Malta City Council meeting recap

The Malta City Council hosted two public hearings last Tuesday, July 26, with only a handful in attendance. The council approved changes to the City’s Water Project, approved the Malta Skatepark's Safety Rules and closed on two loans associated with the Water Project.

The council’s first Public Hearing, Malta Mayor Shyla Jones read the council and attendees the First Reading of Ordinance #447, which is an amendment to ordinance #397 repealing section 13.04.075 or vacation rates.

The changes to #397 means that during times lot owners don’t use or stop using water for months at a time will not be able to utilize the reduced water rate of $5 a month, with a $75 fee to turn the water back on because the vacation rates will not exist under the new water rates.

“We determined with doing our new rates we weren’t going to do vacation rates anymore,” Mayor Jones said. “So we have to repeal this ordinance.”

The meeting continued after no regular public comments were voiced.

Michele Turville of Bear Paw Development announced that Water Project Loan was closed with the reception of two deposits both worth $76,443.00 from the Department of Natural Resources.

“I received the confirmation from Dorsey and Whitney saying that the city confirmed the receipt of funds from the DNRC,” Turville said. “We are officially closed.”

Mayor Jones confirmed that payments toward the loan for the Water Project will start in January. The new water rates will affect users starting July 21, 2016.

“The girls are working diligently to make sure that everything gets changes in the computer system,” Mayor Jones said.

The Council motioned to accept the first TCEP grant payout of $284,306.63. The grant paid for 60-percent of the construction on roughly three blocks to Helena Sand and Gravel for their work on the City’s Water Project.

The motion to accept the TCEP grant check was made by Councilperson Bonnie Wiederrick and seconded by Councilman James Sintler. The council unanimously agreed.

Mayor Jones announced a needed $28,930.80 change to the Water Project. The change order will come out of the contingency money already in the contract with Helena Sand and Gravel.

Though the city planned on the contractor finding many hidden sewer service lines, they had no idea how many lines would be hidden due to the fact the lines weren’t reported during installation many years ago. The new work order to change those lines will be paid for by the City’s contingency fund.

“There was no way to really contract it, so of course they are finding some,” Mayor Jones said. “We knew they were going to but there was no way to write it into the original contract. We have a contingency out there so this will come out of the contingency money.”

By the time of the meeting, Helena Sand and Gravel estimated to find 30 sewer service lines but more might be found throughout the remainder of the contract.

A unanimous decision was made to accept the changes to the work order after a motion was made by Councilman David Rummel and seconded by Councilman James Sintler.

The second public hearing was a needs assessment hearing for a possible Community Development Block Grant. The maximum amount that the City could apply for would be $450,000.

“That program is geared toward helping people with low to moderate income (LMI),” Turville said. She added that in the 2010 Census, the City of Malta was at 62-percent LMI making the City eligible for the grant.

Turville fielded suggestions from the public as to what Malta and Phillips County needs. Any suggestions made were written down for consideration.

“We are going to give it to the City Council and Phillips County Commissioners because this is going to help them in their planning with their budgets,” Turville said. “It is federal money. It is administered by the Department of Commerce.”

The categories of CDBG includes fixes, changes or additions to any public facility, economic development (job creation and retention) and housing programs.

Close to 30 suggestions were made which included a possible Senior Center, Community Center, a bigger work facility for Malta Opportunities Inc., A facility for The Phillips Transit Authority, better weed control, a school bus barn for Malta Public Schools, a dog park and Weather Station / Webcam for more accurate weather reporting for Malta.

Malta has already started the planning for a Phase II water project so they will be putting in an application to CDBG for that next water improvement phase.