Commission will review impact fees in April
Berl Tiskus
Work continues on the old city dock in Polson.
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POLSON — At the Oct. 7 Polson City Commission meeting, commissioners tabled a resolution to set impact fees. They had lowered the impact fees earlier in the year in an attempt to stimulate growth and had planned to raise the fees again at this meeting.
Commissioner Stephen Turner asked Mike Howke, Polson Building Inspector, what had been happening with housing starts.
“I have seen very little new residential (building),” Howke said, “but this week there were two new houses (building starts).”
Howke identified Auto Zone, the McDonalds and Town Pump remodels, the Mission Valley Aquatic Center and the completed Walmart Supercenter as new commercial builds.
The commission will revisit raising the impact fees in April as well as examine whether building growth occurred and if it is in high end or low end homes or in businesses.
Commissioners passed Ordinance No. 668 on the second reading. It allows Polson Fire Chief John Ed Fairchild to issue citations under the international fire code.
During city manager comments, Interim Polson City Manager Karen Sargeant said McCrumb Construction and Marine Inc. has crossbeams in place on the old city dock. With the water in Flathead Lake lower, the company has also been putting bars under the bridge.
Sargeant received a letter from an Arkansas tourist who lost her camera. Due to the honesty and kindness of Polson City staff, her camera was found and returned. She sent money for the postage and a reward for the Polson Parks employee who found the camera.
Offering kudos to the Polson Street Department, Sargeant said workers have completed projects at the corner by the courthouse and the new sidewalk by the Carol Sherick Trail.
Ribbon cutting on the Skyline Project began at 10 a.m. Oct. 12 at the top of Skyline Drive and by about 10:45 a.m. people couldwalk, bike or drive over it to the PHS Sports Complex for burgers and hotdogs.
At 12:30 p.m. a “connecting communities bike ride” from Polson to Ronan, took place in time to enjoy the Pig in the Park barbecue in Ronan’s Bockman Park.
This was Sargeant’s last city commission meeting as interim city manager and she thanked the commission for the opportunity to serve the community. She said she learned a lot of things, was presented with challenges and it all gave her more confidence in her managerial abilities.
The next city commission meeting will take place on Monday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at Polson City Hall.
