove the nozzle.
ELECTION POLL WORKERS
California counties are hiring county employees to
work as election officials, paying the employees their regular wages for the
General Election Day holiday, plus a volunteer stipend. The California legislature passed a bill
permitting government employees to work the polls without affecting holiday
leave. The volunteer stipend helps
cover the 13 to 14 hour election day.
Under the US Fair Labor Standards Act, the “alternative work assignment”
allows for payment for “occasional and sporadic work.”
In Oregon, county employees may take a vacation day
to work the polls. In Washington, it is
illegal to have county employees work at the polls.
There is a shortage of poll workers in
Montana, according to Elaine Graveley, Elections and Legislative Bureau in the
Secretary of State’s Office. To help
address this need, Secretary of State Bob Brown included election training in
his “Y-Vote” program in high schools last spring. As a result, twelve counties qualified at least one student as an
election judge for the June primary election.
Those counties were Missoula, Gallatin, Butte-Silver Bow, Lewis and
Clark, Cascade, Pondera, Rosebud, Chouteau, Hill, Jefferson, Ravalli and
Flathead.
General Election Day is a holiday
for Montana government employees. There
is no Montana prohibition for hiring government employees to work the
polls. However, hiring county employees
may require holiday pay rate / overtime for the day.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
STRATEGIES
The Montana Consensus Council and Professional
Development Center present “Public
Participation Strategies,” a one-day class on September 17, in
the
MACo Conference Room.
The class is designed for public officials
who want to learn more about the requirements to conduct public participation
and to identify what works and why.
Participants will examine public participation strategies to develop
growth policy plans and ways to work with the Montana Environmental Policy Act.
The class runs from 8:30 am to 4:30
pm. The cost is $105. For more information call 444-3985, Fax
444-0544 or email pdc01@state.mt.us .
The Montana Stewardship Mapping Project
identifies major ownership classes (federal, state, local, tribal, and private)
as well as the specific agencies with management responsibility. It also tracks statutory designations (e.g.,
wilderness, national wildlife refuge, national park) and administratively
designated management units (e.g., research natural area, game range). It includes both public and private
easements, but does not track information on other types of privately-owned
lands. It does not include information
on private landowners, even where lands are under conservation easements. Information is available in a variety of
formats, including GIS digital data, paper maps, and via the Internet. The Thematic Mapper on the Natural Resource
Information System (NRIS) website (http://nris.state.mt.us) offers the
Stewardship information to access, view, and download.
The Stewardship
data has a myriad of uses. It provides
information for growth or open space planning and for natural resource
conservation and development. Other
applications include tracking and analyzing data on biology, habitat pressures
(wells, subdivisions, water quality), and opportunities (parcel size, land
values) to improve the effectiveness of land use planning efforts. For more information, contact the Montana
Natural Heritage Program at (406) 444-5354 or
mtnhp@nris.state.mt.us or visit the web at http://nhp.nris.state.mt.us
NACo INFORMATION
NACo’s
67th Annual Conference was held in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Ten MACo members
attended the sessions and steering committee meetings. Steering Committee members present reports
to MACo. MACo News will publish summaries
of the reports as they are submitted.
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
Victor Miller, Blaine County
Three broad resolutions passed
through the Committee covering social security privacy, H1B funding and
Workforce Investment Act emergency funding.
Sue Mohr, Montana Job Training Partnership, and I originated the
resolution for H1B.
We are fortunate to have Sue on the
Presidential subcommittee to redraft the reauthorization for Workforce
Investment Act.
I honestly believe our involvement
in NACo is a necessary thing. National
policy is very important in getting local governments’ message firmly delivered
to our national leaders.
PUBLIC LANDS
Connie Eissinger, McCone Co.
Colorado Commissioner Jim Sullivan discussed
the Hayman fire, which burned 23.6 million acres and demonstrated the necessity
of defensible space around homes within the forest. He noted that 35 feet must be cleared around a home. Federal money is available to counties to
haul cleared brush and trees and dispose by chipping, shredding, etc. Also, FEMA only pays 80% of a Stage 1 fire,
so it is vital to get the fire labeled as a Stage II fire. Bob Ader, a geographer with the BLM,
discussed land ownership and rights-of-way information being available at the
county level for the public to access.
$15 Million has been requested for counties to develop an integrated
data system .
Project Manager Rita Henderson from
the US Fire Administration of FEMA reported that home-study materials are
available from the National Fire Academy free of charge for fire departments
and volunteer firemen. She also noted
that pre-disaster assistance fire-wide workshops can be given in
communities.