A contract on grant funding to repair the Mineral County jail roof was extended through November.

Commissioners were concerned about missing an $80,000 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant to repair the deteriorated roof as it became clear the project would not be done by the Oct. 31 deadline. The county had three months to conduct an asbestos inspection, hire a roof contractor and install a new roof membrane with thicker insulation.  

State officials agreed to extend Mineral County’s deadline through Nov. 30, which is the last day for the state to use the funds, according to Energy Resource Professional Bonnie Rouse, with the state environmental agency.  

“I think they’re going to be fine,” Rouse said. 

Last month, SLATE Architecture Consultant Scott Cromwell told commissioners the soonest availability he could find for a roof contractor was in early October. 

“It would just be too quick of a turn around,” Cromwell said at a July 30 county commissioner meeting. “At most, [contractors] would probably be in the abatement process by the time that contract is expired.” 

Mineral County was one of the seven entities to receive an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant through the Montana Department of Environmental Quality in early May. The $500,000 in awarded grants was part of a $1.673 million federal grant the U.S. Department of Energy gave to Montana in December 2023. 

Report for America Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 406-758-4439 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.