Townsend council OKs airport parking, advances stump carving project and reviews street bids
Author: Rachael Brug, Staff Reporter
Townsend Council OKs Airport Parking, Advances Stump Carving Project and Reviews Street Bids
Rachael Brug
Staff Reporter
Townsend City Council members on Feb. 17 approved overflow parking for a June airport fly-in, advanced a long-planned tree stump carving project for Heritage Park, and reviewed early street maintenance bids as city officials continued work on water system communications and staffing.
Mayor Vickie Rauser opened the meeting with public comment. A resident raised concerns about low water pressure, asking whether the city was still operating on one well or pump.
Public Works Director Eric Crusch responded that the city is running two wells. The resident said multiple people have complained about low pressure and asked whether it was temporary. Crusch said the issue should be temporary and encouraged the resident to contact him directly so he could look into the specific residence. Rauser noted the city has received calls and has done some initial investigation.
Airport fly-in parking
The council approved a request from Broadwater County Airport Manager Dwight Thompson, who said the airport board is planning a fly-in and dedication of the new airport on Saturday, June 13.
Thompson said the event has been growing, with pilots planning to fly in and spectators expected for activities including a pancake breakfast hosted by a local 4-H group. He asked whether the airport could use part of a city parking lot north of the water tower for overflow parking if needed.
Council members noted the area has been used for overflow parking during rodeo and fair week and discussed ensuring the parking would not interfere with nearby farming operations. Council member JB Howick asked whether organizers would do a walk-through after the event to pick up trash. Thompson said youth groups may help, and he said the county planned to provide a dumpster. The council voted to authorize use of the requested parking space.
Heritage Park stump carvings
The council also approved an independent contractor agreement for a tree stump carving project at Heritage Park, following discussion of contract language and project details.
Tree Board Chair Patrick Plantenberg told the council the project is funded by a $10,000 anonymous donation received two to three years ago, with the donor requesting the money be used for a special project. Plantenberg said the Tree Board worked with grade school students to develop ideas for carving two stumps in the park playground area.
The student-selected concepts were to carve one stump into a squirrel house and the other into a town bulldog, Plantenberg said.
Plantenberg said the Tree Board contacted a company called “Carve Me a Bear,” based in Lincoln, Montana, and Nampa, Idaho. He said the company quoted $9,975 for the two carvings. Plantenberg said the contractor told him the carvings would be relief-style to reduce breakable protrusions because children will climb on them.
Council member Peter Simon, whom Rouser noted had drafted the basis for the contract when he served as city attorney, suggested edits, including setting an effective date of March 1 and shortening the completion timeframe to within four months of the effective date. Simon and other council members also discussed adding more specific project description language, including identifying the location as Heritage Park and describing the two carving themes.
City Clerk/Treasurer Kari Williams said staff would need to confirm whether a budget amendment is required. She referenced a previously discussed unspent budget item of about $12,000 that had been anticipated for tree purchases; if the line item is broad enough for urban forestry, she said, a budget amendment may not be necessary.
The council approved the contract with the discussed changes.
Fire district MOU language
Council members also discussed draft language related to an agreement with the Townsend Rural Fire District. Council members and representatives from the volunteer fire department discussed whether the revised language was fair and addressed communication expectations if equipment or personnel are needed for a call.
Council members voted to use the language presented for the agreement and to continue negotiations.
Street maintenance bids
Crusch reviewed two street maintenance quotes included in the council packet and said staff attempted to obtain a third quote but did not receive a response.
Crusch said one quote from Hardrives Construction reflected a price of $3.60 per square yard, while a quote from Helena Sand and Gravel was $3.25. He said the difference could reflect whether the contractor would sweep up chip material and keep it.
Crusch said Montana Materials and Construction also walked streets with him and included a proposed “skim patch” on one area of alligatoring, meaning the quotes were not strictly side-by-side. He said staff planned to talk with both companies to make the bids more comparable, including clarifying whether the city would pick up its own sweepings.
Officials said the city is aiming to keep the street work under $80,000 and noted that one bid assumed about 25,000 square yards while the other assumed about 17,000.
Press releases and staffing
The council approved water pressure press releases for immediate release after City Attorney Ed Guza and engineering input were incorporated into revised drafts.
Later in the meeting, Crusch told council members his second-in-command had resigned, following another recent resignation, and said the city had received eight applications for maintenance positions after an initial application period closed.
The meeting also included a discussion of well work planned for Well No. 2, including chlorination, and updates on a volunteer fire department recruit class and reporting system transition.
Crosswalk safety concerns
During final public comment, a resident told council members he was “getting a little fed up” with crosswalk safety on Broadway Street, saying he crosses the street multiple times a day and feels he is nearly hit regularly by drivers who fail to yield.
The resident said he has experienced vehicles continuing through the crosswalk while he is still crossing, including an incident the day before the meeting when he said he was close enough to a truck to reach out and touch it. He said the issue is especially concerning because children cross the street near the school.
Council members discussed potential next steps, noting the crosswalk area is on a state highway and may require coordination with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). The resident said he would be willing to serve on a committee if needed.
Simon suggested the city may see more immediate results by treating the problem as an enforcement issue, such as asking the sheriff’s office to increase presence on Main Street during peak crossing times. Crusch said he was aware of deputies who have stopped drivers for crosswalk violations but noted they cannot be there all day.
Council members also discussed visibility challenges during certain times of year when the sun is low and can be blinding for drivers. They questioned whether existing crosswalk signs flash during school hours; some said they had not noticed the signs flashing.
The discussion also touched on the limits of the city’s authority to cite drivers. Council members asked whether Animal Control/Ordinance Officer John Stenzel could issue citations for crosswalk violations. Crusch said Stenzel does not have authority to pull over or detain drivers. Council members briefly discussed options such as deputizing an officer, but noted that would require academy training and sworn officer status.
Rauser said she would make phone calls to explore options.
The council adjourned after completing the agenda.
