Commissioners get the lowdown on downtown
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POLSON — The Polson Community Development Agency’s fundraising sub-committee received $12,000 from its first mailing, according to Joslyn Shackelford, Alpine Landscape and Design. Shackelford, a volunteer on the committee, gave Polson City commissioners a PowerPoint update on progress on Main Street beautification at the March 21 meeting:
• Four benches have been installed on Main Street, with one more yet to be installed, all from donated money.
• A trash can has also been purchased using community funds.
• Due to parks superintendent Karen Sargeant’s successful recycling efforts, recycling bins will be placed next to trash cans in the downtown area.
• A bike rack, donated by a community member, will be placed at the intersection of First Avenue and Main Street.
• The committee is urging community members and businesses to donate money for vegetation for the new bump-outs. Funds for vegetation for six bump-outs, areas where concrete rounds out the sidewalk corners.
• Native, low-growing plants and shrubs will be planted this spring, Shackelford said, so they will not get in the way of drivers and will be hardy enough to come back every year.
• Plant care and maintenance will be handled by the city of Polson, volunteers and the Polson spring clean-up scheduled for the entire month of May. Polson City manager Todd Crossett said the city would handle the garbage and recycling pickup through the Parks Department.
Mayor Pat DeVries thanked water and sewer superintendent Tony Porrazzo and his crew for putting in the benches and fabricating and installing the grates.
In other business, the commission appointed Cheryl Wolfe to the board of adjustment.
They also approved:
• the January cash report. City treasurer Bonnie Manicke said $136,000 held in a trust fund for the library would be disbursed to the North Lake County Library the week of March 21 to 25.
• Resolution No. 1018, to commit up to $15,000 in matching funds for a Treasure State Endowment Program wastewater-planning grant. Crossett said the money would be used “for us to basically do planning and research for the upcoming wastewater plant.” The matching funds for the city will come from money already expended on the city engineer’s contract.
In his city manager comments, Crossett said the city is reviewing construction firms for the TIGER grant on Skyline Drive. The firm will be selected by the end of March.
Feedback from residents on the Highway 93 alignment include concerns about the route going next to their house and also splitting the city up. Businesses are worried about cutting off traffic past their business, moving trucks out of the downtown and ways to create a benefit for a business.
If people have comments about Highway 93 alignment, Crossett urged them to contact Polson City Hall at 249-5637 or PolsonManager@centurytel.net, Bill Barron, Lake County commissioner at 883- 7204 or LakeCommissioners@lakemt.gov, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes at 542-1200 orjhovenkotter@cskt.org, Sheila Ludlow at the Montana Department of Transportation or Sludlow@mt.gov or consultant Jeff Key at 441-1400 or KEYJA@cdm.com
The next city commissioners meeting will be held on April 4 at 7 p.m. at Polson City Hall Commissioners Chambers.
