City ponders how to best spend water budget funds

Libby City Council members are torn on how to spend water budget money received from International Paper Co. – repair major water leaks, provide financial relief to city water users, reduce debt owed on the water system or a combination of the three.

The council mulled over ideas during Monday’s meeting.

Using city water instead of well water to irrigate lawns strains the city’s water system and adds to residents’ metered water cost, the council said.

Council members agreed at the meeting that it was important to give residents some amount of money off of their water bill to encourage green lawns in the summer.

At the same time, debt reduction and infrastructure needs are pressing.

Dan Thede, supervisor of city services, gave councilmembers a map indicating locations of the city’s major water infrastructure problems.

“These are ones we’ve been having continual problems with,” he said at the meeting, “but this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

The issue was sent to the water committee, which will further investigate and make suggestions on distributing the money.

International Paper Co. gave the City of Libby $400,000 at the end of December to offset costs of lawn irrigation. The company’s predecessor leaked thousands of gallons of creosote into the ground, contaminating water under the city. Residents are prohibited from using well water until the site is cleaned.

In other news at Monday’s meeting:

• The council voted 5-0 to turn the West Sixth Street and Idaho Avenue intersection near Asa Wood Elementary School into a four-way stop. Stop signs were put up on Idaho Avenue on Tuesday.

• The council voted unanimously to up the cemetery plot fee from $300 to $350. The extra money will replenish a “perpetual care” fund that will be used to tend to the cemetery after there are no more plots to sell. The new fee is still lower than comparable communities in Montana, according to the council, so another increase will be discussed next year.

• In a 4-1 vote, the council increased the council president’s salary from $300 per month to $400. The salary of other council members and the mayor will stay the same, $300 and $600, respectively. Bill Bischoff, Lee Bothman, Charlene Leckrone and Walt McElmurry voted aye, and Peggy Williams voted nay. Leckrone is council president.

• The council agreed, without an official motion, to pay six police officer wages for the month of February, even though the budget only allows for five. Officer Mark Graziano has returned from hospital leave, but the council wants to keep Terry Watson, who was filling in for Graziano, because the city may soon lose an officer.

• Council members agreed to approve a new niche wall for the cemetery as soon as they change the wording to clarify that the city is not responsible for the structure’s maintenance or repair.

• The council discussed requiring event insurance for large events held at the Fred Brown Pavilion in Riverfront Park. While specifics are still being discussed, the council explored requiring the approximately $75 insurance for large social gatherings, especially ones that serve alcohol, such as weddings and class reunions. 

• The council announced that its Wednesday morning breakfast meetings will now be held at Henry’s Cafe.