City Pool report was good…until it wasn't

During the last City Council meeting, Public Works Director Jim Truelove gave his department report.

He reported that everything was going well at the City Pool. They had many groups sponsoring nights, and that Manager Kelly Cederberg and the lifeguard crew were doing a great job.

Later that night, the circulating pump motor went out, and the pool had to be closed. Truelove got a new motor installed, but is having a shaft seal issue. He has located a new seal and is having it sent overnight.

Truelove said, “I will install the seal as soon as it gets here. I just don’t want to blow a new motor because of a seal.”

He is looking at Wednesday, August 4, as being the earliest the pool will reopen.

Truelove then reported that the city crew had done three digs since the last meeting. Two of which were emergency digs.

He said that the speed limit sign had been out. It has been overheating, so it’s only been out in the mornings.

Mayor Demarais asked Truelove if he could bring in a report of what the speed limit sign was catching. Truelove said he could and would do that for the next meeting.

Truelove then reported that the old armory parking lot was crack sealed to save it. He asked permission from the council to seal coat the parking lot. An approximate cost of the seal coat would be around $7,000. The council gave the ok to have that done.

PWD Truelove then said that Central Lock would not be able to be in town for approximately a month.

Mayor Demarais said that he and City Clerk/Treasurer Lorie Bond had discussed the locks out at the old armory, and they think the key fob system would be the best way to go.

Truelove thanked the council for allowing him to go to a training class in Great Falls the previous week.

He then told the council that the city crew would be doing some minor concrete work around town that needs to be done. The work is to fix some things leftover from all of the water work done the year before.

City Clerk/Treasurer Lorie Bond was next to give her report.

Bond handed the current check register and the current shut-off list to the council.

Bond then said that a 4H group had requested the use of the gym on Monday for their interviews and asked the council if they would want to waive the gym rental fee for them. The council discussed the proposal and agreed to waive the rental fee.

Bond said she had received an email from Bob Church that stated that his group had put in an application on behalf of the City of Malta for a grant towards infrastructure. Church said that the council would have to have a resolution. That resolution will be put on the agenda for the next meeting.

The last thing that Bond reported is that there are a total of 49 letters being mailed out in the city for lack of lawn care. She handed out a list of the recipients and asked the council if there were any that needed to be added or updated.

Parks and Rec. Director Sally Wright gave her report to the council next.

Wright reported that Art in the Park was held on July 14 and 15 in Veterans Park, and 40 kids took part. They had a blast.

She said that they held skateboard lessons on July 20 and 22, and had 11 lessons.

Wright said a Chakra workshop was held on July 22 and that 12 adults attended that.

She reported that the summer yoga classes were ending on July 28 and gymnastics classes were done on July 30 and there would be a little performance in the gym.

Wright ended her report by saying that with Jim Truelove’s help, they have been cleaning up the tennis courts and park area and that it is looking a lot better.

In new business, the council approved an application by the Knights of Columbus for a street closure.

The council approved resolution 1301, a wage increase for 2021/22 employees and elected officials. Mayor Demarais stated that the elected officials would not be taking any pay increase, just the city employees.

The council decided to look into what to do with the city cardboard building and bailing equipment.

The final item of new business for the council was to approve the rental of the old armory by the Shriners, which was approved by unanimous vote.

The meeting adjourned at 5:58 p.m.