Engineering approved to replace Libby's old fire hall roof

The city is working toward replacing the roof on its circa-1962 fire hall at 119 E. Sixth St.

On Monday, city council voted 5-0 to approve $5,000 for the engineering of the roof replacement project. The city is contracting with Mike Fraser, an engineering consultant from Kalispell.

Fraser presented flat and pitched roof options before council in August.

He is recommending the flat roof option because of cost. A flat roof will cost between $120,000 and $125,000, while a pitched roof will cost around $200,000. Both designs are estimated to last 25 to 30 years.

Also on Monday, council voted 4-1 to sign an interlocal agreement with the City-County Health Board.

On Wednesday, Nick Raines, Lincoln County’s Asbestos Resource Program manager, said the agreement represents a new restructing of the board by the county commissioners.

The new board will consist of one commissioner, three members appointed by the commission and one from each city that signs onto the agreement. The makeup of the old board was mainly county officials, Raines said. The new commissioners would like to appoint those with expertise in health-related matters, he said.

Councilman Allen Olsen said he voted against the agreement because of the cloud that hangs over the board and former deputy county attorney Allan Payne, a Helena-based attorney.

“The City-County Health Board violated their bylaws over the years,” Olsen said. In addition, he said he refuses to vote for anything that isn’t explained to him.

Caleb M. Soptelean can be reached at 293-4124 or by email at csoptelean@thewesternnews.com.