Plains council talks asphalt prices, parks, junk cars

The Plains town council meeting came to order Monday evening with a full agenda. Missing during this month’s meeting was councilor Connie Foust.

The minutes for the previous month’s meeting were approved and Mayor Rowan reviewed the activities that have occurred since the last council meeting.

The judge’s report showed 10 new cases for the month, with 43 pending, 45 being opposed and 73 active warrants issued.

Upcoming water projects have been out to bid with only one responder, SAJ Engineering.

Rowan raised concerns with the high price of asphalt and felt that the town would not be able to pave as much as last year.

The old jail’s restoration is still in progress and should be finished soon. The contractor has found previous attempts to repair the masonry.

A position is opening up in the Plains Public Department.

The impact fees schedule that was passed during last month's council meeting was discussed and simplified. The fees will impact all future digging and trenching in the Plains area and help offset the costs to the town’s Public Works department with underground line locations.

Rowan was hoping to acquire more picnic tables for the local parks and recreation areas.

During the public comment period, several concerns were raised.

The first concern was about an abandoned mobile home near the public pool area that has been unoccupied for the past few years. Another comment was about junk cars on personal property.

Rowan said that the Montana State law states if you have three or more junk vehicles on any property you must be in compliance with the junk vehicle laws. Those laws require concealment of the vehicles, from public view.

The last comment concerns speeding in the Central Avenue and Garber Street area. One of the possibilities to slow traffic down was to convert that intersection to a four-way stop.