City Council Talks Damaged Sewer Line, HB 355

Mayor John Demarais opened the last meeting of the month on Tuesday, February 27th at 5 p.m. with the pledge to the flag. Also present for the meeting were council members David Rummel, Laura Pankratz and Bill Hicks. In attendance were PWD Jim Truelove, Marilyn Taylor and Matt Mudd (Great West Engineering).

The meeting was opened for public comment. There being none, the same was closed. Under comments from the Mayor, Demarais stated he would be attending the annual meeting of Bear Paw Development on Thursday. Other members of the board of BPD include Dave Skiff, Karey Bishop and Bruce Christofferson, of Malta.

Bill Hicks made a motion to accept the minutes from the last meeting, seconded by Dave Rummel; motion carried.

Rummel made a motion to accept the agenda, seconded by Laura Pankratz, motion carried. Pankratz then made a motion to accept claims, seconded by Rummel, motion carried.

PDW Truelove opened his report stating that the service tech from Fireman's Hood Company would be at the Event Center on Wednesday to service the hood and tag it.

When weather clears Truelove plans to hit the streets and do some repair work. Also, the street sweeper will be hitting the streets.

He addressed the HB 355; it provides for infrastructure funding, stating the needs of the City regarding the bill.

Truelove then addressed the elephant in the room – the recent crack in the sewer line. Truelove said it has been remedied, "all 3,700 feet of it." Councilmembers stated their satisfaction with the matter being resolved so quickly. Demarais said he had been told the City would be getting a violation letter, which he expected.

Hicks inquired as to where the right-of-way for the State is, in particular on Central Avenue. It was agreed some of the repairs are the responsibility of the State Department of Transportation (MDT). Pankratz asked who would one contact in regard to the pot-holes on Frontage road, describing the need for repairs. Truelove said he would contact the County and relay the concern. Demarais then instructed Truelove to remove the (No U Turn) signs on Front Street, stating he had questioned the need for them when, then Officer Alan Guderjahn, had erected them.

Deputy City Clerk Laurie Barrett (as secretary in the absence of Clerk Lorie Bond) said she had provided the Council member packets and had included a copy of the check register and current shut-off list. She stated the office had received a bid for a new copier, which had been approved previously, from Will's Office World. The current one is so dated that parts cannot be found. The bid was for $5,517.06; it comes with a permanent maintenance agreement and toner. Hicks made a motion, which was seconded by Pankratz to purchase the copier. Motion passed 3-0.

There were no other reports from departments.

Matt Mudd from Great West Engineering was present and addressed grant possibilities for the sewer issue. He discussed pros and cons of the various options. The lift station and discharge/drainage pipe was installed in 1957.

The council was presented with various options and variable costs. The funding for the repairs is going to be costly regardless what avenue is taken. There are loans available for 2.5%. A price cannot be determined until what is actually happening underground is specifically pinpointed.

Marilyn Taylor spoke as one of the landowners associated with the land on the north side of the river, on the south side of Hwy 191 North.

Discussion was held of various options of both repair as well as financing. It is probable that the original casing is cast iron.

Taylor said she has not been able to find any easement for the city to access their property. She said Roy's parents had bought the land in the '60's before he went to Vietnam. When he returned from the service in 1967, there was a big trench there that had been put in. She said Lori (City Clerk Bond) thought that's where the sewer had went across the property. It had dirt there so he used the equipment and spent the summer filling it in.

Demarais said they would search old minutes to see what they could find.

Taylor inquired as to the length of time the City is anticipating for the repair, whether it will be done this summer or fall or later on. Demarais and Mutt stated it will need to be addressed as quickly as funding sources are determined, and definitely before winter freeze up. Demarais said it has to be fixed, "The next break is going to be worse than this one." Mudd said, "It will be several months to get the financing done."

Mudd continued stating the purpose of his visit this evening was to update on the PER (Preliminary Engineering Report). The City had taken steps to secure a tank. He stated state grant opens soon and applications have to be submitted in April; funding opens in May. The City had taken steps to secure a storage tank for water.

Of the $65,000 requested, $55,000 is grant funds and $10,000 is a match by the city.

Mudd said the tank is a two-to-three year project; they have a letter from the DEQ and a compliance schedule. "A public hearing is needed in early April for the PER and to share what the project is, what the user impact is... we are not there yet..."

He added, "There is some notable manganese in a couple of the wells; manganese is a secondary advisory."

Demarais said he is "...going to get a hold of the cable company, Spectrum, and tell them we want that piece of property back. Someone told me they think they are hanging on to it to keep competition out of there, which could be, but it is totally abandoned, and we could take the building out and move it."

Mudd noted that the land around it is city owned. If an 850,000-900,000 gallon tank is needed, right now the city has 576,000 – they are efficient on capacity. He said he has visited with the Fire Chief (Newman) and would like to get a letter from him for support. Mudd said the Fire Chief has some really good ideas. He has stated he has to pull from several hydrants when he pulls water.

Demarais mentioned he and Mudd had a conversation at one time and that the inside of the big tank needs coated and probably the best way is to remove it because of the costs to coat the tanks anymore.

Mudd responded, "One option is to get rid of the one 176,000 one and put a new 450,000 gallon one – you need at least a 850,000 or 900,000; or you could scrap both the 176,000 and the 400,000 and go with a new 850,000-900,000; the costs goes down as the tanks get bigger. A 450,000 tank is like 2.9 to 3 million dollars. But an 850,000 is 3.7 million."

Mudd said they are going to apply with MCEP and DNRC grants right away. Malta is also eligible for CBG Grant funding in the amount of $750,000. Between the three the City is eligible for $1.375 million in grant money. One was loan forgiveness up to 50%.

Demarais called for public comment, there was none.

Under new business, Rummel made a motion to approve the list of items on the HB 355 list; Hicks seconded the motion; motion carried 3-0.

Rummel made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Pankratz, voted on and the meeting closed.

March 12th at 5 p.m. is the next meeting of the City Council.