The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

By Robert Lucke

Mayor Steve Stiles announced that the City Council and the School Board will have a joint meeting, June 29 at the high school computer room to discuss the prospect of a new swimming pool for Big Sandy. The Public is invited to share input.

Regarding the last City Council meeting on June 8, there were three visitors and Deputy Hale although he did not give a report.

After the Pledge was recited and the last minutes were approved, there were no public comments.

As to the new water project, discussion centered around what package might be available from Rural Development. Mayor Stiles said that when anything is happening, there will be public meetings.

There was a package issued on the Brownfield project which looks like just more study.

The Council is looking for a grant process for a new Big Sandy pool. KLG engineering is doing some grants for the City.

Shelly Nolan of Rural Water talked to the Council about safety for potable water. Mayor Stiles reported that the water in Big Sandy is excellent; there is just not enough of it.

“The City is noting that people are watering when they should not be,” said Mayor Stiles. “Those people can be ticketed.”

The watering schedule for the east side is Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. For the west side the schedule is Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hours for both sides are 6 to 9am and 6 to 9pm.

The City is looking into getting a better bid for their audit contract.

Two tax liens were filed on properties who have unpaid water bills.

In the rest area at the park next to US 87 the Legislature failed to fund help for that rest area in 2017 so it looks to the City like in 2017 there will be limited hours. While the City pays most of the costs at the rest area, they cannot pay what will go unfunded by the legislature. Mayor Stiles has heard that after 2017 the rest area will be funded again.

A person was hired to clean the city offices.

Mayor Stiles said that regarding what can go into the dump and not go into the dump, hopefully there will be signs there explaining that soon. In the meantime there are problems at the dump site.

“I realize it is springtime and a lot of people are cleaning,” said Mayor Stiles. “If the dump gets full and the dumpsters are full I have the authority and will lock the gates. People who have wood products without nails or screws in them should dump them in the wood pile. Anything else needs to go in the dumpsters, not on the ground.”

Leslie Gregory was given a raise as pool manager as when everyone else’s pay was raised, hers was not.

There was a discussion, which was only a discussion at this point, of putting bioactive material in the sewage lagoon so there are not as many solids. That makes the lagoon run better. The Mayor said that if they ever do that, they will have to budget for it.

Shaud and Ted went to a pool conference in Missoula and Colby went to a sanitation meeting.

In street improvements it was talked about getting some volunteers to help out as it has been difficult to find a summer helper for the Public Works Director. Among other things, the Council is looking to see what volunteers would do to the insurance program in place.

Rubber mulch is being installed in a couple of City Parks.

The shutoff list is long and was discussed. Claims and vouchers were paid and the meeting was adjourned.

The next regular City Council meeting will be July 6, 2016