Board Refers Courthouse Parking Lot Bids to Staff, Sets Public Hearings and Approves FY23 Budget Amendments

The Yellowstone County Board of County Commissioners opened four bids for a courthouse parking lot project and referred the submissions to county staff for recommendation, and during the same meeting set public hearings for final FY24 budget actions and approved several routine fiscal motions.

At the Aug. 1 meeting staff read four bids and confirmed bid bonds: Earth Movers Excavating ($276,789.21), Weave Construction ($346,551), Askin Construction ($355,009.39 as read in the transcript), and K2 Civil ($420,991). The chairman asked Commissioner Morris to move that the board refer the bids to staff for a recommendation; the motion was made and the board approved the referral by voice vote (ayes recorded). The transcript records the motion and a voice vote but does not consistently identify who seconded the motion for referral.

Commissioner Jones moved to approve notices of public hearings to consider the final FY24 budget, set FY24 county mill levies, and consider budget and grant amendments. The board set those hearings for Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, and Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 3108.

The board also moved to approve final FY23 budget amendments reflecting FY23 activity and approved claims numbered 23-214, 23-215, 24-007 and 24-008. Each motion was approved by voice vote with “aye” responses recorded in the transcript; specific numeric vote tallies are not recorded. Commissioner Morris moved to approve the consent agenda and place file items on record; that motion also carried by voice vote.

Taken together the actions were routine procurement and fiscal housekeeping: bids were opened and sent to staff for review, budget hearings were scheduled to seek public input on FY24 matters, and year-end amendments and claims were approved to close out FY23 activity.

The meeting concluded after brief announcements and a ceremonial reception for the newly sworn-in treasurer.