Pondera County commissioners approve interfund loans, predator-control MOUs and $933,581 FAA drawdown

The Board of County Commissioners of Pondera County on July 17, 2024 approved several financial and administrative items, including a resolution directing short-term loans from the county General Fund to any county funds that had negative cash balances on June 30, 2024.

Under the resolution adopted by the board, the loans will be repaid at 0% interest from revenue expected in July 2024. Commissioner Thomas A. Kuka moved the resolution; Commissioner Zane Drishinski seconded. The minutes record the measure as passed on a 3-0 vote of the board and effective upon passage and approval.

The commissioners also voted to approve memoranda of understanding with the Montana Stockgrowers Association and the Montana Wool Growers Association for predatory-animal control in Pondera County. The minutes specify payments of $742 for protection of sheep and $8,574 for protection of cattle. The minutes state that funding for these services comes from an assessment per head paid by the sheep and cattle owners. Commissioner Zane Drishinski moved the MOUs; Commissioner Kuka seconded and the motion carried.

On airport finance, the board approved federal grant drawdown #6 for the Federal Aviation Administration project for the Pondera County Airport in the amount of $933,581.12. The minutes record the county’s responsibility as 10%, or $93,358.11. Commissioner Thomas A. Kuka moved the drawdown request; Commissioner Zane Drishinski seconded and the motion carried.

The minutes also record routine business: the board approved the June 2024 minutes (motion moved by Commissioner Kuka and seconded by Commissioner Drishinski; the motion carried) and approved an out-of-state travel request from County Nurse Shannon Elings to attend the American Public Health Association National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 27–30, 2024. The minutes provide the travel dates but do not specify who moved or seconded that approval, nor do they identify the funding source for the travel in the provided text.

The minutes list Commissioners Thomas A. Kuka, Jim Morren (chairman) and Zane Drishinski as present, along with Deputy Clerk & Recorder Tammy Bartsch and a member of the public, Paul Anderberg. The record contains signature attestations from Jim Morren (Chairman) and Kody L. Farkell (Clerk & Recorder).