Council OKs 'new nine' annexation
By BRENT SHRUM Western News Editor
Libby City Council on Monday approved a resolution to annex the new nine holes at Cabinet View Country Club along with adjoining property owned by the club and proposed for subdivision.
The club's original nine holes and the clubhouse were included in property annexed by the city in December. That annexation required a public hearing and an ordinance, but the annexation approved on Monday can be completed via a simpler process because it was requested in a petition from the property owner, Mayor Tony Berget explained.
The "new nine" and the property proposed for residential development will be included in a tax increment financing district formed for the area annexed in December, Berget said. Funds from increased tax revenues - from new development and rising property values - within the district will be used to help pay for extension of sewer service to the area. The district has a maximum life of 15 years.
The sewer project is expected to cost around $3 million.
In other business, the council:
* Endorsed a proposal to adopt the slogan "City of Eagles" to promote Libby. The proposal was presented by Lincoln County Commissioner Rita Windom, who said the slogan was the brainchild of a group of people interested in improving Libby's image.
Libby currently has 10 eagles, including metal sculptures by artist Todd Berget, but "not counting some of the murals," Windom said.
The Libby Area Chamber of Commerce has started a fund and is taking donations to support the proposal, Windom said, and two entrepreneurs have offered to help trademark the slogan. The Rotary Club also supports the proposal, Windom said.
"We've just got to get a new outlook instead of always looking to the past to things that we couldn't do or things that we didn't do," Windom said.
Because he is Todd Berget's brother, Mayor Berget recused himself from the discussion. Councilman Stu Crismore abstained from voting, saying he didn't want to endorse the slogan until he knew how the community feels about it.
* Tabled a proposal to change council rule requiring an affirmative vote by four council members to pass any measure.
The rule became an issue when the council voted last August to remove Crismore because of his failure to attend a number of meetings. The council vote was split 3-3, and Berget cast the deciding vote to remove Crismore from office. Under state law and the city's charter, the mayor only votes in the event of a tie.
Crismore took the city to court, and in a recent ruling District Judge Michael Prezeau ordered Crismore reinstated due to the council's failure to follow the four-vote rule.
Councilman Doug Roll argued Monday in favor of retaining the rule. Roll has expressed concerns about two council members, along with the mayor, being able to pass measures when only the minimum four members are present at a meeting.
"Six people are elected to this council, and we're all supposed to represent the folks," he said.
Crismore disagreed, arguing that the council should abandon the rule and require a simple majority vote if a quorum is present.
"A simple majority passes legislation all the time, and I don't understand why we're changing it," he said.
Councilman Bill Bischoff moved to change the rule to require an affirmative vote by three council members rather than four to pass a measure. Under Bischoff's proposal, the mayor would be able to break a 3-3 tie but not a 2-2 tie.
Bischoff later withdrew the motion when the council failed to agree on just how the revised rule should be worded. The council directed City Attorney Charles Evans to prepare a revised rule for consideration at a future meeting.