City council reviews airport agreement, other items
Author: Eliza McLaughlin - Staff Reporter
City council reviews airport agreement, other items Eliza McLaughlin - Staff Reporter Townsend City Council members discussed reevaluating their involvement at the City of Townsend/Broadwater County Airport during their Feb. 21 meeting at City Hall.
Discussion of the city’s involvement came up during Mayor Mike Evans and Councilwoman Angie Wintrow’s airport news and updates. Part of the updates included notifying the council that Broadwater County is acquiring the land around the airport, and has purchased two 1-acre lots at $95,000 each.
With new projects coming to the airport in the next few years, the city could be responsible for $160,000 to $180,000, Wintrow told the council.
Councilman Matt West asked Wintrow what would happen if the city couldn’t pay their portion of the work, to which she responded that loans would be available.
Both Evans and West agreed that the city could use that money elsewhere.
“Our streets could use $120,000,” West said.
The city of Townsend already contributes $14,000 to the airport annually, which Wintrow said likely goes towards maintenance and upkeep of the facility.
West also proposed having the county purchase the city’s portion of the airport, asking if the city receives any benefit from remaining in the agreement or if it would be detrimental to leave it.
Councilwoman Vickie Rauser suggested the city learn how it originally came to be part-owner in the airport to reveal what — if any — benefits there are. Evans said he believed the airport was willed to the city and the county in the 1920s, but further research would be done.
Another contract terminated
While the city’s involvement at the airport has yet to be decided, the city council determined the fate of its contract with Montana Internet during the Feb. 21 meeting: Termination, with the hopes of renegotiating for better terms.
Before entering negotiations, Evans told the council that he would ask others about their experience with internet providers to identify common problems.
Solicitor / Events Ordinances
For several months now, the Townsend City Council has reviewed and discussed its solicitor’s ordinance and is now bringing forward another ordinance for consideration: events.
Although the recently polished solicitor’s ordinance was ready for consideration at the Feb. 7 meeting, Townsend City Attorney Peter Simon said, it wasn’t discussed. The council agreed to have a first reading of the ordinance at the March 7 council meeting.
“Dovetailing” into the solicitor’s ordinance, according to city council members, is the potential for an event ordinance.
Simon presented the City Council with what other cities have for this type of ordinance and examples of ways to move forward. Cities listed included Bozeman, Helena, Manhattan, Red Lodge and Three Forks.
The City Council agreed to move forward with researching the ordinance and planned to establish a committee.
Rotary and Recreation
City council members also received an update from Adam Six on behalf of the Recreation Board, regarding the Holloway Park Pavilion and Rotary’s Fall Fest.
At the moment, Six said the Recreation Board is waiting for some warmer weather before doing some substructural work. Once that is complete they will “put a pavilion on it,” Six said.
Six also announced that the 2023 Rotary Fall Fest has been set for Sept. 29 through Oct. 1.
