County Commissioners approve resolutions for funding

The Hill County Commissioners met Thursday morning to go over a couple of resolutions to provide more funding for the Hill County sheriff/coroner and for Hill County Health Department.

The board voted unanimously to pass Resolution 19-2574 regarding further funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the Operation Stonegarden Grant program. The program started on Oct. 20, 2016, and was set to expire Aug. 31.

The grant gives $68,130 to the sheriff’s office and the funds will help with workers’ salaries, retirement and insurance as well as maintenance of sheriff’s department vehicles and machinery. The funds can only be used for expenses when the sheriff’s office is working with U.S. Border Patrol to help secure the border.

“It’s good thing for our sheriff’s department to be able to use this (the grant) for machinery and wages,” said Hill County Commissioner Mike Wendland.

The board also voted unanimously to pass Resolution 19-2475 for further funding to the Hill County Health Department. The $8,621 grant comes from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

The funds come from the Health Emergency Preparedness Grant and will help with wages, operational supplies, travel and training services.

“Both the sheriff’s department and Health department operate with a lot of grants and this is one that will provide additional funding,” Wendland said.