Mayor Danny Rowan kicks off first term as mayor of Plains

Plains Mayor Danny Rowan kicked off his first official town meeting this past Monday as the new mayor.

The meeting started with Rowan swearing in council members Audrey Kolbeck, Chris Allen and Joel Banham.

The council members and mayor quickly started on the agenda which included Plains Day, a resolution of intent, the filling of council seat ward 3, committee appointments and a library transfer.

The Plains Day matter was tabled to the next meeting, though the council did speak about the previous unfinished business still on the table: The Scott Lane gate issue and also the road district proposed projects.

The Scott Lane gate issue was decided to keep it down, however council is looking into the costs of making the lane one-way.

The other previously tabled issue of the road district was once again spoken about in hopes of beginning the projects sooner rather than later.

Council members did briefly discuss that Farmer Street (where the Sinclair is situated) would most likely be the first street tackled due to it’s severe deterioration.

Council members also discussed the options pertaining to more cost effective ways of refurbishing the roads, starting with that of Farmer Street. This includes the council further looking into a purchase of a small parcel of land that could in turn boast a drainage tank.

The road would then not have to undergo a grade; it would allow an exit of excess water by utilizing its natural grade.

The library funds to which resulted in the tax bungle that has been highlighted in previous issues of the Clark Fork Valley Press, were voted by council to transfer funds belonging to the city across from the library back to the city accounts. This is allowed as the city clerk has access to the accounts to transfer money between both accounts.

It was stated that the library board had voted that the city clerk could efficiently transfer the funds out of the library account back to the city as the clerk acts in the way of a trustee to the libraries account.

With that made clear to the council during the meeting, Mayor Rowan also mentioned that he had spoken with the city attorney to ensure this would/could be done to clear the matter up.

Council voted in favor for the city clerk to transfer funds on Wednesday morning the 3rd of January 2017.

Next on the agenda for the nights meeting was the ability to fill the Ward 3 seat on the city council. The position that was previously held by Mayor Rowan.

Rowan presented an introduction and recommendation of Chad Cantrell who had shown keen interest in taking up the vacant position.

Cantrell presented a brief background and reasoning to the council members before he was unanimously voted in.

A light yet effective first meeting of the year was successfully completed. With a constituent of proactive council members ready to hit the ground running, it seems that Rowan has his dream team behind him.