Plains Council OK emergency repairs to water line
It was a busy agenda for the Plains Town Council last week, with the public filling all available seating in the council room.
After all those present recited the pledge of allegiance to the flag, Mayor Rowan started out with the council approving the treasurer’s report and the town payroll report. Next they reviewed the judge’s report. October’s judge’s report showed 49 new cases with 77 outstanding warrants.
Next on the agenda was the mayor’s report. Rowan said, “everything is coming together.” After five years of work the new lagoon is in operation starting Monday, Nov. 7. The old lagoon is considered surplus property and its market value is coming in higher than expected.
Rowan also said that the town has closed on the new water well property and that it will be the next major project coming up. Currently the existing water tank does not meet the required fire flow pressure for the town. The flow rate of water supply is measured at 20 pounds per square inch (psi) residual pressure, that is available for firefighting.
Fire Chief Anthony Young was present and reported that three new recruits have started their training. Also new pagers have been purchased.
Police Chief Brian Josephson’s report to the council was about the amount of calls his department responded to last month. In October the department received 58 calls with 17 assists with other agencies. Josephson said that the reserve officers donated 57 hours in the past month.
Sanders County Emergency Manager Bill Naegeli was on hand to discuss the revised county emergency plan with the council.
Rowan introduced the new town attorney Loren Fitzpatrick. He is currently living in St. Regis and was born and raised in Polson. Fitzpatrick is a veteran and has been the town attorney for St. Ignatius for six years and Hot Springs for two years.
Most of the evening’s council meeting was devoted to addressing the main water line break. The water usage saw a 45% loss from leaks and line breaks. Rowan said that the main water lines near the Dew Duck Inn are getting old and brittle and are being affected by tree roots in the area.
The council voted to approve an emergency resolution for repairs of the water tank mainline. Also approved was a resolution to fund the repairs and to waive competitive bidding for those repairs.
Some of those repairs will involve rerouting the main line around a building built over the mainline near the Dew Duck Inn. Two bids have been submitted for the repairs. Funding for the repairs will be taken from the town’s reserve funds.
Last on the agenda, for this months Council meeting, covered the Water Compact pasted by the US Congress. The council voted to hire an Attorney to file an objection to the Water Compact. The objection needed to be filed by December 6 of this year.
