Water leak damages police documents
A water leak at the city’s new Emergency Services Center on Feb. 1 damaged some police documents and required city personnel to redirect their work toward cleaning up the mess. No electronic equipment was damaged.
City manager Chuck Stearns told the Whitefish City Council on Feb. 7 it appears a preheating unit in the city’s ventilation system failed, allowing below-zero outside air to enter the building’s heating and cooling system and freeze some plumbing. The biggest cost will be repairing the system.
In other council news:
• The council unanimously approved amending the city’s budget by transferring $5,000 to the Whitefish Community Library Fund, which will become independent from the county by the end of June.
Putting property tax funds toward the library is meant to demonstrate that the city has a tax-supported public library. This will help the city establish the exemption of property inside the city limits from taxation by the Flathead County Library System.
When councilor Phil Mitchell asked if the city will get the money back, mayor Mike Jenson said “not likely.”
• The council unanimously agreed to waive water and sewer fee increases that are automatically determined by the consumer price index. Stearns said the city in 2010 “neglected” to implement the increases built into the city ordinance. The fees also were not increased in 2009.
While the council agreed to waive the increase this year, citing the current recession, they also said they don’t want increases in the future to be “automatic” but instead referred to them ahead of time.
• The council agreed to let Stearns write a letter opposing a bill in Helena that would change the state’s Superfund law. He said the change could adversely affect how BNSF Railway handles the underground diesel fuel plumes at its Whitefish rail yard.
The council, however, opposed the idea of letting Stearns speak for them on other legislative matters without first informing the council. Stearns had noted that in many cases, cities must move quickly to support or oppose bills while the legislature is in session.
• Mayre Flowers and Janet Morrow criticized an opinion piece by councilors Chris Hyatt, Turner Askew and Phil Mitchell that ran in the Feb. 2 Pilot.
Flowers said she was disappointed by their description of opponents to the council’s decision to not pursue the “doughnut” lawsuit as “a small group of extremists.”
• Public works director John Wilson said street work on Central Avenue from First to Second streets will begin in April. The final section of work on Central, from First to Railroad, will take place in the fall. Next up on the resort tax committee’s street project list is the Sixth to Geddes project, he said.
• The council unanimously approved Dru and Judith Willey’s request for a conditional-use permit for an accessory apartment on East 10th Street.
• The council unanimously amended how resort taxes are paid by businesses whose bills are less than $5. Instead of paying monthly, those businesses will be allowed to pay according to a schedule determined by the city manager.
• The council unanimously approved raising cemetery fees, which were last set in 2001. Current fees do not cover the costs of city crews and equipment for full burials and ashes. The new fees for full burials will remain less than the city’s actual costs.
Councilor Ryan Friel noted that he’d like to see city fees increased incrementally rather than in big jumps.
• Myra Appel was appointed to the city’s Impact Fee Advisory Committee.
• Citing expensive dental bills for his children, councilor Bill Kahle asked about adding fluoride to city drinking water. Wilson noted strong opposition to fluoride in the past, and it was suggested that Kahle use fluoride tablets for his children.