The Board of Health, with the assistance of the Clerk of Court, has made this meeting available to the public via ZOOM. If you would like to attend the meeting, please utilize the internet link below. Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, the size of the group, and the space limitations of the facility, only members of the Board and staff will be physically present in the room . Public participation is encouraged and will be facilitated via ZOOM. Thank you for your understanding and patience. The ZOOM link can be utilized by going to Beaverhead County’s web page and using the District Court link: https://beaverheadcounty.org/departments/district-court/ If you have any problems connecting with this link, call 683-3727 for assistance. Southwestern Montana News will be livestreaming this on both our Facebook page as well as our YouTube page. Meeting starts at 10:30 A.M. on Monday the 23rd. AGENDA Call meeting to order ~ Establish Quorum State of Beaverhead County Public Health Discussion on Governor’s new Statewide Directives 11/17/20 effective Friday, 11/20/20 at 4:00p.m. Hospital Update Pioneer Care Update Discuss Proposed COVID-19 Position of City/County Health Board Isolation and Quarantine Orders Public Education on “flattening the curve” COVID-19 Vaccine Review of Phase II Executive Orders *Discussion of possible future changes and what it means for Beaverhead County School Update DISCUSSION and/or ACTION ITEMS Old Business ~ Approval of August 21 Minutes Public Discussion/Comments on Subjects Under BOH Jurisdiction Not on Agenda Meeting Schedule ~ Next meeting Tentatively?? New business Adjourn the meeting

Governor Steve Bullock this week announced the launch of the Interim Pandemic Assistance program, directing the Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) to issue an extra $200 weekly payment to unemployed Montanans impacted by COVID-19 using up to $25 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF). “Providing an extra $200 per week so unemployed Montanans can better care for their families in the near term is critical,” Governor Bullock said. “If Congress cannot agree on another pandemic stimulus package as the nation heads into winter with COVID infections surging, we must do what we can to help Montanans today.” Montana joins only a handful of states to use CRF funding to create a new program to supplement unemployment benefits. Payments issued under the new Interim Pandemic Assistance program will be available for four benefit weeks, beginning the UI week ending November 28 through benefit week ending December 19, 2020. Claimants must submit their weekly payment requests and certify their claim for those benefit weeks by December 28. In accordance with the federal CARES Act, all possible disbursements under the program will be completed by December 30, 2020, meaning retroactive payments will not be issued after that date. DLI has begun making the programmatic changes needed to issue payments under the new state program. The extra $200 payment will be issued to any eligible Montanan who is unemployed or partially unemployed due to COVID-19 disruptions and who is receiving unemployment benefits under the regular UI, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation programs. While claimants do not need to fill out a separate UI claim for these benefits, these additional funds will be paid in a separate direct deposit or check from their regular UI payments. DLI is in the process of issuing emails to claimants to explain the effective dates and payment changes. Using current claim figures, the economic activity generated from these additional UI benefits is estimated to be at $30.4 million, due to claimants spending funds at local businesses, helping to further Montana’s economic recovery. Additional information on the new state IPA stimulus program for UI claimants is available here: http://dli.mt.gov/Portals/57/Documents/covid-19/InterimPandemicAssistance.pdf . Montanans impacted by COVID-19 can file a UI claim online at MontanaWorks.gov or mtpua.mt.gov for those who fall under the PUA eligibility guidelines . A resource page for those with technical, eligibility, or benefits questions is available at dli.mt.gov/covid-19 .

Governor Steve Bullock today announced that Montana will again partner with the SANS Institute to provide high school students with a free and fun opportunity to learn cybersecurity skills and qualify for the National Cyber Scholarship Competition. “CyberStart America gives high school students across Montana an engaging opportunity to unlock their cybersecurity skills,” Governor Bullock said. “Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing field, and this competition is a great way for students who are looking towards their next steps to start exploring a rewarding career in cybersecurity.” Montana participated in Girls Go CyberStart the previous two years. That initiative focused on girls and continues as a girls-only community within this year’s expanded competition called CyberStart America which is open to high school boys and girls. Girls Go CyberStart is featured as a exclusive community within CyberStart America and can be selected on the registration page. The Girls Scouts of Montana & Wyoming have created an innovative companion program called GirlSCOUTS Go CyberStart which provides Girls Scouts registered for the Girls Go CyberStart competition with additional opportunities for collaboration and supplemental activities to aid Girl Scouts in completing the requirements for their Cybersecurity badges. More information about GirlSCOUTS Go CyberStart will be on the Girl Scouts of Montana & Wyoming website. “Innovative programs like CyberStart America and GirlSCOUTS Go CyberStart are essential to introducing cybersecurity to the next generation that will protect our data,” said Andy Hanks, Montana’s Chief Information Security Officer . “I am glad that we have partners like SANS and the Girl Scouts of Montana & Wyoming to inspire interests in cybersecurity.” Registration for CyberStart America is open now at www.cyberstartamerica.org/ , students must reach the qualifying level in the CyberStart Game by March 8, 2021 to be invited to the National Scholarship Competition.

Eleven small Montana businesses have been awarded Workforce Recovery grants to bring employees back to work who were laid off due to impacts of the pandemic. The Montana Department of Commerce announced Thursday the businesses will share $195,000 to support the rehiring of 31 full-time employees. “Commerce’s temporary Workforce Recovery program was launched to support businesses that are ready to bring jobs back,” Commerce Director Tara Rice said. “Businesses will be reimbursed for rehiring workers and sustaining those jobs into the future.” The Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Workforce Recovery program will reimburse a business for the wages of full-time, permanent jobs that are created and retained for at least six months, up to a maximum of 25 jobs per business. Businesses apply directly to the program. A reimbursement of up to $7,500 per job is available to businesses in high-poverty counties. The business must match $3,750 per job. A reimbursement of up to $5,000 per job, with a $5,000 match, is available for businesses in all other counties. The following 11 businesses are the first to access the new temporary program and will rehire 31 employees: Business Location Award Montana Monster Munchies Bozeman $20,000 Mountain Property Management, Inc. Bozeman $15,000 Eagle Bear Inc. Browning $22,500 Savvy LLC Busby $15,000 Enbar, Inc. Great Falls $7,500 Rockwell Scales, Inc. Great Falls $7,500 Koller, Inc. Kalispell $5,000 Judy Niemeyer Quilting Kalispell $25,000 The Murray Condominium Association Inc Livingston $10,000 Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs & Resort Saco $30,000 Clarks Family Restaurant Shelby $37,500 The Workforce Recovery program is in direct response to supporting businesses impacted by the economic effects of the pandemic. The ability to create the temporary program has been made possible by a governor’s directive which allows for flexibility in the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund program. Funding for the temporary program comes from reverted BSTF Job Creation awards, it is not a replacement for or pausing of the well-established business development program. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds have been committed or December 31, 2020; whichever comes first. Apply at MARKETMT.COM/BSTF/WorkforceRecovery.

As COVID cases rise in Montana and hospitals have reached maximum capacity, many hospitals have set up additional beds, but cases are still climbing. This has exhausted medical resources. Governor Bullock has enacted a new set of COVID mandates that will go into effect on Friday, November 20th. They are as follows: Expanding mask directive, every county no matter the case count mask are mandatory. Limit public gatherings, restaurants, bars, breweries, and casinos can only be at fifty percent capacity, and must close by 10 P.M. Restaurants can have a maximum of 6 people per a table, with mandatory 6' social distancing between tables. All public gatherings that social distancing cannot be adhered to is limited to 25 people. This does not affect schools, or places of worship. Gov. Bullock stated that a complete shutdown is not possible due to the lack of action on the federal government's part. Businesses that have received previous grants will be eligible for a third round of grants. This time around they will have to check a box saying they will be following the mandated COVID guidelines. For people who are on unemployment due to loss of job related to COVID, they will be eligible for an additional $200 payment that will last a four-week period. He also announced an additional three million in funding for the foodbank networks to help families in need during the holidays.

Montana Running Company is hosting their Thanksgiving Fun Run 5K on Thanksgiving morning, November 26, 2020 at 10AM. Everyone is welcome to run, walk, or just to stop by and donate some food! Entry is FREE but we ask everyone to bring non-perishable items to be donated to the Beaverhead Community Food Pantry. We will be following the Run The Brew Group Run route that starts at Beaverhead Brewing Company- W. Reeder to Ten Mile Road. We will be turning around right after Smith Stables on the Beaverhead River. Montana Running Company is very thankful to the Dillon Community for all the support over the years! Happy Thanksgiving! We will be COVID cautious by wearing masks and social distancing.

WHITEFISH, Mont., Nov. 13, 2020 – Today, Friday, Nov. 13, the Frontier Conference Council of Presidents (COP) approved the Frontier’s COVID-19 Return to Play policy. “The document was authored by the league’s athletic directors and athletic trainers, conference Commissioner Kent Paulson said. “The document was designed to supplement and further detail the health protocols that have been in place for the fall sports. By following these health protocols through the support of contest administration and medical training staffs, the league was able to successfully complete play in both cross-country and golf.” Specific tenants of this document include: weekly COVID-19 testing of all in-season student-athletes followed by documented verification that will be communicated between medical training staffs of opposing schools in a given athletic contest. Mandatory health screening will be required at each of our league’s athletic facilities. In order to decrease the transmission of COVID-19 the Frontier Conference will require that each institution work with local health authorities to follow established contact tracing protocols. Additional safety precautions will be instituted regarding facilities, suggested health sanitations and face coverings. All local and state health authorities will be regularly consulted at our various institutional locations. At this time, the Frontier Conference institutions will NOT have spectators at hosted events through December 31, 2020. This decision will be evaluated by each institution at a later point in time as conditions change. “The safety of our league’s student-athletes, coaches and staffs will always be first and foremost on our list of priorities,” Paulson said. “By continuing to follow our proven successful health protocols it is the goal that the upcoming sports of basketball, indoor track and field, volleyball and football can be successfully carried out to a positive completion.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold a public hearing via a telephonic Zoom platform on Dec. 1, at 10 a.m., to consider a new rule pertaining to banning the use of remote-controlled devices and drones while fishing. Fish, Wildlife & Parks has increasingly been asked the question of whether it is permissible to use a remote-controlled boat, drone, or other remote-controlled device to fish. Currently, Montana law does not specifically address remote-controlled devices or drones, and gives the commission discretion to allow or prohibit this activity. Possible uses of remote-controlled devices and drones while fishing include transporting bait and hooks long distances beyond where anglers can physically cast, transporting bait and hooks to areas that normally are unable to be accessed such as closed areas near dams, scouting large areas above water quickly for fish and filming fish in real time, dropping hooks or bait with exceptional accuracy, and landing fish.  The proposed rule represents a proactive approach in regulating this activity and would make it clear that the use of remote-controlled devices for the purposes of fishing is prohibited.  To view the proposal notice and submit written comments online please visit http://fwp.mt.gov/news/publicNotices/rules/. Public comment will be taken during the public hearing. Written data, views or arguments may also be submitted to: Phil Kilbreath, FWP Enforcement Division, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, Montana, 59620-0701; or e-mailed to pkilbreath@mt.gov . Comments must be received no later than Dec. 4, 2020. To participate in the telephonic public hearing, call 1-646-558-8656, enter the meeting number: 956 6313 6821, followed by the password: 198904.

The Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission will meet Nov. 18 using the video conferencing platform Zoom. Details on how to access the meeting will be posted on fwp.mt.gov closer to the meeting date. The meeting will also be audio streamed online at fwp.mt.gov. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. The commission will hear the following petition: Tepee Lake Petition The commission will hear the following proposed rule: Madison River Recreation Rule FWP ensures its meetings are fully accessible to those with special needs. To request arrangements, call FWP at 406-444-3186. For the full agenda and background on the scheduled topics, go to the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov; under “Quick Links” click “ Commission .” FWP's website offers live streamed audio of each Fish & Wildlife Commission meeting.

Weather Alerts -Dillon, MT Winter Weather Advisory from FRI 3:00 PM MST until SAT 5:00 PM MST 1 of 2 Action Recommended Execute a pre-planned activity identified in the instructions Issued By Great Falls - MT, US, National Weather Service Affected Area: Gallatin, Madison and Beaverhead Counties above 6500 feet Description: WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 PM MST SATURDAY ABOVE 6500 FEET... WHAT...Snow expected above 6500 feet. Total snow accumulations of up to 5 inches. Winds gusting as high as 60 mph today. WHERE...Gallatin, Madison and Beaverhead Counties above 6500 feet. WHEN...From 3 PM this afternoon to 5 PM MST Saturday. IMPACTS...Travel could be difficult over mountain passes. Snow and blowing snow could reduce visibility. Plan on slippery road conditions. ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Bozeman is not included in this advisory. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling

Want to win some cash??? Be the Change 406 Coalition invites all Beaverhead County 6th - 12th grade students to join in this unique competition. We are looking for 1-minute videos based on the Red Ribbon Week theme: BE HAPPY. BE BRAVE. BE DRUG FREE. So, Get your teams together and prepare to showcase those video skills! $1000 to the 1st place high school team & $500 cash to the 1st place middle school team. Get ALL the details, instructions, guidelines and application packet now @ Bethechange406.org ! First teams to submit their applications including media release forms will be awarded Amazon Gift Cards!

After the cancellation of our local community Thanksgiving Dinner a local Dillon lady Heidi Lagge, came up with the idea of doing Thanksgiving in a box. The idea consists of making a take and bake box that contains everything to have a successful Thanksgiving dinner for those who may have solely relied on the community Thanksgiving dinner. They are looking at putting together 25 boxes. If you would like to donate an item or know of a family in need, we have provided all the information below: FINALIZED PLAN *I will be taking complete “Thanksgiving in a Box” donations. You will need the following items. 1 Ham 1 2lb bag of Potatoes 1 frozen Pie 1 package of Butter 1 container of Juice 1 box of Stuffing DC RENTAL- will prove the boxes for all the items. KLONDIKE- Will provide the dozen rolls for each box. Lagge Family- Will provide the canned vegetables for each box. Lagge Family- Will assemble the boxes and pass them out or deliver if necessary. *Drop off LOCATION: Dillon Assembly Church DATE: Wednesday November 25th TIME: 7:30am-12:30pm *Pick up LOCATION: Dillon Assembly Church DATE: Wednesday November 25th TIME: 3:30pm-5:30pm Deliveries would be after 5:30pm-6:30pm If you have commented for donating a COMPLETE “Thanksgiving in a box” I have you on my list.. **If you have commented to bring an item to help fill a box please scratch that donation. Thank you for working with me to figure out what is going to work the best for all.. Heidi, Tanner, Braxtyn, Eastyn and Thatcher Lagge!

The Beaverhead Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture presents the 2020 Parade of Lights. This year’s theme will be Angels on Earth. The parade will be held December 4th at 6 P.M. The Chamber is inviting all Dillon businesses, organizations, and the community to light up the night and shine for an evening of fun and joy for all ages. If you are interested in participating, please see the forms below.

The Elk Management Plan Initial Guidance Citizens Group will meet via Zoom on Nov. 19, Dec. 2–3, and Dec. 16–17. The citizens group will provide initial guidance to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for the revision of Montana’s Elk Management Plan. This guidance will specifically focus on principles to guide the future of elk management in Montana. The group will take public comment at the December meetings. The meetings are open to the public and will be live streamed here. The Nov. 19 meeting is informational with presentations regarding elk and elk management in Montana. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. and topics include: social science related to elk elk harvest surveys and trends elk population surveys and trends elk competition with mule deer and other ungulates brucellosis in elk: livestock impacts elk habitat, access, and distribution carnivore impacts on elk and integrated carnivore-elk management The December meetings each begin at 9 a.m. To view the Elk Management Plan Initial Guidance Citizens Group meeting agendas, click here . FWP ensures meetings are fully accessible to persons with special needs. To request arrangements, please contact the Wildlife Division at 406-444-2612. The Elk Management Plan Initial Guidance Citizens Group will disband after articulating elk management issues and developing guiding principles for FWP. The guiding principles developed by the group will be presented to the Fish &Wildlife Commission for more public review and adoption by the commission before FWP proceeds with Elk Management Plan development.

Rising cases of coronavirus infection in our community are threatening to disrupt our health security, schools, businesses and lifestyles. To help address the publics’ questions about this virus, a community forum will be held this Thursday, November 12, 2020 at the Beaverhead County High School auditorium at 7 PM.  Because of COVID-19 restrictions, admission will be limited to the first 50 people who arrive.  Appropriate spacing will be set up, and masks will be required.  The forum will be broadcast on Facebook Live as well as on KDBM/KBEV radio. Dr. Ron Loge will moderate the session.  Dr. Sandra McIntyre and Dr. Michael Clarke will provide insights on the impact of COVID-19 on our families, neighbors and well as the hospital and staff.  An internationally renowned infectious disease specialist with extensive experience in dealing with Covid-19, Dr. Peter Pappas from the University of Alabama, will discuss his knowledge of treating and managing this disease in his hard-hit state.  He will address both facts and misconceptions about coronavirus that the public grapples with.  Questions are encouraged from the audience to bring out all concerns so that we as a community can together keep each other safe and keep our businesses and schools open. Attend in person or tune into KDBM, 1490 AM/KBEV, 98.3 FM. Watch on the Web at Southwestern Mt News Facebook and YouTube Pages Bio for Peter Pappas MD  Internationally renowned infectious disease specialist, Dr. Peter Pappas is Professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama.  As a clinician, researcher and teacher he has been of the front line of Alabama’s raging coronavirus epidemic.  With 39 years of infectious disease experience, his perspective from his largely rural home state can inform our approach to this deadly epidemic. His Beaverhead County connections go back 3 decades having come here with his family to visit friends, hunt, camp or fish nearly every year.  Bison meat from the Holland ranch fed the Pappas family for many years.

This year, due to COVID-19, the issuing of Christmas Tree Permits will all be done here and although there is not a charge for the permit, (up to three trees per permit), there is a processing fee of $2.50. The holiday tree permit fees continue to help support the Every Kid Outdoors program.

Press release from Beaverhead County Health on 3rd COVID related death, Beaverhead County Health Public Health deeply regrets to report that another Beaverhead County resident has died from COVID-19 on November 6, 2020. The individual is a man in his 70s who was hospitalized in a Beaverhead County facility. Public Health will not release the deceased’s location of residence or death unless there is a public health reason to do so. As of November 6th , at 7pm Beaverhead County has 345 total cases with 54 active and 3 confirmed deaths. For questions about COVID-19 please visit the DPPHS COVID-19 website or the CDC website. For your safety and the safety of the community, continue practicing social distancing, wearing a mask, staying home as often as possible, and performing frequent handwashing.

The free online classes are set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Nov. 14 and 21. The classes are identical, and trappers must complete only one of them. To register for the classes, please browse to the FWP website at  FWP.MT.GOV  and follow the links to “Education” and “Wolf Trapper Education & Certification.” Because of current COVID-19 restrictions, FWP will offer no in-person classes this fall. The two classes will be online via ZOOM. Students will be sent the ZOOM address for the classes when they register.

Beaverhead Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture Meeting Agenda November 12, 2020 8:30am – The Klondike 8:30am - Welcome and Introductions of Guests John 8:35am – Approval of the Agenda John 8:40am - Approval of Minutes John 8:45am – Approval of Financial Report Bob 8:55am - Executive Director Report Rebecca - Halloween Party Wrap Up - Lunch n Learn – Nov. 19th - Parade of Lights – Dec. 4th 9:05am – CVB: COVID Safety Grant Update Bob/Rebecca 9:15am – CVB: VisitDillon.com Website Discussion John/Bob/Rebecca 9:25am – New Business John 9:30am – Adjournment John Upcoming Board Events: Board Meeting, Dec. 10th and Lunch n Learn, Dec. 17th

The City Council started off with the approval of the October 21st meeting minutes. Followed up with the mayor’s report along with a presentation by Morgan Starr from Amatics CPA Group from the financial audit. This Begins at the 6 min mark. The meeting flowed smoothly with reports from committee members giving reports. Fire Chief Klose gave a report of the increase in numbers of calls. In October, the Dillon Volunteer Fire Department saw a total of 28 calls, they average 120 per a year. The calls consisted of: 4 Motor Vehicle Accidents 5 Gas Fires 1 Structure Fire 3 Gas Leaks 8 False Alarms 1 Dumpster Fire 2 Carbon Dioxide Alarms 1 Pot left on a stove 1 Slash pile from June that reignited This starts at the 35-minute mark of the meeting. When opened to public comment on items of significant public interest not on the agenda. Local George Warner brought up documents he signed as Mayor that helped form the Beaverhead County Health Committee. At the 45:30 min mark Mr. Warner feels that the Health Committee has overstepped their power and have gone above what the board was formed to do. we have included the papers he passed out with this article. Mr. Warner brought up the fact that we have not had an updated County Health meeting in the last 2 and a half months. The last one held was July 31st, 2020. Mr. Warner then went on to say that they have held two meetings he is aware of one was an Incident Command meeting and one sponsored by the hospital. He went on to explain that he has issued an appeal with what they are doing. Mr. Warner then went on to describe how certain restrictions have started to ruin a lot of businesses, through quarantine close contact cases, reducing of business hours, business capacity, and other restrictions in events in the community that have been put in place. At the 1 hour 24 min mark council person Mary Jo O'Rourke ask's what businesses have been hurt by the directives. "Tell me a business that has been cited by the city police, the county sheriff, by anyone, tell me a business that has been hurt by these directives." Another citizen stepped in and used the example of ACE Hardware shutting down for a day after they had been told they were violating rules. The Mayor then interjected with a list of businesses that have been injured. A few concerned business owners spoke on this matter as well, and how it has affected their business and the impacts it is having on the communities. After this the meeting was called and adjourned. SWMT News wants to give a huge shout out to all the businesses that help support us through advertising. If you are in one of our advertiser’s businesses, be sure to give them a thank you. With their support, SWMT News is able to provide a fast and free way to deliver news to the community.