Malta City Council recap: Department heads give updates

At the bi-weekly meeting of the Malta City Council on September 22, Public Works Director Jim Truelove reported that a Minnesota company had removed the scrap metal from the City landfill. The DEQ Sanitary Survey has been completed, and the report is being written and will be out soon.

The Public Works teams has been busy blowing out the sprinklers for the season with the exception of Riverview Park. Director Truelove explained he was hoping to first get other issues resolved there if possible. They are continuing to grade and blade all the alleyways, and the street sweeper is out and would be for the next week.

The lagoon has been pumped out and winterized for the season. There were some issues due to the power outage, but it was on Northwestern Energy’s end and everything is back on track.

Hydrant Flushing is scheduled to begin the week of September 27th.

Mayor John Demarais noted that gravel would be purchased, as well as an additional small stockpile. Director Truelove will be ordering it from the closest and cheapest supplier.

City Clerk Lori Bond passed around a draft of the proposed Chicken Ordinance for review and reminded them that the issue would be coming before the council at the meeting to be held on October 13th.

She stated that the Hi-Line Future Foundation would be using the gym for their event on January 16th and that the user fee would be waived. She asked the council for permission to also waive the fee for the Phillips County Health Department flu clinic on October 7th and the Council agreed.

At present, six of the 10 water shut-offs were still off, but Bond suggested that some residents may not be in the area at this time.

Phillips County Sheriff Jerry Lytle gave the Law Enforcement Update, reporting that two deputies were currently attending the Law Enforcement Academy and would be gone for three months. Another deputy is scheduled to attend when they return.

Sheriff Lytle noted that money generated for the National Child Safety Program is likely to be less this year due to the pandemic. Packets of the program materials were provided to the schools to be sent out to students.

Due to the risk of COVID-19, jail numbers had gone down in the previous months. One deputy did contract the virus and has since recovered.

Finally, Sheriff Lytle reported that he had been made aware of a Facebook post concerning a serious sexual assault allegation. He has sought the assistance of the MT Department of Justice, and an investigator is being sent. An issue with vigilantism and vandalism is associated with the case. Sheriff Lytle noted that he had made two Facebook posts asking the community to allow the department to handle the situation as the system is designed to, and that he has confidence that a thorough investigation will proceed quickly.

Under Planning, Clerk Bond noted that the individual who was building a shed without a permit had turned in his variance paperwork that afternoon.

In New Business, Gina Lamb asked the Council for permission to paint horseshoes and volleyballs on 7th and 8th streets for the volleyball season and the council approved the request.

Mayor Demarais reported that he had been approached about the prospect of transferring ownership of the Old Milk River Bridge from the County to the City. The parties involved would raise the funds and provide the labor to build a new deck and add lighting to the steel structure. Mayor Demarais noted that the City would only provide in-kind assistance to the project, but that he was not against the idea of the City maintaining the bridge in the future. He asked the council to approve an initial study of the project to be brought before the council at a later date. An engineer will be coming on September 30th to do a pre-inspection free of charge. The council voted to approve.

Clerk Bond asked the council to consider whether to opt into the Employee Social Security Deferral Program. The program entails not withholding employee’s social security taxes at present, with those funds to be paid back by the employee at a later date. She noted that WIPFLI had recommended not participating. A motion to participate was put forward, and the council voted to not approve the motion.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned and the council will reconvene on Tuesday, October 13th at 5 p.m.