City Council Met on April 11

The City of Malta held their regular meeting last Tuesday, April 11, at the City Hall building.

Malta Mayor John Demarais, Malta Clerk and Treasurer Lorie Bond were present, as well as all council members including councilperson David Rummel, councilperson William Hicks, councilperson Bonnie Wiederrick, and councilperson James Sintler.

At the meeting, the council voted to approve three out of four new business items, including Resolution 1327 a revised Gym Lease agreement, which patrons would need the council’s permission to use the City Hall building instead of the Malta Event Center, known also as the Old Armory building. The council also spoke of the success of the Event Center, which most recently hosted Malta’s Ag Day event on Friday, March 24, for the first time.

Councilperson Weiderrick said that the Ag Day event was very comfortable that day.

“It was very nice,” she said. “There was a lot of room and (there was also) the craft fair. There was a lot of room.”

The council did say that there were a couple of groups that have put money into the City Hall gym, including Phillips County Motorsports and Walleyes Unlimited, who traditionally use the gym for their annual meeting and banquet. The other topic brought up was parking at the event, which became an issue due to snow and people blocking the outside lanes of the parking lot.

The council also voted to waive the Event Center Fees for the use of the venue for EMT testing to be held on Tuesday, May 2.

The city also voted to approve the purchase of an 1195 GMC Topkick 12 Yard Dump Truck, a truck that the city was considering during their March 28 meeting. The total for the truck formerly owned by the State of Montana was $7,500, though the mayor fought to bring the price down. The previous owner would not budge on the price because the vehicle has brand new tires.

“It’s a bigger yard and it can haul more than the five-yard truck that we have,” said Eric Witmer, who was at the meeting to represent the City Crew. “We have had it for a week or two.”

The last item up for discussion was the Current Gymnasium / Weight Room Membership Agreement. No revisions were made to the agreement, which currently requires those that have had their key fob taken to go to a council meeting and request the fob back.

“I have had three people come to me and ask me, after the City takes their fob away, why do they have to come to council and ask for their fob back?” Mayor Demarais said.

The council did not agree with this mode of operations, but decided that no revisions were to be made at the moment.

During public comment, one citizen looked to purchase an unused lot to become a part of her property. She currently owns four out of the five lots, and wants to add the lot to help maintain the lot, which would alleviate the need for the City to maintain it.

“My intention is to extend the fence, to block it all in, do the landscaping, keep the trees and clean them up, and make all five lots look very nice.”

Bond said that the city would have to look into the matter, which would include getting the lot appraised and putting it up for sale to the public.

Earlier in the meeting, Payment of Claims and March Payroll were approved, as well as the minutes from the meeting held on Tuesday, March 28.

During the Reports from Departments, Committees and Meetings Attended portion, Witmer said the City Crew has begun patching and filling pot holes, which has become a problem around the state, due to the harsh and long winter. He also said that the crew is on flood watch and that a new window had been installed at the Malta Event Center.

Mayor Demarais said that there has not been a lot of negative feedback given the pothole situation.

Bond said that the Municipal Summit events are approaching and the closest event to Malta is in Chinook on June 5.

Bond also said that they had hired a new custodian, who had been training with the outgoing custodian.

The new sign for Trafton Park has been finished.

Mayor Demarais also said that a training event was held at the Malta Event Center that included nine people representing different towns including Malta, Saco, Chinook, Glasgow and Harlem. The training was put on by a person from Montana Rural Water and a person from Denver, Colo., who sells Mueller parts.

The route and event for the annual Malta Parks Color Fun Run was presented by Parks and Recreation Director Sally Wright, and was approved by the board.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25, and the public is encouraged to attend all meetings.