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Malta City Council grants CTEP money to Malta Trails

Demarais retirement party set for June 18 at City Hall

The City of Malta Town Council meeting was held last Tuesday and the council heard many topics on the night including the city's pool opening soon, CTEP funds being awarded to Malta Trails, Inc. as well as a discussion on the possibility of a new Senior Center in the county.

Mayor Shyla Jones said that pending an inspection by the state, the Malta City Pool should be open by Friday, June 6. She said that the city is looking at hiring up to 10 lifeguards this summer season and that the new guards will be trained this week prior to opening.

Under the department reports portion of the City Council Meeting, Director of Public Works John Demarais said that the caulking job on the dyke that boarders the Milk River is well underway and that the job is going well. He said that a total of 126 tubes of clear caulking will be used when the job is all said and done and that the purchase of a power caulking gun has helped make the project manageable.

Demarais said that as of last Tuesday night that blading of alleys has been put on hold due to a lack of moisture in the area. He said that the blade has been put away and the street sweeper has been put to work instead.

This City Council meeting was the last for Demarais as he retires from the position in mid-June. A retirement party for Demarais is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18 at 3 p.m. at City Hall.

"I just want to say I have enjoyed working here with you guys," Demarais said. "It's going to be tough walking out the door. I only have 16 working days until I walk out the door, but who is counting...I am."

Mayor Jones said that the first little kids rodeo is scheduled for Saturday, June 14. Demarais said that the picnic tables will soon be unstacked, that the weeds would be whacked-down and that the arena will be ready for action before June 11 when the children start practicing for their events.

Under the city clerk portion of the meeting, Carolyn Schmoeckel said that there are only a few water shut-off notices pending compared to usual.

Schmoeckel also said that she has put in an application with the Montana Department of Transportation for rest area funds totaling $6,200 in order to restore the smaller shelter at the rest area off of Highway 2. She said that the structure was handed over to another city entity for a while but that group has since abandoned it.

"So the city is going to take the walls down and restore it back to a shelter," she said. "We will re-roof it with tin, order an ADA compliant picnic table and re-pour the sidewalk from the restroom to the shelter."

She said that the money hasn't yet been approved, but rather only applied for.

Schmoeckel said that the installation of the new, energy efficient lights in City Hall Gym are being installed and should be completed by the preliminary election.

During the unfinished business portion of the City Council Meeting, a decision on who to grant $22,000 worth of CTEP grant money was made after a lengthy discussion. The two groups vying for the CTEP money where the Malta Trails, Inc., and the Phillips County Historical Society.

The Historical Society put in an application in hopes of paying for fencing to surround the new transportation museum as well as new lighting. Malta Trails Inc., put in an application in hopes of securing money to finish their bridge project which connects to the trail the group is building. Both organizations had the money required to match the grant and both have received money from the City of Malta in the past.

"It's a tough, tough decision," said Mayor Jones.

After a nearly 20-minutes discussion, the City Council decided to award the CTEP money to Malta Trails Inc. with three council members voting for while Councilman David Rummell did not vote as he is a member of the Historical Society.

In the new business portion of the city council meeting, Lyle Lilienthal and Barb Schlocker from the Council on Aging talked about a proposed Senior Center for Phillips County that would also double as a community center.

Lilienthal said that the current Senior Center is too small, that it needs many repairs and that the Food Bank is ever-expanding.

"Bear Paw is going to do a feasibility study for us," said Lilienthal. "What we need, really, is a Community Center, we need something like Glasgow has got. Something (seniors) could use for meals and stuff that could also be opened up to the public."

Lilienthal asked what the City Council would think about tearing down the Malta City Hall to construct a new building.

"I can't see that happening," Mayor Jones said. "This is a very usable building and that would be a waste of taxpayer dollars."

Schlocker showed the City Council a Power Point slide show she built which showed the new Senior Center in Chester, Mont. She said that the price tag on the Chester Senior Center was $1.5 million dollars. The center has, among many other amenities, an indoor bus barn.

"They are so proud of (the Senior Center) that I thought their buttons would pop-off," she said at the conclusion of the slide show.

Mayor Jones suggested that the Aging Council and Bear Paw Development team-up with PhillCo as she thought all three organizations are aiming for the same type of center.

The Council on Aging meets the third Wednesday of each month.

Also during the new business portion of the city council meeting, Jessica Aparicio requested use of the City Hall Gym to teach another dance class this year. The City Council approved the use of the gym.

 

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