Polson Commissioners discuss Main Street
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POLSON — Mayor Pat DeVries and the Polson City Commissioners discussed the state of Main Street at the June 8 meeting.
Polson City Manager Todd Crossett said the Polson Business Community would like to see the city durapatch the dirt strip on Main Street.
The street department has been filling potholes caused by rain, Crossett said. Crossett estimated the cost for chip sealing the strip would be about $5,000.
Commissioner John Campbell commented he would hate to see the city spend $5,000 and then see it torn up in August.
Asking about the cost to the street department in materials, Commissioner Judy Preston also said there was an opportunity cost, since city workers could be doing something else while they’re fixing potholes and leveling Main Street.
Crossett said the cost would be a few hundred dollars over the summer for materials and labor.
Commissioner Fred Funke said car show owners might be worried about people kicking up rocks and dirt.
Fine material, such as 3/4 inch or 1/2 inch crush, could be put down on the street according to Campbell. Also magnesium chloride could be used on damp soil to keep the dust down.
The discussion did not result in a motion.
In other business, the commissioners authorized an appraisal of land on Highway 35 that is the potential site for a water well. The land is part of Mission Bay, and an appraisal would be in the $350 to $400 range. With an appraisal completed, the city could negotiate for purchase of the land contingent upon hitting a well.
Community member Lee Manicke brought up the .6 acre the city owns on Hellroaring Road as a possibility for a well location.
A motion to approve the Fourth of July parade street use permit was tabled until the June 21 meeting.
The commissioners also passed Resolution #1010 to annex the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church property off Hillcrest Drive into the city.
Crossett had visited Water and Sewer Superintendent Tony Porrazzo in Missoula. Porrazzo was “remarkably chipper” and working on his department’s budget according to Crossett.
In other city manager comments, Crossett reported:
• A break in a water line occurred about 9 p.m. on June 5 at 9th Avenue and 8th Street E., but it was repaired by about 1 a.m. Sunday morning. The break was in a marshy area so there was not much damage.
• The water tank on Hillcrest Lane passed its test and is filled and ready to go while the Skyline tank is filling so a test can be completed on it.
• Crossett and the city employees are completing performance review plans.
• The preliminary draft of the 2010-2011 city budget will be completed by June 11. Department heads were asked to go real thin. One expenditure the city is looking at, Crossett said, is a server system for city computers, which would be safer for document storage than the patchwork now in effect.
• Although Memorial Day weekend was not lucrative for the golf course, Susie Tommer, the new food and beverage manager, is working closely with Polson City Treasurer Bonnie Manicke to set up financial systems, which could generate a monthly profit and loss statement.
• The Farmer’s Market is breaking records, with more vendors than they’ve ever had.
• The PBC is raising money for the stairway from 1st Street W. down the hill to Riverside Park by selling plaques.
• The ads for bids for the Streetscape project were placed this week, and the city commissioners should be able to approve hiring a contractor at the July 19 meeting. Construction should start on Aug. 9.
• Stelling Engineering was selected as the engineering firm for Phase 1 of the Skyline project. Stelling will be responsible for about 30% of the project.
• Black Mountain Software, which figures real estate tax allocations, has been installed for the Lake County Tax District.
The commissioners scheduled a special meeting to evaluate Crossett on June 21 at 5 p.m. at the Polson City Library meeting room.
The next city commission meeting will be held on June 21 at 7 p.m. in city commissioner chambers.
