Troy water project enters final details phase

| March 30, 2006 11:00 PM

BY ROGER MORRIS Western News Publisher

The City of Troy water project is getting down to the final details before it can be released for bids, said engineer Mike Fraser during the city council meeting on March 22.

Fraser called it "time consuming details" at this point in the project.

The city has to secure consent from the 85 property owners along U.S. Highway 2 to locate the water meters on their property. State law prohibits water meters from being on the highway right-of-way but allows water mains, Fraser pointed out. The consents are needed to more forward on the project financing and permitting.

Details of how multiple-residents will be served on one piece of property, such as trailer courts, is being worked out, Fraser said. Presently, such properties are inadequately served by smaller mains and service lines.

And plans for the new well on the south side of the city have been revised with a pump house added to satisfy concerns about chlorination, Fraser said.

In other business, the council approved a bid for up to two new police vehicles submitted by Timberline Auto Center in Libby. The bid was for $23,667. The council voted to approve the purchase of two vehicles providing that City Clerk Sandra Johnson can identify where the money is coming from.

"Where are we going to cut Peter to pay Paul? Asked Councilman Ron Pierce.

Johnson said the police department has $4,000 budget for equipment this year, but won't be needed next year. And the city can hold off on continued remodeling of the old fire hall engine bays. The cost to the city will be $834 a month for three years for one vehicle or six years for two vehicles, she said.

Mayor Jim Hammons said the price of the vehicles is not going to get cheaper.

"It's a tough decision because it is a lot of money," he said. "We have to look to the future and if this saves us money, then we should buy two."

Pierce asked that when the department's older vehicles are sold, the money should be used to reduce the debt of the new vehicles.