City Council Receives Update on Stagecoach, Search for New Pool Manager

The Malta City Council met on Tuesday, September 14, for their first meeting of the month.

The council received a visit from Jane Ereaux, a member of the Phillips County Stagecoach Restoration Committee, in which she updated the council on the status of the project.

Ereaux informed the council that the stagecoach is done!, and is ready to return to Malta. She said that there is a plan in place to transport it back to Malta, but they will need a place to store it for a few weeks until it is unveiled. Ereaux asked the council if there was a city building that could be used.

The council, along with Public Works Director, Jim Truelove offered the old National Guard Armory as a place to store it.

Ereaux also asked the city to cover the remaining cost ($1,667) of the restoration.

This was also approved and passed by rollcall vote.

The total cost of the restoration was $35,000. Paid for mostly by donations and grant money. The newly refurbished stagecoach is now worth well into the neighborhood of $60,000 to $100,000.

Ereaux said that the committee is planning a celebration event to welcome the stagecoach home, and will include all of the donors, city and county officials, Phillips County Museum and Historical Society, and interested public. The event will be in conjunction with the Malta Chamber of Commerce’s Octoberfest on October 28.

“We plan to have refreshments and speakers at the Antique Modes of Transportation Museum around 3:00 p.m. and then have stagecoach rides at the City Park for the public after that,” said Ereaux. “We want to show off the stagecoach before being displayed in the Antique Modes of Transportation Museum.”

During the department reports, PWD Truelove informed the council that a search would have to take place for a new City Pool Manager.

Truelove said, “I hate to see Kelly Cederberg go, but I understand that she has a lot on her plate. She did an outstanding job.”

Truelove informed the council that the blade has been out leveling alleys and that the sweeper will be out as needed.

Truelove requested and received the ok to order new trash cans for the city.

City Clerk/Treasurer Lori Bond informed the council that they had been invited to the VFW on September 26, for an event honoring two Gold Star Moms from the area.

Parks and Rec Director, Sally Wright, informed the council that youth soccer would be ending on that Thursday, and 69 kids had participated. She said that the Hi-Line Market had given each child, ref, and coach a free ice cream coupon.

Wright said that the fall HIIT’s Classes had started on September first and would go through November 17.

Fall yoga classes would be starting on September 21, and go through October 26. Fall Tiny Tots would be starting on September 28, and go through November 18, and Fall Boot Camp would start on September 28 and go through November 18 as well.

In other new business, the council adopted Resolution 1309, canceling the November 2, 2021, general election of certain municipal officers for the City of Malta.

The council voted 4-0, to deny any land leases for the 2022 year. Due to the harsh weather and usage, the land will be given at least a one-year rest.

The next Malta City Council meeting will be on September 28, at 5 p.m. in City Hall.