Stalled water project flows forward
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ST. IGNATIUS — Marine Johnson and Ray Frey took their oaths of office and their seats at the St. Ignatius City Council table during the Jan. 3, meeting. Frey replaces Ray Jensen, who was presented with a plaque for his service. City council members voted to keep Rod Arlint as council president.
Jennifer Cote, an auditor based in Missoula, presented the leadership with her initial 2010-11 findings.
Cote said her team did not find any compliance problems and they did have the same internal control findings as last year. The first is because the city works with a small staff. Cote said it is often hard to have a separation of duties and cross-checking of those duties.
“(For example,) whoever checks mail should also open mail and make a record of that,” Cote said.
She also suggested that the council and/or the county clerk sit down with an auditor and go over a checklist to be more thorough, which takes more than four to eight hours to complete.
“It’s a possibility if you want to do that,” Cote said and reminded the town to reply to the audit findings and forward this response to the local government services within 30 days.
Eldena Bear Don’t Walk expressed interest in the city attorney contract, which expired Dec. 31.
“It’s important to have a city attorney that lives in town,” Bear Don’t Walk said. “I’m interested in working for the city … I like this town.”
Bear Don’t Walk said she currently serves as the Chief Justice for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe and Crow tribe. She also owns Bear Don’t Walk Law Firm, which she operates out of her home.
Mayor Charles Gariepy requested Bear Don’t Walk submit a letter of interest and resume.
In other staffing news, seven applications were received for the advertised police officer position. Gariepy said four of the applicants were people who wanted jobs and are not officers, and two were disqualified. Aaron Frank was appointed as acting police chief on Dec. 10 after John Parker resigned on Dec. 6. Frank currently serves as the town’s only officer.
Arlint is working with a deputy county attorney to find out if contracting with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department is a possibility. Arlint informed the council that they were not able to confirm anything at this time.
The city council was able to make some headway when it came to the delayed water project. Engineer Fred Phillips was present to answer questions about the project, which has already garnered a “stern” letter from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. The town will continue to receive administrative letters every three months until proof is shown that progress is being made on the required chlorination for the city’s water. Originally, the DEQ required the chlorination project to be finished by the summer of 2011.
Public works director Scott Morton informed the council he spoke with the Roman Catholic Diocese in Helena and expects a verbal confirmation soon concerning easements around the St. Ignatius Catholic Mission.
The council voted to approve applying for a community development block grant, with an $8K application cost, but the town could potentially be awarded a minimum of $100,000.
The application is due March 16 and if awarded, the town will be notified in May.
A public meeting for the grant, seeking community input, is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 19, at 6 p.m. at town hall.
