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City Council Fills Two Vacancies

City Council Fills Two Vacancies City Council Fills Two Vacancies

The Wolf Point City Council held its regular meeting Monday, July 19. Longtime city clerk/treasurer Marlene Malhum informed the council that she will be retiring effective Jan. 5, 2022. Malhum has been clerk for more than four decades.

“My 40th anniversary was in May,” said Malhum. She said she would be sticking around to help complete the city’s budget process. She will be present for the 2021 fiscal year audit in December. “We’ve got six months,” said Mayor Chris Dschaak.

Vacancies on the council have been reduced from three to one, with letters of intent from current members Jeff Wozniak and Tine Betshismedicine. The final vacancy is in Ward 4, which is on the northwest side of Wolf Point. Contact the city for more information.

The city has received the first of two installments of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Approximately $365,000 has been received. An additional installment estimated at more than $400,000 is expected later this year.

The council approved a loan agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration for $13,000 for improvements at the airport.

Problems at the city pool were discussed. Contractors are scheduling visits to the facility to check on flaking paint and problems with the boiler. At present, the pool is operating without heat. Repairs are not expected until the end of the swimming season.

Dschaak said there has been a rash of vandalism affecting sprinklers at city facilities. He said over two dozen sprinklers have been damaged in recent months. He asked community members to report anything suspicious.

“Montana is a tinderbox,” Dschaak said during fire department reports. He added that DNRC resources are wearing thin and asked residents to take extra precautions to avoid fire danger.

Police Chief Jeff Harada thanked area groups and residents for what he called “community efforts” to maintain order and follow rules during Stampede weekend.

Public Works director Ward Smith said city crews would be patching streets this week, despite problems with the asphalt plant. He said there would also be progress this week on efforts to replace and improve city drains.

The city approved a grant award from DNRC in the amount of $125,000. The funding will be used for wastewater rehabilitation efforts.

Great West Engineering’s Greg Lukasik told the council that contractors and engineers associated with recent watermain project cost overruns are prepared to take on a large share of related billing and expenses. An approximately $168,00 Rural Development reimbursement related to the project was approved by the council.

The urban renewal committee reported that six blighted properties in Wolf Point have been identified as possible acquisitions. The properties are all currently owned by Roosevelt County. A formal request to purchase the properties from the county is in process.

Cost of living pay increases were approved for city council members and city employees.

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