Ordinances, gum balls and more at City Council

In City of Malta happenings, two public ordinances were introduced to the council members, the first would limit the amount of time people could live in pull trailers and campers in city limits at two-weeks, the later setting a new fee for zoning permits.

The Municipal code on parking on dwelling premises (Code 5.44.080 a change to a current ordinance) follows several complaints from city residents of people living in trailers. The penalty to people for violating the ordinance would be no more than $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for no more than six months for staying in their dwellings over two weeks and the city would have the right to have the units towed.

The new zoning ordinance (another amendment to a current ordinance) would do away with building permits and move the city toward strictly zoning permits. The new zoning permit fee for new construction would be a fee of $100 for new carports, garages, storage sheds etc… and $50 for concrete, fencing, windows decks and the like.

Both amendments will need to have more readings followed by 30-days until they are approved.

During the Parks and Rec portion of the night’s meeting, Mayor Jones told the council members that members of the Parks and Rec board recently finished major refurbishments at Trafton Park’s baseball fields including new roofs on the dugouts, fresh paint and some trim work. She added that Malta's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also completed some refurbishment on some bleachers near the fields and will continue to improve some of the bleacher’s railings.

“They all did really nice work,” added Mayor Jones.

The City Council approved two street closures on June 4, one for the First State Bank Car Show and the other for Shane Carnahan who is bringing freestyle motocross athletes to town the same day. The section of S. 1st Street E. will be closed that day from near First State Bank all the way passed Darla’s 3 Sisters and on down to Stretch’s Pizza for most of the day.

In the latest news on the gopher problem in Malta, Mayor Jones said the City recently learned of poisoning the critters with gumballs from a Phillips County resident and will try the method soon. Two gumball will be dropped into gopher holes in hopes of getting rid of the rodents. The method is rumored to be more cost effective and thorough than the previous poisoning efforts.

The council members learned that, according to state law, vendors who serves food on city grounds – and charge for the food – will now have to go through Food Safe Serving Classes in order to sign a lease with the City of Malta. This would include concession stands at baseball fields, 4-H functions and various other outfits and organizations. Mayor Jones pointed out that potluck dinners at family functions on City grounds are excluded and, at this point, it was not certain whether people serving free-will offering food would have to attend the classes.

The Council also learned that Helena Sand and Gravel – the company leading the water project to take place this summer – will most likely start bringing equipment to the area before the PCN next goes to press and will start construction on May 23 (near the old Best Way store) and will continue until the beginning of September. There will be as many as three crews working on the project through this year’s portion of construction.