Council hears of color run, awards landfill bid

Following a week of water leaks and main breaks, both Malta Mayor Shyla Jones and Public Works Director Jim Truelove said that couldn’t have been more proud of City employees and officials for stepping up and getting things taken care of during a trying time.

“I think we need to give his crew a big kudos,” Mayor Jones said during the final City Council meeting of April last Tuesday. “They were working with just four people — because we have one out on a medical and who is away — and Jim and that crew were working some 15 and 20 hour days there for awhile and Jim actually spent a 24-hour day working so please thank them for us, they went above and beyond.”

“I certainly will,” Director Truelove responded. “I am very proud of them.”

During Director Truelove's Department report, he said that grass dumpsters have been put out around town and asked that City garbage users not put large debris in the grass cans or other garbage cans.

The City of Malta asks that people not place concrete, fence posts, tires, large pieces of lumber, large tree limbs or large containers of used cooking oil into City garbage cans, but rather haul these items to the City Landfill.

“It needs to be added to not pile stuff next to the garbage cans,” Mayor Jones said. “Garbage needs to fit into the garbage cans because the trucks aren’t really built where stuff can just be thrown in them.”

Director Trulove also said that the Public Works crew have been conducting mock water shutdown's in areas in which construction for the City's water project is taking place. Last Thursday and Friday, Public Works spent a large portion of Friday evening working on water lines near the Murray Trailer Court which left some residents without water for several hours.

The Council was informed that Lisa Williamson was hired as the new janitor for City Hall, that a seasonal gate keeper was hired for the landfill and added that the landfill is now open on Saturday's from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. (closed on Sundays.)

During the Parks and Rec report, Natalie Judd informed council that over 50 people showed up to help clean City parks on Earth Day.

"It was an awesome turn out and we got things cleaned up pretty well," she said.

Judd informed Council that Parks and Rec will be hosting this year's Color Run (on June 3rd in conjunction with the First State Bank Car Show) and will feature both a 5K and one mile run. The City Council also approved a route for the run (though both County and State officials will still need to sign off on portions of the route.) Look in the Phillips County News for more information on the run as well as a map of the route. This year, Judd is looking to have the initial staging area near Malta High School instead of the M-Trail for easier access. The 5K will start at 8:30 a.m. and the one mile at 9:15 a.m.

Judd said Parks and Rec are also working on getting some painting and restoration work done on the grandstands at Trafton Park ahead of the start of youth baseball.

During a water project update, Mayor Jones said Helena Sand and Gravel currently has three crews working in Malta and construction work on Main Street will not conflict with the First State Bank Car Show on June 3 (later in the meeting the council approved a street closure on that day for the event.)

During New Business, the Tuesday, May 9 City Council meeting was moved to a day earlier and will take place at 4 p.m. (instead of 5 p.m. ) on Monday, May 8.

Also during New Business, Malta's Bishop Inc. was awarded the contract on the bid for the Phase II work at the City Landfill, nearly $40,000 lower than the next lowest bid.