GMPOA Board Minutes
No minutes were kept for the September 2025 meeting where four Board members did not attend, so there was no quorum.
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No minutes were kept for the August 2025 meeting
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, July 13, 2026
Note: Meeting held at Dave Southcott’s house
7:15pm Meeting called to order by Beau
Road progress report (already published on Facebook page and under the Roads heading on this website).
Billy Bryan’s gravel permits ought to be in place yet this week, so work using his gravel can continue.
Beau reported having met with Logan Mannix about cleaning cattle guards, which will be done within the next week or so.
Discussion of the July 4 BBQ, with consensus that it went well.
Long-needed Chimney Lakes Road improvements are underway, will include grading, rock, dozer work, and some backhoe work, spearheaded by Dave Israel. Thus far, 3+ miles have been graded on Chimney Lakes Road, plus Dave has done some grading on the nearest part of Hoover Creek Rd.
Dave Israel has a call in to Manleys to clear road work and permission to use adjacent rock on roads.
Jerry Brown can borrow a rock rake, if we need one.
Grading on Mud Creek Road will happen later this week.
David Warren did grading work on Jens end of Hoover Creek Rd
Beau got specs from George Tague for available culverts.
Friday morning wood cleanup sessions on the Helmville side of Hoover Creek Rd will resume in 2 weeks. People are free to cut up and take ALREADY DOWN WOOD ONLY in the meantime. Please leave slash on the existing slash pile.
Beau reports that Dutch would be willing for us to make a parking area at the bottom of the Helmville end of Hoover Creek Rd, with us possibly leasing the land. We will need to take a look at the area and decide what might work.
Preliminary discussion of elections that will take place next year.
Motion by Heather to appoint Dave Israel to vacant board position. Passed unanimously.
Next meeting will be at Dave Israel’s house.
Dave Israel motion to rent a D6 Cat to use on Chimney Lakes Rd. 2nd by Heather. Passed unanimously.
Motion by Beau to hire Jack Martin to haul rock for 30 hours at $50/hour for trucking, plus fuel. This is for work on Chimney Lakes Road. 2nd by Heather. Passed unanimously.
Jerry Brown and Mike Hansen appointed as Government Relations Committee. Motion by Heather, 2nd by Beau, Passed unanimously.
Discussion of BBQ raffle pros and cons.
Heather will pick up firefighting trailer from Mike Hansen’s and park it where it belongs.
Motion to adjourn by Beau. Passed by acclamation.
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GMPOA Special Board Meeting Notes, July 2, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Zoom
Attendees Present: Beau Pauley, Dave Southcott, Rene Pauley, Shawn King
Absent: Mike Hansen, Heather Brenner
Meeting Summary:
A special board meeting was held on July 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM by Zoom. The meeting was called due to time sensitive matters following Ean Kennedy stepping down from his position as president on July 1, 2026, and the need to address approval for the rental of a road grader for GMPOA road maintenance work.
Due to the time sensitive nature of the road grader rental, the meeting was held with the available board members. Attempts were made to reach Heather Brenner and Mike Hanson, but they were unavailable.
Road Grader Rental Discussion:
The board discussed the need to rent a road grader for GMPOA road maintenance work. The grader rental was arranged through Montana Truck and Equipment Rentals out of Anaconda, Montana.
The rental period is from July 3, 2026 through July 10, 2026.
The quoted rental cost was $1,800 per week, with a $500 delivery fee. Processing and insurance fees will be finalized when the grader is returned.
After discussion, a motion was made and seconded to approve the road grader rental at an approved cost of $2,600 (Upto), based on the known rental cost, delivery fee, and expected related fees.
Vote Result:
The motion passed with all available board members voting in favor.
Vote Count:
4 in favor
0 opposed
2 absent
Items Deferred:
The board agreed to hold off on discussing board roles, officer positions, and BBQ planning until a later meeting when more board members could be present.
Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned after the road grader rental approval was completed
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In January 2026, the Board entered a period of instability with many resignations and appointments of new board members. No minutes were kept for Board meetings from January through June, 2026.
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, December 15, 2025
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Attendees: Beau Pauley, Heather Brenner, Jolene Tollenaar, Chris Trussell, Ean Kennedy and Candice Kennedy (appointed to board 12/15/25).
Visitors: George Tague
Meeting began at 7:30 pm
Chris Trussell – Acting President led the discussions:
Jolene Tollenaar emailed the treasurer’s report to the board.
Old Business:
Candice Kennedy – agreed to and was nominated for the open board position vacated by Bruce Koerner. Vote unanimous.
Board voted to approve the following positions:
Chris Trussell – President – voted in unanimously
Ean Kennedy– Vice President – voted in unanimously
Jolene Tollenaar – Treasurer – voted in unanimously
Candice Kennedy – Administrator – voted in unanimously
Administrator Job Description –
a. The Administrator will be selected by a majority vote of the Board.
b. The Administrator will record and preserve minutes of all called Board meetings. (Bruce Koerner has most of these, we can probably ask him for them).
c. The Administrator will serve as parliamentarian at Board meetings, facilitating the application of Robert’s Rules of Order.
d. The Administrator will maintain as current a record of GMPOA membership as possible. (George probably has this or can get it from Virginia).
e. The Administrator will maintain the annual registration of the GMPOA with the Montana Secretary of State. (Jolene will help with this as she has done it in the past).
f. The Administrator will facilitate all required notices to the members and Board.
Committees:
Heather volunteered to be responsible for the newsletter.
Beau volunteered to be responsible for the website. (Chris will work to get the website sign on and password).
New Business
Ean spoke to Dutch Weaver – the Cattle Guard second one up from the pavement is filled so cows are walking over it. Heather said there is also another completely broken one. Chris said he would call Rick, and Beau said he would look at it. Beau said he would also look at it and see if he could fix it.
Road Work Meeting with the whole board possibly at the May meeting of the Board or maybe have an extra meeting.
Heather said Hoover Creek Road needs grading and fixing badly. Chris said he thought we were probably working on the section of Hoover Creek from Malfunction Junction to the gravel pit coming this year, but the Board will reassess in May.
Meeting adjourned at 8:02 pm
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No minutes were kept for GMPOA Board Meeting in November 2025
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, October 13, 2025
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Attendees: Beau Pauley, Heather Brenner, Jolene Tollenaar, Chris Trussell
Meeting began at 7:12pm
Chris Trussell – Acting President lead the discussions:
Jolene Tollenaar presented the treasurer’s report.
Old Business
Committees needed for next year and to solidify positions. Discussion included waiting for all board members to be present before choosing new positions or solidifying existing positions.
New Business
Beau Pauley suggested the Board rent a rock crusher next summer and that the owner of the shale slide had agreed to let GMPOA have rock.
Discussion included the width of the road at the shale slide and that preparation is needed before anything major can be done. Beau stated he would more than likely be renting the crusher himself and that would be helpful for all to know how viable this might be on a larger scale.
Discussion also included the current condition of Hoover Creek Road. Chris explained the ranchers who own the road were not pleased they were not asked or informed about the recent significant road work and have requested more communication in the future around any new work done to the easement roads.
Chris Trussell explained at the request of the Weavers, the GMPOA purchased $170.06 worth of signs $40.00 worth of T posts. Chris placed them on posts at Dutch Weaver’s hay bales just off highway 271 (Mud Creek) to let anyone parking there know they are doing so at their own risk.
It was also agreed between Dutch Weave and Chris Trussell the GMPOA would add one additional sign that states “Parking is revokable at any time”.
Meeting adjourned at 7:42 pm
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, September 14, 2025
Attendees: Heather Brenner, Mike Hansen, Jolene Tollenaar, Chris Trussell
Meeting began at 7:29 pm
Chris Trussell – Acting President led the discussions:
Jolene Tollenaar presented the treasurer’s report.
Items discussed:
- Fire Plan
- Chimney Creek
- New water trailer
- Inviting experts to help
- Making a plan:
- Communications
- Maps
- Consistent road names
- Roles and responsibilities
- Water resources (tanks & trailers)
- Contracts with experts
- DNRC suppression and repair
- Chris asked if anyone knew of damage done by DNRC.
- Hoover Creek Road Work done by property owners. Discussion included how to clean up the road and the hope is that it will be bladed this fall with cleanup next spring. Some of the road may fall away. Some preemptive clean-up is definitely in-order. Trees over the hillsides are the biggest problem.
- Possible new board membership was also discussed.
Next meeting set for October 13, 2025 at 7:00 pm.
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No minutes were kept for the August 2025 Board meeting
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, July 5, 2025
NOTE: This meeting was held at the GMPOA picnic area.
Board Members Attending: All Board members attended
Guests Attending: Approximately 70 people attended.
Setup began at 9:00 and was completed by 10:30. Guests began arriving around 11:00. Food service began shortly before noon and Chris began the meeting about an hour later.
No official minutes were taken. However, the list of topics is shown below.
Chris introduced all of the Board members, covered their basic responsibilities, and allowed them to make short announcements.
Chris and others thanked all of the volunteers who contributed time to put on the picnic, serve on the various committees, Rick White who does most of our road work, and Dutch and Bonnie Weaver for all they contribute.
Chris informed everyone that the Mannix crew would be bringing in the cows about August 20th.
Chris discussed some basic “good neighbor” guidelines.
The picnic ended at about 2:00 PM.
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No minutes were kept for GMPOA Board Meeting in May 2025
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, April 14, 2025
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: Chris Trussell, Bruce Koerner, Jolene Tollenar, and Beau Pauley
Guests Attending: None
Meeting called to order at 7:05 PM MST
Minutes of the March 10, 2025 meeting were approved by the Board.
Jolene presented the highlights of the Treasurer’s Report of April 14, 2025 (attached). The GMPOA account balance is $3,460.28, with checks for $600 and $60 still outstanding. The report was approved by the Board.
Bruce relayed a report from Mike regarding the 2025 road work planning as it exists right now. There are cattle guards that need repair, cleaning, or replacement on both the upper and lower road entrances on the Helmville side of our area. Additionally, work will take place on Hoover Creek Road primarily between Malfunction Junction and Non-Typical view. This will include grading and installation of culverts. The good news is that Rick White has largely recovered from his injuries and hopes to do most of our road work this year.
The GMPOA picnic will be held at the park on Saturday, July 5th, at the GMPOA park. Chris has volunteered to coordinate the activities and will be asking for volunteer helpers as required.
Once again, this is a GMPOA election year. The deadline for submitting an application to run for an open seat is May 1st.
Bruce will work on a rough draft of the spring GMPOA newsletter. Bruce will also call Dave Mannix and inquire about their grazing plans for the year. The goal is to have a rough draft ready for review prior to the May, 2025, Board meeting.
NOTE: The next Board meeting will be held at the Copper Queen Saloon at 2:00 PM on Sunday, May 11, 2025.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 PM.
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, March 10, 2025
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: Bruce Koerner, Mike Hansen, Heather Brenner, Jolene Tollenar, and Chris Trussell.
Guests Attending: George Tague
Meeting called to order at 7:05 PM MST
Minutes of the February 10, 2025 Board meeting were approved by the Board.
Jolene presented the highlights of the Treasurer’s Report of March 10, 2025 (attached). The report was approved by the Board.
The only Old Business discussed concerned the Helmville Post Office. It was determined that the USPS Box in Helmville would remain the official GMPOA mailing address. Also, the exterior package delivery receptacle for UPS and FEDEX deliveries was working, but the lock needed new batteries.
New Business
2025 is a GMPOA Board election year. Although the due date isn’t until May 1st, no applications have been received. There was a discussion regarding various property owners that might be interested in serving on the Board. Bruce also pointed out that a new volunteer(s) was needed to manage the annual GMPOA Picnic.
Much of the New Business had to do with planned road work for the year. Mike reported that Rick White is recovering from his recent injuries and plans to be available to do much of our road work in 2025.
Mike also reported that there are two culverts on the 17-mile portion of the Hoover Creek Road that need attention. He has plans to clean one and replace the other. More to follow on this as the season unfolds.
Heather reported that the central portion of Hoover Creek Road, from Non-Typical View to Malfunction Junction, needs work badly. This would include grading, culvert installation, and other measures.
More definitive plans will be made when the road is open and can be surveyed in its entirety.
Chris reminded everyone that in May, the monthly meetings will shift to the summer schedule. Meetings will be held on the 2nd Sunday of each month at 2:00 PM at the Copper Queen in Helmville. Our April, 2025 meeting will be via Zoom at the normal time.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 PM, MST.
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, February 10, 2025
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: Bruce Koerner, Beau Pauley, Mike Hansen, and Chris Trussell.
Guests Attending: George Tague
Meeting called to order at 7:05 PM MST
Minutes of the January 13, 2025 Board meeting were approved.
The Treasurer’s Report of February 10, 2025 was approved.
There was some discussion about continued use of the Post Office box in Helmville, MT, as the official GMPOA mailing address now that George is no longer president. No changes will be made for the time being.
Similarly, there was a brief discussion about input access to the GMPOA website. No changes will be made at this time.
Although, the agenda was short, the meeting ended early due to technical difficulties.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:19 PM, MST.
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, January 13, 2025
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: Bruce Koerner, George Tague, Mike Hansen, Heather Brenner, Geneva Hollis, Chris Trussell, and Jolene Tollenaar.
Guests Attending: Don Bergman, Beau Pauley.
Meeting called to order at 7:05 PM MST
Minutes of the December 12, 2024 Board meeting were approved.
Jolene presented the Treasurer’s Report of January 12, 2025 (attached). The balance of $3,762.13, presented at the last Board meeting, remains unchanged. This was followed by a discussion of seeking a less expensive CPA to prepare the GMPOA tax return. George and Jolene will make inquiries.
George informed the group that Virginia Causey plans to have a rough draft of the next GMPOA Newsletter distributed to the Board NLT January 17th. After any required editing, George will mail the newsletter to those receiving hard copies.
Related to a discussion of 1st responder navigation procedures from our last meeting, George informed the group that, according to our sheriff, Powell County uses Latitude and Longitude expressed in decimal degrees.
George reported that another one of our new property owners is seeking an easement through the GMPOA Elk Park in order to access their property.
George submitted his resignation from the GMPOA Board (seat #6) AND as the President of the GMPOA Board. Geneva submitted her resignation from the GMPOA Board (seat #2). We all owe them a huge debt of gratitude for their years of service to all of our property owners.
PROCEDURAL NOTE: property owners are reminded that the 6-year terms for GMPOA Board seats 5-7 are up this year. They have been occupied, respectively, by Jolene, George, and Bruce. While George has chosen to resign, Jolene and Bruce wish to retain their seats. If contested, an election will be this summer. Once the composition of the Board has stabilized, they will choose Board members to occupy the offices of President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Administrator.
Beau Pauly, who has been a full-time resident for several years, had previously expressed a desire to serve on the board. After this was reconfirmed and a short discussion took place, Bruce nominated Beau to fill Board seat #2. Heather seconded the motion and all Board members voted in favor. Beau Pauly is our newest GMPOA Board member, effective ___?.
Whenever an organization is without a president, it is customary for the Vice President to step in occupy that position. After a brief discussion, the Board decided that a motion with some specific criteria was necessary in our case. Bruce moved that Chris act as President of the Board until August of this year, OR, until such time as the composition of the Board stabilizes and can select a new slate of officers. The motion was seconded by Jolene. All Board members voted in favor. Chris is now the acting GMPOA Board President.
Mike reported that Rick White is recovering well from his injuries and is anxious to continue doing most of our road maintenance this coming summer.
George urged the Board to continue searching for new sources of revenue to fund road maintenance and other required expenses. To the best of our knowledge, Dave Mannix plans to retire soon. The Board will work with another member of the Mannix faily representing their interests.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 PM, MST.
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, December 12, 2024
NOTE 1: This meeting was held via Zoom
NOTE 2: The December meeting was postponed to Thursday, the 12th, because a number of Board members had conflicts with the normal 2nd Monday date.
Board Members Attending: Bruce Koerner, George Tague, Mike Hansen, Heather Brenner, Geneva Hollis, Chris Trussell, and Jolene Tollenaar
Guests Attending: None
Meeting called to order at 7:10 PM MST
Minutes of the November 11, 2024 Board meeting were approved.
Jolene commented that there was no December Treasurers Report as there was no financial activity and the GMPOA account balance of $3,762.12 from November had not changed.
Heather reported that the snow fence had not yet been erected.
George informed the group that Rick White had been injured while working at his property several days before. He suffered two broken legs while attempting to move a structure and was taken by LifeFlight to Missoula. Mike provided an update that one leg had been operated on successfully and that surgery was scheduled the following day for the second leg. Mike also reported that Rick was in good sprits but had a long recovery ahead of him. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Much of the remainder of the meeting concerned methods of reporting location coordinates which enable LifeFlight and other rescuers to locate accident scenes. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM MST.
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, November 11, 2024
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: Bruce Koerner, George Tague, Mike Hansen, Heather Brenner, and Jolene Tollenaar
Guests Attending: Mariah Lewis
Meeting called to order at 7:10 PM MST
Minutes of the October 14, 2024 Board meeting were approved.
Jolene presented the Treasurer’s Report. The GMPOA account balance in $3,762.12. This amount included funds received from the sale of a culvert for $300. The only expected expenses for the remainder of the year are associated with the Fall Newsletter (expected in December), and the taxes for 2024. The report was approved.
Heather reported that the snow fence had not yet been erected, but hoped to get that project completed in the near future.
As for roads, Mike reported that he had installed a culvert on Limestone Canyon Loop and that Rick White and Jack Marten had been working on Bison Hollow Road.
The majority of the meeting was spent discussing the upcoming turnover of seats for various board members. The following is a summary of that discussion.
2025 is an election year for the seats currently occupied by George Tague, Bruce Koerner, and Jolene Tollenaar. Bruce and Jolene wish to retain their seats. However, George has decided to resign before the election, probably in January of 2025. Additionally, Geneva Hollis, whose current term began in December of 2023, may be resigning in January as well.
According to the bylaws, when a Board seat becomes vacant during a term, the Board can vote to add a new member to the Board. Mariah Lewis has attended several meetings as a guest and expressed an interest in being a Board member. Jolene, our election committee chairperson, would like to encourage any property owner interested in serving on the Board to attend our next meeting as a guest and make their intentions known. She’s also requesting that potential Board members submit a letter of interest not later than December 31, 2024, so a vote may be taken during January of 2025. Contact her for details at 916-243-8913.
NOTE: Board meetings are held via Zoom during the months of October through April. They take place on the second Monday of the month at 7:00 PM MST. The next meeting will be held December 9. Property owners are always welcome to attend. Contact any Board member for more details.
Once the seats are filled, the Board is charged with selecting members by vote to fill the positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Administrator. In order to minimize the potential turmoil next year of having four new board members, the Board decided that Chris, the current Vice President would step up and serve as the interim President. Bruce and Jolene would continue to occupy their seats as Administrator and Treasurer at least until we can determine if they will be challenged for their seats during the 2025 election period. Once the membership of the Board has stabilized, the interim President will initiate a voting process to determine the new office holders.
NOTE: all of this information is to be included in the newsletter and posted on the GMPOA website to insure the widest dissemination.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:42 PM MST.
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting, October 14, 2024
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: George Tague, Chris Trussell, Mike Hansen, Jolene Tolenar, Heather Brenner, and Bruce Koerner
Guests Attending:
Meeting called to order at 7:03 PM MST
The notes regarding the September gathering were acknowledged.
Joline presented the Treasurers Report, which included the account balance of $3,972. George reported that he had sold a culvert to a property owner for $300 and would deposit the check in the GMPOA account this week. The report was approved (see attached report).
Rick White is going to use one of the GMPOA culverts to replace an existing culvert on Bison Hollow Road. Mike and George will help move it to the work site.
The barricade was removed from Cat Track Road several weeks ago. However, George reported that someone has now created another barrier by falling trees onto the road.
The subject of the snow fence in Dutch Weaver’s field was brought up. Heather will coordinate a volunteer group to set it up before winter snow arrives.
George discussed the fire trailer, its current status, and the timing to get it winterized and stored. The meeting was adjourned at 7:16 PM MST.
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting Sunday September 8, 2024
Board Members Attending: George Tague, Heather Brenner, Mike Hansen
Guests Attending: None
NOTE: This meeting was held at the Copper Queen Saloon in Helmville, MT.
Meeting was called to order at 2:05 PM MST.
As a quorum minimum was not met, the meeting proceeded as discussion only.
Topics included:
The treasurers report reflects a balance that should met our fall expenses and allow for the holdover emergency fund of $3,000. Thanks to Ricky White for this year’s road work and generous donation of time and equipment beyond our road budget.
Progress on the investigation of the Chimney Lakes/Cat Track Road blockage, including the fact that it is still (or again) impassable and remains a hazard. The sheriff has been contacted. NOTE: This is the first mention in a GMPOA meeting of a road blockage consisting of three concrete pillars placed across the road at the location mentioned above. More complete information regarding the blockage and any discussion on it will be included in the minutes from the October 14th meeting.
A property owner’s email suggested getting competitive bids from other sources for our tax preparation expenses.
Mike Hansen reported on the condition of the Westridge Road (poor) and included it in our list of potential projects. Another project still undone is the cleaning of the cattle guard on 271 at Hoover Creek Road.
Reminder: October Meeting via zoom on Monday, October 14 @ 7:00PM
Meeting adjourned 3:10 PM
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Minutes: GMPOA Board Meeting Sunday, August 11, 2024
Board Members Attending: George Tague, Mike Hansen, Chris Trussell, Heather Brenner, Geneva Hollis, Jolene Tollenaar and Bruce Koerner.
Guests Attending: Muriah Lewis
NOTE: This meeting was held at the Copper Queen Saloon in Helmville, MT.
Meeting called to order at 2:13 PM MST.
The minutes from June 9, 2024 were approved.
Jolene delivered the Treasurers Report (see attachment). The bank account balance is $8,707.68. However, most of the remaining funds down to our “emergency level” balance of $3,000 plus annual administrative expenses are already obligated to pay for road work completed.
Mike delivered the road report. Ricky White has done a great job grading and repairing the 17-
George led a discussion on the infestation of knapweed throughout our area and possible future solutions to the problem. This included a transition to Milestone herbicide, the introduction of goats in specific areas to eat the plants, and our purchase of $200 worth of bugs that eat knapweed.
George also led a discussion regarding the upcoming 2025 election cycle and the need for new board members. Jolene, the current treasurer and election committee chair, will provide more detailed election information in time for the spring newsletter in June.
George showed pictures of the Package Delivery Shed that, when finished, will be placed near the church/US Post Office structure in Helmville. This will provide property owners a secure place in Helmville to have packages delivered by UPS and FedEx. We should note that this project has been accomplished entirely with donated materials and labor. A big thanks goes to George, Chris, and all the other participants.
George brought up the issue of Board Meeting times and locations. It was apparent to everyone that Zoom meetings are sufficient and more convenient during the off season. However, most of the work is done in the summer months and meeting in person is more important. Likewise, the Board needs to meet on a consistent schedule so that all property owners may participate as desired. And finally, the Board needs to retain the right to call special meetings of an urgent nature in order to discuss specific issues that must be dealt with immediately.
As a result of this discussion, Chris made a motion that was seconded by Jolene and passed unanimously. It stated that in the future, regular monthly Board meetings would be held as follows: In the months of October through April, Board meetings would be held virtually via Zoom on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM, MST. During the month of July, an informational meeting would be held for all property owners as part of the annual GMPOA picnic. And finally, during the months of May, June, August, and September, the meetings would be held on the second Sunday of each month at 2:00 PM, MST, at the Copper Queen Saloon in Helmville, MT. This schedule will be published on our website and included in the fall newsletter.
Muriah Lewis introduced herself at this time and expressed a desire to serve on the board.
The Meeting adjourned at 3:00 PM MST.
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The July 6, 2024, Board Meeting was held at the annual meeting and barbecue. 130 people attended. No minutes were kept of the meeting.
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GMPOA Board Meeting, June 9, 2024
NOTE: This meeting was held at the Copper Queen Saloon in Helmville, MT
Board Members Attending: George Tague, Chris Trussell, Geneva Hollis, Mike Hansen, Jolene Tolenar, Heather Brenner, and Bruce Koerner
Guests Attending: Teri Koerner
Meeting called to order at 2:05 PM MST
The minutes from May 12, 2024, were approved.
Jolene provided a Treasurer’s Report and informed the group that cattle lease funds ($14,000, see attached report) had been received from P & B Cattle Company. A discussion ensued on the amount of money that could be earmarked for road work this year. George moved that $11,000 be earmarked for roadwork and that the remaining $3,500 be retained for other expenses. Jolene seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
George reported that he had received several complaints regarding a new property owner that allows his livestock, primarily goats, to graze freely on neighboring properties. George plans to visit them and provide a copy of the Montana Statute that prohibits this.
George handed out copies of the new 2024 Spring Newsletter for review. The final draft will be distributed by email or mail during this coming week. Property owners are reminded that, in order to reduce expenses, the Board will not be distributing hard copies of Newsletters in 2025.
George reported that the U.S Post Office in Helmville will no longer accept packages delivered by UPS or FEDEX. It was also reported that the Copper Queen Saloon would like to limit this practice as well. This initiated a lengthy discussion on what other options are available to GMPOA property owners and how the Board could assist in coordinating this effort. More research is needed and the issue will be discussed again at future meetings.
George confirmed that the July GMPOA Board meeting will be held during the annual picnic on July 6.
Geneva reported on several picnic items. These included the following. She has arranged for guest speakers to talk about local wildlife and wildland fires. We are planning to purchase 50 lb. of burgers this year, as the number of people attending continues to increase. Chris and Jolene will bring 100 lb. of ice. She requested volunteers to meet at the picnic area at 9:00 a.m. on July 6 to help set up. George will coordinate mowing and spraying the picnic area.
Mike, chair of the road committee, reported that their plan for this year will focus on that section of Hoover Creek Road immediately after it enters the GMPOA area coming up from the Jens Exit. This is a steep area, beginning with a cattle guard and containing a number of switchbacks, culverts, and hazardous areas. Rick White has indicated he will do our road work this year. Mike has also donated 180 feet of plastic culvert that he acquired in Missoula. He will provide a more detailed project description at the annual picnic.
Jolene, in her position as chair of the election committee, reminded everyone that 2025 will be an important year for the Board. The terms for the seats currently held by George, Jolene, and Bruce will be up. Additionally, Geneva announced that she is planning to sell her property sometime next year, which would necessitate replacing her. Jolene will prepare detailed election guidelines taken from the GMPOA Bylaws to be presented at the next meeting and posted on our website.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:10 PM MST.
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GMPOA Board Meeting, May 12, 2024
NOTE: This meeting was held at the Copper Queen Saloon in Helmville, MT
Board Members Attending: George Tague, Chris Trussell, Geneva Hollis, Mike Hansen, Jolene Tolenar, and Bruce Koerner
Guests Attending: Dutch Weaver
Meeting called to order at 2:15 PM MST
The minutes from April 8, 2024, were approved.
Jolene provided a Treasurer’s Report and informed the group that we were almost out of money with a bank balance of approximately $560. (see attached report)
George reported on the following OLD BUSINESS items:
There have been technical problems with the GMPOA website. He and Jolene will deal with resolving the issues.
A BIG THANKS to Heather Brenner and her snow fence crew. The fence has been taken down, rolled up, and stored at the edge of Dutch Weaver’s field. Dutch has approved leaving it there until time to re-install this fall.
George will place an item on the website and in the newsletter re removing trees from the various easement areas along the road network.
George will issue a warning to all that several small packs of dogs were reported roaming through the western portion of the GMPOA area. Incidents of attacks on livestock and other pets have taken place.
George and Mike will work on/research providing an easement through the GMPOA Park for a parcel belonging to the Jim Davis Estate in order to enable its sale.
George reported that property owners were not to use the physical address of the Helmville Post Office as a delivery location for FEDEX or UPS parcels. Various alternatives were discussed.
NEW BUSINESS
Dutch Weaver discussed cleaning out various cattle guards with the Board .
Geneva and George led a discussion on the upcoming annual GMPOA picnic to be held on July 6. George has stored most of the supplies and equipment at his place. The number of guests increases every year, requiring more supplies.
The June GMPOA Meeting will be held at the Copper Queen Saloon in Helmville on Sunday, June 9th at 2:00 PM.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 PM MST.
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GMPOA Board Meeting, April 8, 2024
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: George Tague, Chris Trussell, Geneva Hollis, Mike Hansen, Jolene Tolenar, and Bruce Koerner
Guests Attending: None
Meeting called to order at 7:00 PM MST
The minutes from March 12, 2024, were approved.
Jolene provided a Treasurer’s Report and informed the group that our remaining bank balance was $595.57. George reported that the recent property tax increase adjudicated by the MT Supreme Court didn’t apply to the GMPOA Park property.
Geneva reported that the snow fence had been taken down and stored at the edge of Dutch Weaver’s pasture, out of his way. She also reported that she had ordered wildland fire mitigation and safety materials to be distributed at the summer picnic. Additionally, she’s looking for a guest speaker for the subject.
George reported that Kerry Duff, a realtor, contacted him regarding acquiring an easement through the GMPOA Park. She is attempting to sell a parcel from the Jim Davis estate that’s adjacent to the park. The discussion on this issue eventually broadened to include associated liability, the Board’s authority, easement roads in general, etc. The consensus was to table this issue until our next “in person” meeting (hopefully in May). All attendees agreed that more questions needed to be answered and information acquired.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 PM, MST.
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GMPOA Board Meeting, March 12, 2024
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: George Tague, Chris Trussell, Geneva Hollis, Heather Brenner, Mike Hansen, and Bruce Koerner
Guests Attending: Ean Kennedy. (NOTE: Ean is listed as an attendee for this meeting. However, he experienced technical difficulties and texting was our only way of communicating with him.)
Meeting called to order at 7:00 PM MST
The minutes from February 12, 2024, were approved.
George discussed the Treasurer’s Report (attached) dated March 11, 2024, that was prepared by Jolene and submitted via email. He added that our state and federal taxes have been prepared, submitted, and paid as required. The tax preparer has been paid ($585) as well. Our current bank balance is approximately $595, which has to last us until we receive the 2024 grazing fee funds.
George discussed a text message received from Ean Kennedy regarding problems this winter with parking near our easement through Dutch Weaver’s property. George decided to table this issue until more detailed information could be acquired.
Mike reported that Rick White wants to do the GMPOA road work this year. He also reported that Rick encountered locked gates in areas thought to be easement roads open to all property owners. Rick was engaged in snow removal this past winter at the time. Mike plans to gather more information on this subject and report back to the Board in the near future.
Heather reported that the snow fence installed on Dutch Weaver’s property adjacent to a portion of Mud Creek wasn’t really tested this past winter due the mild weather conditions. She will contact Dutch regarding allowing it to remain in place over the summer.
George reported that technical difficulties have prevented the posting of the fall GMPOA Newsletter on our website. He hopes to resolve this situation prior to the next Board meeting
The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 PM, MST.
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GMPOA Board Meeting, February 12, 2024
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: George Tague, Chris Trussell, Geneva Hollis, Jolene Tollenaar, Heather Brenner, Mike Hansen, and Bruce Koerner
Guests Attending: None
Meeting called to order at 7:00 PM MST
The minutes from January 8, 2024, were approved.
Jolene submitted an amended email Treasurer’s Report that was current up to February 9th, which was approved (attached). She also reported that the GMPOA account balance as of the day of the meeting was $1,234.56.
George reported that the major remaining expense for 2023 would be the fee for the GMPOA tax preparation, which is expected to be approximately $585. After some discussion, the consensus of the group was to continue using this service in order to avoid a variety of problems.
Heather reported that a portion of Spruce Gulch Road will need repair work in the spring. The segment of this road near Hoover Creek Road is used frequent by property owners traveling to a local water source.
Geneva Hollis volunteered to contact the appropriate agency in order to acquire fire safety literature to hand out at the upcoming GMPOA summer picnic. She will also try to arrange for a guest speaker on the subject for the event.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM, MST.
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GMPOA Board Meeting, January 8, 2024
NOTE: This meeting was held via Zoom
Board Members Attending: George Tague, Chris Trussell, Heather Brenner, and Bruce Koerner
Guests Attending: None
Meeting called to order at 7:00 PM MST
The minutes from November 13, 2023, were approved.
Jolene had submitted by email a Treasurer’s Report that was current up to January 8, 2024. George discussed the fact that we had spent beyond our normal $3,000 emergency buffer in2023 and would have make up for this in 2024.
George and Heather informed the group that various property owners are gathering firewood from the common area in the vicinity of where the GMPOA picnic is normally held.
George discussed the newsletter process, which is currently a combination of mailing hard copies and email. In and effort to reduce costs, George has established the administrative guideline that they will only be sent out via email in the future. A notice of this policy change will be posted on the website and included in the next newsletter. Heather agreed to pick up the “returned” newsletters at the Post Office in Helmville.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM, MST.
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