Recapping final 2016 City Council Meetings

Taken from Malta City Clerk and Treasurer Lorie Bond’s minutes.

At the first Malta City Council meeting of December Malta Public Works Director Jim Truelove informed the council that the City’s 400,000 gallon water tank received two samples in a row test positive for presence of Total Coliform bacteria and this had triggered a Level 2 treatment technique assessment of the City’s water system. He said the assessment took place on December 5, 2016 and all of the well house deficiencies were corrected the day of the assessment. Public Works Director Truelove reported that a fine screen needed to be installed on the vent on top of the 400,000-gallon water tank and that the 176,000-gallon tank’s center vent needed to be adjusted so it properly faced downward and that holes in the tank’s roof needed to be repaired. Public Works Director Truelove stated that the repairs needed to be completed by January 6, 2017.

Malta Mayor Shyla Jones informed Council that the City has a loop water distribution system and the Department of Environmental Quality thought the positive test results for Total Coliform were caused by improper flushing of the waterlines during the water project. Mayor Jones stated that next year, Public Works Director Truelove would be present when the new waterlines are flushed to make sure it is done properly.

Mayor Jones informed Council that the water tank replacement option was removed from the current water project's PAR because of the cost. Mayor Jones went over how the City had ranked on the grant applications that had been submitted to RRGL and TSEP to fund part two of the water project. Malta was ranked 30th on the TSEP ranking and Mayor Jones informed Council that she had been informed that TSEP would have enough funding for the top 26 projects, so there could still be a chance that Malta could receive TSEP Funding. Mayor Jones informed Council that the city had ranked 90 out of 94 applicants for RRGL funding.

Mayor Jones informed Council that Olympus Technical Service would be coming to Malta in mid-January 2017 to drill five test wells along 1st St W from where contamination was found during the water project and West toward the river. Mayor Jones reported that contamination was a dark blackish/gray liquid that smelled like turpentine and after it was tested it was found to contain a mixture of dry-cleaning chemicals and paint. Mayor Jones informed Council that DEQ would be paying for the test wells and there would be no charge to the City. Mayor Jones informed Council that they would need to approve the drilling of the test wells.

Mayor Jones informed Council that Public Works Director Truelove had done a great job working with the DEQ during the assessment and added that the City Crew continues to do a great job and that she had received many compliments on the blade work done on the City’s alleys by City Crew Member Dayla Kelsey.

At the last Malta City Council meeting of 2016, Mayor Jones informed Council that she foresees there being issues with the old curb stops left during the water project. She stated that she had been advised by TD&H and former Public Works Director Demarais that it would be best to leave the existing curb stops located on individual properties and install a new curb stop in the City right away. Stating that doing this would eliminate the need to get agreements with all of the property owners to replace the existing curb stops. Mayor Jones informed Council that in hind sight she wished she had not agreed to this because now she thinks there will be issues with the second curb stops failing and the property owners being responsible for the repair or removal of the second curb stops. Mayor Jones stated that she would like to see if it would be possible to amend the water insurance to include coverage of the second curb stops left in place during the water project and she would be contacting City Attorney Dan O’Brien about this matter. Mayor Jones concluded that the water project has been a learning experience for public works and herself.

Director Truelove reported that the ice skating rink had been filled and Mayor Jones asked if he had informed the Parks & Recreation ladies about the ice skating rink because nothing has been posted. Public Works Director Truelove responded that he still wanted to add a few more inches of water to the rink and he would contact the Parks & Recreation staff after this was completed. The skating rink has been opened to the public since the meeting.