MOI gets City's support to update

At last Tuesday night’s Malta City Council Meeting, Malta resident Anne Boothe asked the board members for their support in helping Malta Opportunities Incorporated (MOI) secure funds to pay for a study on possible expansion or a new facility for the Day Center.

The application is for the Montana Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and, if granted, would help MOI pay for a Preliminary Architectural Report (PAR) to assist the non-profit in exploring the possibilities of remodeling their current facility or perhaps constructing a new facility.

“In a nutshell, it would look at their existing facility, see what it lacks for space efficiencies, safety or any other concerns,” Boothe said. “They would also meet with the community and staff and ask what is on the dream list for what this facility could be.”

Boothe said that the PAR would look at a few different alternatives including new construction, renovation to the current center or expanding the current center.

“Then they will look at funding options and do a rough estimate on what a new building would cost,” Boothe said.

The total cost of the application is $49,950 and MOI has already received part of the needed funds from Big Sky Trust Fund ( $19,950), MOI has given a $3,200 cash match and are applying for the remainder of the funds to be loaned through the CDBG grant through the City of Malta (the grant would be managed through Bear Paw Cooperative.)

Boothe said that a similar project recently completed in Glasgow was paid for with no public funding.

“MOI might even be able to handle this on their own, but we just don’t know yet,” Boothe said.

The Malta City Council voted unanimously to sponsor the grant request for CDBG funding (though the City of Malta does not currently have funds to help support the project. )

“This will invite all considerations,” Boothe said. “Don (Nevrivy, Executive Director at MOI) has expressed the importance of that (current) downtown location for access for the clients.”

In other Malta City Council news, during the Public Work’s portion of Tuesday night’s meeting, Public Works Director Jim Truelove informed the board members that chip-sealing will begin on city streets soon.

Malta Mayor Shyla Jones let the council know that City employees are scheduled to have their health care screening on Monday, August 24 and that employees will need to sign their family and themselves up for the screening online.

During new business, Resolution 1188 was passed by the council giving an across the board, two-percent raise to City employees and elected officials and a three-percent raise to select employees who “went above and beyond in their positions in the last year,” according to Mayor Jones.

The council also approved a request from Malta Merchants for a closure of some downtown streets for Crazy Days which will be held on Saturday, July 25. The downtown streets in question will be closed to automobile traffic from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

In the final bit of news from the City Council Meeting, Mayor Jones informed the council that the Malta City Pool will be closed on Saturday, July 18 as there is not enough lifeguards to cover the day.