Leanne Kavanagh – Cut Bank Pioneer Press
Dave Aune – Great West engineering
Kelly Solberg – 329 5th Ave SE

Mayor Stewart noted the City had certificates for recently retired firemen for twenty years of service; Mike Lindberg, Maynard Nygaard and Jerry Rehmer.

Councilperson McCauley moved to pull the Chief of Police Report from the consent agenda because it was not available. The second motion was made by Councilperson Shock. The motion passed 3-0. Councilperson McCauley moved to approve the consent agenda consisting of the February 11, 2008 City Council Minutes and the February 19, 2008 City Council Minutes and the February 21, 2008 payroll in the amount of $49,423.76. Councilperson Shock made the second motion for approval. The motion passed 3-0.

Mayor Stewart asked the Council members if the agenda items regarding Great West engineering could be moved up on the list, to enable Mr. Aune to return to Helena. The Council was agreeable to address those items first.

There was discussion and clarification regarding Amendment No. 4 to the Great West engineering contract for the water distribution project. Councilperson Eaton moved to approve Amendment No. 4 for the Great West engineering project. Councilperson Shock made a second to the motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Councilperson McCauley moved to approve Resolution 08-02 regarding Overall Funding for the Water System Improvement project. Councilperson Shock made the second motion. Councilperson Shock asked if this resolution is passed does it tie the City down to the total estimated cost of $2,050,000 for years down the road. Mayor Stewart said the funding strategies are not in stone. As time and phases continue, the City Council will approve the specifics of each phase as funding is available or unavailable. Mayor Stewart noted this resolution has to be passed in order to begin the pursuit of funding. Dave Aune went further into the strategy of the funding and it all depends on the receipt of grants. After further discussion, the call for vote was 3-0 in favor of approval of Resolution 08-02.

Councilperson McCauley motioned to approve Resolution 08-03 for the TSEP funding request for Phase 4B of the Water Distribution Improvement project. Councilperson Eaton made the second motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Councilperson McCauley motioned to approve Resolution 08-04 for the CDBG funding request for Phase 4C of the Water Distribution Improvement project. Councilperson Shock made the second motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Councilperson Eaton motioned to approve Resolution 08-05 for the authorization to submit a grant application to DNRC-RRGL for funding on the Water Distribution Improvement project. Councilperson Shock made the second motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Councilperson Eaton motioned to approve Resolution 08-06 to adopt the Final Preliminary Engineering Report/Funding for Water Systems Improvement project. Councilperson Shock made the second motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Councilperson McCauley motioned to approve Resolution 08-07 for the authorization to submit a grant application to TSEP funding on the Water Distribution Improvement project. Councilperson Shock made the second motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Councilperson Eaton moved to accept the City Superintendent’s Report dated February 29, 2008. Councilperson McCauley made the second motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Councilperson Eaton addressed the Council and Mayor regarding a procedure which Chief Abbott, Superintendent Suta and he put together for notifying the public of water line breaks which affect their water supply. There was a brief discussion, and Mayor Stewart asked for the procedure to be brought back to Council in the form of a resolution. Councilperson Eaton made a motion to have the procedure put in the form of a resolution for presentation at the next council meeting. Councilperson McCauley made the second motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Resolution 08-01 was brought in front of the City Council due to an error in the amount of mills which were identified in the resolution first passed at the February 4, 2008 Council Meeting. City Attorney Smith thanked Clerk-Treasurer Filban for finding the numerical error. The amount of mills required for the creation of a park maintenance district at the amount of $50,000 would be 25 mills rather than 2.5 mills. Councilperson Shock moved to approve Resolution 08-01 Creation of a Park Maintenance District to be put on the primary or general election ballot with the change to 25 mills. Councilperson Eaton made the second motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Councilperson Eaton moved to approve the change of paying claims twice a month rather than once a month. Councilperson McCauley made the second motion. Mayor Stewart noted she would like to see the change to avoid the need to prepare manual checks when required. In addition, there would be one less Council Meeting per month. Councilperson Shock said he did not want to add approval of claims at the first and third meetings of the month. Councilperson McCauley noted the change to a meeting on the second Monday of the month was put into place when he was Mayor. He said there was the need for the additional meeting because items came up which needed to be addressed before the third meeting of the month; claims were not the only items which are needed to be acted upon. Mayor Stewart said she thought the change would alleviate the need for manual checks. She noted her concern about the manual warrants being sent out without preapproval of the claim. City Clerk-Treasurer Filban said she would be willing to try a new system, but noted she was unsure whether it would save time or not. In addition, she noted the one drawback she saw was the inability to balance the prior month until the second batch of claims were approved at the third meeting of the month. The call for a vote was 0-3 in favor of the original motion. The motion to change paying claims to twice a month was defeated.

Councilperson Shock made a motion to approve Cheri Bundy as employee of the month for January 2008 and Jeannie Ostby for February 2008. Councilperson Eaton made the second motion. The motion passed 3-0.

Mayor Stewart noted some of the upcoming meetings which would be beneficial for the Councilpersons to attend. She also noted the request from her for letters of support to Senator Baucus for funding of the water distribution improvement project. In addition, Mayor Stewart, noted the Capitol Christmas Tree for 2008 would have a caravan coming through Cut Bank sometime in the middle of November. The State of Montana was chosen to provide the National Christmas Tree for the Whitehouse lawn this year. Plans will be finalized for a Celebration and Recognition of the Christmas tree as the time draws nearer.

The Council reviewed a worksheet of monthly council items to be accomplished. Clerk-Treasurer Filban had prepared the worksheet as a starting point for organizing necessary items to be accomplished each year and the appropriate times. The council discussed several items and the worksheet will be updated as discussed.

The Mayor noted the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) needs to be completed as soon as possible. The CIP work session will begin in April. The job descriptions will be reviewed at the March 17, 2008 meeting. Budget reviews will begin in April as well.