Hill County awards bid on Beaver Creek Dam project

The Hill County Commission in their weekly business meeting Thursday morning awarded the Beaver Creek Dam Spillway and Spill Basin Repair Project to Walker River Construction.

Jonathan Weaver of Great West Engineering, who attended the meeting remotely, said the original bid was for $175,000, but after discussions with the company, the Montana Natural Resources Conservation Service and the commission itself, it was determined that a value engineering option that would reduce the the project cost by almost $33,000 was viable.

Weaver said this option would replace the articulated concrete used for the new outlet ramp which could be constructed out of rip rap instead.

He said getting high quality rip rap in the area has been a difficulty in the past so it was initially not considered, but the the company said it has high-quality rip rap it can use for the project.

Weaver said in addition to this new ramp there are a laundry list of necessary repairs and improvements this project will address.

The commission voted unanimously to approve the bid with the value engineering option for a total of $142,500.

The commissioners said the project will be paid for using funds from a DNRC Grant of $125,000.

During the meeting Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean also announced the appointment of Neil Larson to the Rural Fire District 1 Board.

She said the board has one position open, and possible a second, as the commission had heard rumors that a board member recently resigned, though they had not received any letter of resignation.

In a meeting earlier this week RFD1 Board Member Courtney Tait announced his resignation effective that afternoon, citing his dissatisfaction with the board’s decision to appoint a fire chief or an equivalent there f to enforce fire codes in the district, which he said he considered ill-advised and unnecessary, as his primary reason.