EKALAKA TOWN COUNCIL MINUTES

Town Office: May 10, 2023

A. Call Meeting to Order

a. Roll Call Council: Melissa Lovec, Rex McCord, Libby Barth (via phone)

b. Employees Present: Colby Diede

c. Appointed Officials Present: Teri Jump, Buck Kratzer

B. Pledge of Allegiance

C. Public Comment

D. Presentation of Petitions and Communications: Zoning and Permits

a. Berg: Melissa moved to accept, Rex seconded – motion passed

b. Waterland: Libby moved to accept, Melissa seconded - motion passed

c. Laughery: Melissa moved to table until more information is provided, Libby seconded – motion passed

d. Brady: Rex moved to accept, Melissa seconded - motion passed

e. Walker: Melissa moved to accept, Rex seconded – motion passed

f. Beach: Rex moved to accept, Melissa seconded - motion passed

E. Minutes from last meeting(s): read, correct (if needed) and approve: None available.

F. Claims:

a. Melissa moved to approve claims as presented, Rex seconded – motion passed

G. Reports of Officers:

a. Public Works Director

i. Gravel to landfill, Needs the SCADA looked at, Lance and Colby working on Pool certification, asphalt next week, summer bugs ordered, hoping to sweep Monday after the rain.

b. Mayor

i. Auction: Town made around $6,000

c. Attorney

d. Council

H. Reports of Standing and Special Committees:

a. Administrative (Clerk/Treasurer) – Teri has put in 2 weeks notice.

i. Showed Torey how to do payroll.

b. Law Enforcement: not present.

c. Library

d. Fire Department/Committee

e. Safety

f. Interview/Hiring Committee

I. Unfinished Business

a. Xylem/UV maintenance

b. School to work program/Assistance for Clerk

c. Hiring lifeguards

d. Pool Liner

J. New Business

a. Due to time constraints and lack of a quorum, items B and J are the only New Business items to be addressed. Melissa moved to table all other new business items not discussed until next meeting, Rex seconded – motion passed. (indicated by: 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed)

b. Town Clean-Up Day

i. Melissa moved to open the dump similar to last year – Saturday and Tuesday after the garage sale day, offering discounts for drop-offs of larger items.

ii. Libby seconded – motion passed.

c. Cost of Living Increase for Employees : 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed

d. Hiring seasonal employee: 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed

e. New tire cutter blades at landfill: 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed

f. Russell Industries/New pump at lift station: 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed

g. Jed Larson property management : 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed

h. Library – Woolworth Fund – resolution to transfer funds : 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed

i. New skid steer bucket for sweeping streets : 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed

j. ARPA Annual Project and Expenditure Report

i. Libby presented concern that this had not been completed – it was Due April 30. Libby was contacted by Autumn at Great West Engineering – willing to assist. Teri will work on it tomorrow and get it done on last day here.

k. Hiring New Town Clerk : 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed

l. Bushes at Corner of Speelmon and Mormon Ave : 1.ML 2.RM – motion passed

K. Closed Session Option

L. Announcements

M. Next Meeting Date: June 7, 2023 at 5 p.m.

N. Adjourn

a. Libby moved to adjourn, Melissa seconded – motion passed.

b. Meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted from previous clerk’s notes, Libby Barth 05/31/2023

Town Office: May 17, 2023 at 5 p.m.

A. Call Meeting to Order at 5:09 p.m.

a. Roll Call Council: Libby Barth, Melissa Lovec, Rex McCord, Andy Wright (via zoom)

b. Employees Present : none

c. Appointed Officials Present : Buck Kratzer

B. Pledge of Allegiance

C. Public Comment : Robin Kawecki – has arranged to purchase garbage bins from City of Billings – Will add to the agenda for next month’s meeting.

D. Presentation of Petitions and Communications: Zoning and Permits: none presented

E. Minutes from last meeting(s): read, correct (if needed) and approve: none presented or available

F. Reports of Officers:

a. Public Works Director: absent

i. (Streets, Parks, Pool, Water/Sewer/Landfill)

b. Mayor:

i. Flood plain – Monday meeting with Shylia Winguard to go over program/rules. 11-12:30 May 22 at Town Office (Buck may not be available – Andy is able to make it work if not, Rex is on standby)

c. Attorney: none

d. Council: none

G. Reports of Standing and Special Committees:

a. Administrative (Clerk/Treasurer): none

b. Law Enforcement: none

c. Library:

i. Denice Strickland, Vice Chair of Library Board – Woolworth Fund needs to be addressed. Sign Resolution on June 7th.

d. Fire Department/Committee: none

e. Safety: June 7 after the meeting

H. Unfinished Business

a. School to program/Assistance for Clerk

b. Hiring Lifeguards

i. Melissa Lovec moved to hire the following lifeguards:

1. N. O’Connor

2. D. Shepherd

3. B. Loehding

4. N. O’Connell

ii. Discussion: Brynn Loehding to be hired as Lead Lifeguard $13/hr with other lifeguards as $12/hr. (Melissa will call Glendive to set up lifeguard classes)

iii. Rex McCord seconded, motion passed.

c. Pool Liner: tabled.

I. New Business

a. Cost of living increase for employees

i. Melissa moved to raise Public Works Director and Assistant positions by 3% of their current wage and the Town Clerk starting position by 5%.

ii. Libby seconded, motion passed.

b. Hiring seasonal employee

i. Libby moved to hire Elias Ravage, a seasonal employee, at part time, approximately 20 hours/week, $12/hr.

ii. Discussion: Melissa will call/arrange preemployment with temporary clerk.

iii. Melissa seconded, motion passed.

c. New tire cutter blades at landfill

i. Libby moved to approve purchase of cutter blades for $1,194.48 from Brehmer.

ii. Andy seconded – motion passed.

d. Russell industries/new pump for lift station

i. Libby moved to table, Melissa seconded - motion passed.

e. Jed Larson property management

i. Buck has a quote from one person, looking into other options. This is something that should be done by mid-August. – Buck managing.

f. Library – Woolworth fund – resolution to transfer funds

i. Denice Strickland: funds need to be moved to a depreciation account. Library needs a financial statement when transfer is complete. Resolution needs to be signed, funds moved and returned to library board. Libby will call Kirstin Sweet to see what is needed and manage this resolution. Will add to agenda for June 7.

g. New skid steer bucket for sweeping streets

i. Melissa moved to table, Rex seconded – motion passed.

h. ARPA Annual Project and Expenditure Report

i. Melissa moved to ask Kirstin Sweet if she’s available for hire to accomplish this report on behalf of the Town of Ekalaka.

ii. Libby seconded

iii. Discussion: Libby will contact Kirstin and manage this report.

iv. Motion passed.

i. Hiring New Town Clerk

i. Statement: as moved earlier, the new starting rate will be $18.90/hr

j. Bushes at corner of Speelmon and Mormon

i. Send letters to residents with notice of 30 days to complete the landscaping that is unsafe for traffic, or a bill will be sent for the time/materials spent by the town employees.

ii. Sub clerk will send letters.

k. Temporary Clerk pay rate

i. Melissa moved to increase Torey Spring’s wages to $18/hr while working as temporary clerk.

ii. Libby seconded – motion passed.

J. Closed Session Option: none

K. Announcements

a. Complaints: MUST fill town form, including your name, located in lobby of the Town Office, verbal and hand written “post-it” notes will not be accepted.

L. Next Meeting Date: June 7, 2023 at 5 p.m.

M. Adjourn

a. Libby moved to adjourn the meeting.

b. Melissa seconded – motion passed – meeting adjourned at 6:21 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Libby Barth 05/31/2023

Town Office: June 7, 2023

A. Call Meeting to Order at 5:04 p.m.

a. Roll Call Council – Libby Barth, Melissa Lovec, Andy Wright, Rex McCord

b. Employees Present – Lance Barrere, Colby Diede

c. Appointed Officials Present – Buck Kratzer, Kamely Harkins

B. Pledge of Allegiance

C. Public Comment:

a. Alice Kuehn presented a concern regarding the dead trees around town. She suggested a special election to utilize mill levy dollars or perhaps an application/cost share for taking down or planting a new tree.

D. Presentation of Petitions and Communications: Zoning and Permits

a. Laughery petition – council has requested more information. Kamely will call to request more details.

E. Minutes from last meeting(s): read, correct (if needed) and approve.

a. Melissa moved to approve the minutes from May 10 and May 17, Andy seconded – motion passed.

F. Reports of Officers:

a. Public Works Director

i. Colby – Swimming pool should be ready for water by next week, the chemicals are on the way.

ii. Acid located in Billings, needed to be transported here – approx. 150 lbs each.

iii. Potholes: on hold – waiting on more material. (JackHammer – concrete-type material)

iv. Lifeguards: Do they need to be 18 to handle acid? Not sure what the standard is.

v. Mowing is well with Elias.

b. Mayor

i. Street Sweeping – we need to find the “set dates” for street sweeping.

ii. Blade work will happen when it rains next – or we will use hydrant flush water to wet the streets.

c. Attorney: none

d. Council –

i. Andy: concern about the concrete fix to the potholes on Main Street/Mormon Ave – The council needs quotes what it will take to properly fix these streets. We want to do it the right way the first time.

G. Reports of Standing and Special Committees:

a. Administrative (Clerk/Treasurer)

i. Kamely: in training

1. Melissa has come to the office to assist with sorting/prioritizing mail and other piles.

2. Xylem should be here June 27-28th

3. Parks maintenance: Elias

b. Law Enforcement:

i. None present

c. Library

i. Preliminary Budget – Denice Strickland present to request the annual Town transfer of funds to the Library fund in July.

d. Fire Department/Committee

i. Hydrants need to be flushed and flow tested – color coded. PWD – please ask EVFD to accompany, if needed.

ii. Out of Service Hydrant Tag needs to be ordered

e. Safety

i. Safety Meeting will occur directly following June 7 Regular meeting.

H. Unfinished Business

a. Pool Liner – tabled

b. Jed Larson- property management update: Buck working on new quote

c. Woolworth fund: Library – Resolution to be signed

i. Libby moved to have the Council sign the Woolworth Resolution, Melissa seconded – motion passed.

d. ARPA Annual Project and Expenditure Report: Libby will help Kamely with this by Friday.

e. Bushes at corner of Speelmon and Mormon Ave – letters

i. Kamely will send 30 day notice to residents regarding driving hazard.

I. New Business

a. Kamely Harkins starting wage increase based on experience

i. Melissa moved to start Kamely Harkins as the Town Clerk at $21/hr based on experience, Libby seconded – motion passed.

ii. Melissa moved to remove access for Teri Jump from Summit National Bank, all other Town accounts, government access/financial records, and add Kamely Harkins as the new Clerk., Libby seconded – motion passed.

b. Russell Industries/New pump for lift station

i. Still waiting on information – Colby will bring information to next quote to next meeting.

c. New skid steer bucket for sweeping streets

i. Andy moved to purchase bucket for $3,100, Rex seconded – motion passed with one opposed

d. Water Project Update: Libby

i. Libby met with Great West and the DNRC representatives last week regarding Ekalaka’s Water project. The over all plan is to complete Phase 1 of the project, which will encompass the replacement of approximately 5,140 lineal feet of 4-inch cast iron pipe with either 6in or 8in PVC pipe and the addition of a new parallel transmission main on East Cleveland Street.

e. MCEP Grant Application: Libby

i. Andy moved to apply for MCEP grant money, Melissa seconded – Discussion: Libby will connect Kamely with Crystal from Great West to assist with grant applications – motion passed.

f. Garbage Can purchase: Robin Kawecki

i. Libby moved to purchase eight large garbage cans from the City of Billings for a total of $800, Melissa seconded – Discussion: Robin will go to Billings to pick up the receptacles, Kamely will cut check before Friday for him to take with him – Receptacles will be reimbursed to the town by Southeast Trash Removal by a formal bid process – motion passed.

g. Floodplain:

i. Andy met with DNRC representatives regarding the floodplain. They would like to meet with the council. They don’t recommend getting out of the floodplain, as it would result in loss of grant opportunities. A revised/new edition of the floodplain will take 8-10 years to complete.

h. CCR Questionnaire: Melissa

i. Melissa brought the past-due notices from the DEQ to the attention of the Council, Mayor and the Public Works Director. This is an urgent priority that needs to be addressed – Kamely agreed to assist Colby with any documentation he needs help with.

i. Community Plan – Move to unfinished business.

j. Sidewalk Painting

i. Lifeguards/seasonal worker will paint lines and sidewalks

k. DEQ Reporting:

i. Previously discussed – important priority.

J. Closed Session Option

K. Announcements: Welcome Kamely Harkins!

a. Document from Judy Wright – Council Members up for re-election are Barth, Wright, and McCord, as well as Mayor Kratzer. The deadline for signing up is June 19, 2023.

L. Next Meeting Date: July 5, 2023 at 5 p.m.

M. Adjourn

a. Libby moved to adjourn, Andy seconded – motion passed.

b. Meeting adjourned at 6:12 p.m.

Minutes submitted 06/13/2023 – Libby Barth