MINUTES OF TOWN COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, May 3, 2022
MEETING WAS HELD AT HOT SPRINGS TOWN HALL AT 109 MAIN STREET, HOT SPRINGS, MT
Meeting also held via Zoom
CALL TO ORDER By Mayor Woods at 7:03 PM
ROLL CALL Graham, Weatherly, Aldridge, Smith, Woods, Gray
Also Present: Scott Vollmer, Ladonna Volmer, Ray Brown, Steven Sheffield, Joshua Kifer, John Carlbom, Starla Rice
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Smith/Weatherly 4-0 pass
PRESENTATION OF CLAIMS Smith/ Aldridge 4-0 pass
FINANCIAL REPORTS – Server was down due to power outage. Unable to pull financial report for meeting. Will have available at June meeting.
REPORTS
MAYOR Woods reported that all paperwork is complete for the water project. The tank company is hoping to be here in June and the Camas Creek is hoping to start the rest of the project the first part of July.
PUBLIC WORKS – Woods reported that Mike has been busy doing sludge testing and GPS mapping with the state. There was a grant program that paid for mapping if all manholes and sewer drains and will provide the town with the software and hardware once mapping is complete. He has done 3 water/sewer installs and has at least 4 more scheduled.
Streets- they have been working on potholes and the edges of the road where people park to get rid of mud holes. Town cleanup days will be the 3rd Thursday of each month through October. Piles need to be outside of the yard, bagged if it is small stuff and no household garbage. If you have something that needs hauled that requires a fee to be paid, the crew will collect the money before they haul the items. A receipt may be provided. There is a fee schedule available at town hall. The crew is busy this month cleaning culverts, they found one that was completely packed full and it had to be dug up. They have also dealt with a few sewer back ups and had to jet a line today.
FIRE DEPT – busy month for fire and ambulance with several grass fires and car accidents
POLICE – Report provided by Pfleger, presented by Woods. Woods also explained that we have had a lot of issues with people parking broke down vehicles in the town right of ways and storing campers and vehicle in the right of ways. Vehicles will be tagged and if they are not moved, they may be towed. The town received the new intoxilizer from the Montana State crime lab. Two of our officers will be trained. This is paid for by the State. Woods also reported that he, Amy, Crystal and officer Acheson had all completed the certification to be Master Trainers for Narcan. They will continue to offer training to the public. This is a way to get our police department out in the public helping people.
Amy and Jason have received a grant from Town Pump for $1000 to provide helmets, bikes and registration tags for the public. The town will be able to register bikes and put tags on them to assist in returning lost or stolen bikes.
CLERK – Gray wanted to remind everyone that burn season ended April 30th. Dog licenses are past due and several people with dogs in town have failed to license their dogs. We had to deal with a couple of dog problems today.
LIBRARY– presented by Starla via zoom
ZONING COMPLIANCE– There was a request to remove one of the water service charges on a duplex in town because it wasn’t being used as a duplex. Town ordinance requires that if you have two power meters, you must pay two water fees. We are having to look at some of these on a case by case basis. Aldridge stated that if you unhook it, then request to hook up to water again, you have to pay the connection fee again. Woods reminded everyone that if you have a hookup, you have to pay the access fee even if you are not using water. If you are not going to use it for several years, you may abandon it, and then reconnect as if you are a brand new service costumer. Woods reported that the zoning requests have slowed down a little compared to the past few months.
COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC COMMENT FOR EACH AGENDA ITEM WILL BE ALLOWED
NEW BUSINESS
REAPPOINTMENT OF LIBRARY BOARD MEMBER PAVELICH – Woods explained this would be Pavelich’s second two year term. Smith/Weatherly 4-0 pass
- Vollmer asked what a trustee does. Woods explained it is a board of trustees that oversees the operations of the library. They create a budget and it gets approved with the Town budget.
SPONSOR FARMERS MARKET – Woods stated he was confused because he thought the Town was sponsoring them when the town allowed them to do the farmers market in the city park. Scott Vollmer stated they are basically asking permission to list the town as a sponsor when they advertise. Smith/ Graham 4-0 pass
REGUALTORY SIGNS AT INTERSECTIONS– Woods stated he had received a letter requesting stop or yield sign at 1st Ave S and Demers. Woods looked at that intersection and several others. He explained there are several uncontrolled intersections and law states the person to the right has the right of way at uncontrolled intersections. Most of the North side has controlled intersections. There are several uncontrolled intersections on the West end. Council is responsible for regulatory signs. He requests that the council approve stop signs at the uncontrolled intersections. Most of the intersections already have posts for them. Motion to approve stop signs at uncontrolled intersections the same as most other streets are.
Smith/ Weatherly 4-0
APPOINT PARKS AND REC BOARD MEMBERS– There are 4 letters of interest. Joshua Kifer, Aaron Matthew, Michele Bangen and Gerald Chinaurd. Michele wanted to be on the homecoming committee and would be best served to stay there. Woods recommends Ed Weatherly, Crystal Graham, Aaron Matthew, and Gerald Chinaurd be appointed to the parks and recs board. Smith/Aldridge 4-0 pass
DISCUSS SHUT OFF NOTICE DELIVERY FEES– Discussion only, Mayor Woods explained that we may need to consider an ordinance book review. We have been hanging shut off notices on the same people over and over. There are approximately 10-12 notices hung each month. Gray explained that we need to rewrite the ordinance in order to implement a fee for hanging the notices. It requires a couple hours per month to create and hang the notices and currently there is no fee for hanging them. Other municipalities and utility companies charge a fee if they notices have to be hung. There was no decision made on this issue. Woods stated we will look at an ordinance review or ordinance book review to include the fee.
RODEO GROUNDS USE OPTIONS– Woods- suggested Homesteaders Committee get a 501c3 status and go after their own grant money. This way the town does not have to manage the money or pay claims. It would be their money and we wouldn’t have a say in what the committee is doing with the money. If it were to come through the town, we would have to meet to approve any large purchases. There was discussion as to whether they would be in charge of all events at the rodeo grounds, or just the rodeo. Woods explained part of the agreement for the property to be given to the town required that we do not charge for the Homesteaders days rodeo. Gray clarified that we do not charge for Homesteaders Rodeo, but we would charge for other rodeos. Weatherly agreed that we sponsor Homesteaders, but any other rodeo would be charged. Gray provided a copy of the current use permit and fee schedule in place for rodeo ground use. Gray suggested we add more specifics to the contract and require a deposit that would be cover costs of cleanup should they rodeo grounds be left a mess. Woods recommended a more defined contract that clearly outlined the towns expectations for anyone who uses the property. We will look at this more and finalize at the next meeting. No action taken
PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEM
Ladonna Vollmer thanked the town for the work being done in the alleys and stated they are a lot better than they were.
Ray Brown with Sanders County Community Development is asking for a list of community needs to update the plan. They will have a Public Meeting scheduled for May 31st at 6pm. Woods Stated Tribal housing is also doing a needs assessment on the reservation .
ADJOURN
8:25 pm Graham/Aldridge
Town of Hot Springs, Montana 