HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The Hill County Commission convened on Thursday morning for their weekly business meeting and voted unanimously to update the county’s procurement policy.
The Commission has raised the amount a project must cost for it to go up for competitive bids from $25,000 to $80,000, which they say is in line with state requirements.
However, there still must be a bid process for any architectural or engineering work, or any land surveying services.
Also at the meeting, the Commission approved a Family Planning Contract Amendment for the Health Department and a Council on Aging Fill-in Host Agency Agreement with Easter Seals-Goodwill.
Before the meeting adjourned, there was a lengthy discussion about whether the current county policy on receiving mail should change.
This was placed on the agenda at the request of Clerk and Recorder Sue Armstrong.
As it stands, all standard mail is hand-delivered to the mail clerk, who then sorts and distributes it. Certified mail used to be able to be signed off by the mail clerk/switchboard, but the policy was changed several years ago. Now, certified mail for the County Attorney goes to that office, but other certified mail is kept at the Post Office until a Commissioner signs off on it.
Armstrong contends that this creates an unnecessary nuisance and can also lead to important business being delayed.
The Commission says that this change was requested by previous County Attorney Karen Alley and they simply followed her request.
Armstrong has requested a meeting with the County Attorney, the Commission, and local officials from the Post Office to find a solution that all parties can agree on.
She says this process must be done collaboratively, as last time the policy changed, it was only the County Attorney and Commission that made the decision, while all other employees were notified of the changes via email.
Local Postmaster Dwayne Tedrick and Postal Supervisor Lynn Melby were also at the meeting and expressed concerns that the current county policy places an unnecessary burden on their employees.