Commissioners Discuss Plans For Abandoned Properties
Roosevelt County commissioners discussed a possible path of selling two abandoned properties on Anaconda Street and First Avenue in Wolf Point during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24.
The commissioners have found out that it’s not possible to simply transfer the properties to the Fort Peck Tribes because Montana code doesn’t recognize the tribes as a government entity.
Commissioners are urging the Montana Association of Counties to carry a bill to designate tribes as government entities. The Montana Legislature would need to approve the proposal.
A deed sale is scheduled for Monday, April 6, at 11 a.m. The properties will be available for $1,000 each.
Resident Bill Juve asked if a guarantee could be put in place so the potential buyers of the properties must clean up the buildings within six months or so.
Commissioner Gordon Oelkers said the county can’t restrict what people do with personal property.
Commissioner Robert Toavs added that he wishes such a stipulation could be made, but that’s out of the commissioners’ hands.
In other business, commissioners approved a service contract with Southwest Montana Consulting Inc., to handle the county’s sanitarian services.
Commissioners Oelkers and Doug Marottek reported on a committee meeting they attended with the Fort Peck tribes regarding a sewer project in Brockton.
During public comment, Oelkers said he is supports Montana House Speaker Brandon Ler’s efforts to move the controversial youth climate lawsuit to Sidney instead of having it in western Montana.
Oelkers feel that judges in eastern Montana will better understand the environmental impacts.
According to the Daily Montanan, the Montana Supreme Court upheld the district court verdict in late 2024, agreeing some prior environmental laws, including one limiting analysis of greenhouse gas emissions by the state, were unconstitutional. As a direct result of the Supreme Court ruling, the Montna Legislature passed the three laws challenged in the latest suit, seeking to implement new changes to the state’s environmental laws.
Oelkers said 20 percent of Roosevelt County’s revenue comes from the oil industry.
