T. Falls seeks planning board members

The City of Thompson Falls is beginning to look at some zoning issues but needs help from the community. They are looking for two people from Thompson Falls to participate on the planning board. These individuals must not be elected officials and need to live within city limits. This will allow the city enough people to assess zoning as well as an annexation ordinance. Interested residents can contact City Hall at (406) 827-3557.

During their meeting last Monday night, the city council met with Carole Jensen and Carole Searl with the Sanders County Dog Training Club. They were addressing changes to their contract with the city to care for the Thompson Falls Dog Park. The contract expired in April. In it, Searl explained that the contract required them to keep the parking lot clean, but the community center uses the parking lot more and should be more responsible for its upkeep. Searl also mentioned that the city has not been picking up the garbage, as is specified in the contract. Neither side knew about that aspect until after reading the contract once it expired. The ladies also said the club pays $200 per year for the park, but the club feels their finances are too low from no income. The club also believes they have put a great deal of money into the park's creation and maintenance, which should warrant a lower bill. Council member Raoul Ribeiro explained that this amount was originally based on water usage, and suggested reducing that number by $100 given the work they have done for the dog park and its maintenance. Both parties agreed to addressing these issues and a new updated contract will be drafted.

Mayor Mark Sheets then mentioned that the city has received $2 million from an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant. As great as that news is for the sewer project, Sheets is worried that Rural Development could pull back $2 million of their funding because of the grant. However, Sheets believes it is possible that if the city uses that $2 million in ARPA funding for Phase 4 of the sewer project, instead of Phase 3, the Rural Development program may not pull any funding. "We're hoping that Rural Development will come through with Phase 4," said Sheets, reassuring his hopes for that. The city does not yet know "how it's all going to shake out," as Sheets put it, until the next funding cycle for Rural Development begins in January or February.

During a later interview, Mayor Sheets spoke about the ongoing sewer project. According to him, they have weekly meetings between all the parties involved to keep everything going as quickly and smoothly as possible. The sewer project is currently in phase one and two and workers have recently drained one of the lagoons and have started sludge removal. Construction is underway on lift station number two, which is a big square building next to the railroad tracks in town. Sheets also explained that the contractor installing fiber optics on behalf of Blackfoot has been put on hold and is doing their own cleanup. The water project has stopped for the winter, though they only have Spruce Street and some final paving left to do. According to Sheets, material supplies are a problem in all the projects, and they have all slowed down significantly for winter.

The next city council meeting will be held December 13.