Malta City Council recap, Parks & Rec to host 'Doggy Day' at Municipal pool

The last Malta City Council meeting of the Summer of 2018 was held last week, and the Council heard of a few items relating to the Municipal Pool, the first of which focuses on a day for local bow-wows.

Malta Parks and Recreation Co-Director Julia Tatafu told the council that the department will host a Dog Day at the pool in which people can bring their hounds to swim at the facility as a last hooray for the pool season.

“We have been approached a couple of times about it in past years,” Co-Director Tatafu said.

“Why not,” added Malta Mayor John Demarais. “Everything will be shut down after that and the pool will be drained for the winter.”

Tatafu said the event, tentatively titled “Doggie Dip,” will be held on Thursday, September 13 from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Tatafu said the dog day at the pool follows several weeks since the pool has been closed to the public but added that the Malta Middle and High Schools have been holding P.E. classes at the pool for the first few weeks of school under the tutelage of teachers Patrick Sargent and Delmar Henry. Tatafu said that the water clarity at the pool this summer was top-notch after some murky conditions in summers past. All told, she said 66 children (aside from the PE classes) participated in swim classes this year. There are also many classes and sports being offered this fall and winter, including adult dance, soccer for children, and adult volleyball. For more information on the upcoming events, contact Malta Parks and Rec at the City Hall, 654-1251.

In other pool related news, a recent pool feasibility study was completed with eyes on either refurbishing the current pool or building a new one and was discussed on the night. Interstate Engineering’s Troy Kelsey told the council of three different plans to improve the pool, rehabilitate the existing pool, a new swimming pool at the existing spot, or a new aquatics facility at a new location. Prices for these projects were estimated at around $87,000, $1.84 million, and $2.2 million, respectively.

Mayor Demarais, eyeing the lowest costing proposal, said that he would like to see the City save money for the work, look for grants, and get the assistance of fundraising efforts from the Hi-Line Future Foundation as a way to pay, rather than asking the public to approve bonds. (The Hi-Line Future Foundation’s next fundraiser will be the October Fest on Friday, October 26.)

Mayor Demarais asked that a committee be formed to look at the pool options and how to fund the improvements and said that when the time is right, he will arrange a meeting with the public to hopefully be held at the Malta High School Auditorium.

Following three public meetings, the Council approved the annual streets, lighting, sprinkler, sidewalk, and garbage assessments at $118,369.10, $104,192.33, $4178.69, $422.14, and $294,268.00, respectively. Malta City Clerk Lorie Bond informed the Council that all totals were very close to the 2017 assessments. Clerk Bond also said that recent road repair work in the City of Malta by local outfit Adam’s Asphalt is being paid for out of the gas tax.

Malta Public Works Director Jim Truelove informed the Council that the department recently had to have a dog euthanized following the second time the animal bit a person. He said that new playground equipment for Riverview Park has finally arrived and will be installed as soon as possible. Director Truelove said that there are still several digs around town that the Public Works Crew will be tackling in the coming weeks and he was informed that the new "Rooted-In" banners to promote Phillips County and its cities and towns have arrived. The banners are brought to the county through the Malta Area Chamber of Commerce and PhillCo Economic Growth Council and will feature different aspects of the communities as a way of branding the locations for out of town visitors.