Speed change approved

The Thompson Falls City Council on Monday voted to move speed limit signs further out on each end of town. Mayor Rusti Leivestad, after meeting with the Department of Transportation, proposed moving the 25 mile per hour speed limit signs out 500 feet. The 35 mile per hour signs would be extended proportionately as well. In addition, the council voted to apply for an encroachment permit so that speed reader signs can be installed on the mileage posts.

At the March council meeting, Catherine DeWitt with the Thompson Falls Woman's Club said the local organization wanted to take on fundraising for the speed reading signs as a community service project. Mayor Leivestad said that with the council approval and after a permit is issued, the club can continue with fundraising efforts. Gussie O'Connor with the woman's club said at Monday's meeting that the group will ask businesses and community members for donations, then will apply for grants for the remainder of the funding.

Monday's council meeting began with a presentation from Karren McKinzie, the Tobacco Education Specialist for Sanders County. McKinzie thanked the city for tobacco-related signs in the city parks. "They are working very well," she noted. She added that during last year's Beautification Days cleanup, there were very few tobacco products such as cigarette butts to pick up in the city parks.

McKinzie said she visits local schools to share information about the dangers of tobacco products, and she also has "quit kits" available in her office at the Sanders County Courthouse in addition to other resources to help people quit smoking. McKinzie told the council and the nearly 30 community members in attendance that vaping products are not helping people quit smoking, as they were marketed to do. "People think vaping is better for you (than smoking), but it's not," she stated. "I wanted to help you understand how bad it is around here in the schools," she added.

The council voted to approve a $100 flat fee for the season for the Thompson Falls farmers market. The fee had been discussed at the March council meeting, then moved to the Recreation and Public Properties committee, who recommended the one-time fee. Market organizer Veronica Ingle said she is going to reach out to vendors to see which location they would prefer in town, Ainsworth Park or Rose Garden Park, and will present that information to the council at the May meeting. Ingle said she will also survey vendors on what time and day of the week they would like to have the market. "I applaud what you're doing but really encourage you to go to Saturday," Greg Hinkle commented. "I've been selling produce about 70 years and Saturdays always work."

The council also voted to move forward with a program that would place a plaque at Ainsworth Park commemorating the work of David Thompson. Council member Katherine Maudrone said that the next step is the city letting the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering know they are interested in the program and then those organizations will decide if Thompson Falls will be included.

Happy Trails Preschool's lease with the city was renewed by the council for the 2024-25 school year. Krystal Park has operated a preschool and daycare center in the Thompson Falls Community Center for two years. The council voted to approve the new lease, and Park let the audience know that it is in her lease that the center be made available for the city if needed. At recent city council meetings that have filled the council chambers to capacity, residents have requested alternate meeting locations. "I do recognize you're looking for more space," Park said. "I'm willing to share. It's in the lease."

The Thompson Falls Pickleball Club received approval to install a 4-foot fence around the courts between the city pool and Thompson Falls High School. Representative Nancy Fields also asked the city for help repairing the exterior fencing at the courts, and said the Public Works staff has already been looking at how to help. The new fence construction will be paid for by the pickleball club.

The council voted to apply for a Pilot Community Tourism Grant Program grant through the state. The funding was provided by Senate Bill 540 and the money comes from the bed tax collected in the state. The program is five years and would require no match from the city, Mayor Leivestad said. She noted that ideas for projects that have been suggested include enclosing the pool for year-round use or updating ballfields. Some residents had an issue with the city applying for the tourism program. "I feel like you guys are selling us out. What is the vision of this town? Are we going to be a tourist trap?" asked resident Kristen Wing. "It's all tax money and it comes from everyone's pockets," Hinkle added. Council member Hayley Blakney made the motion to approve the application. "I can feel how much everyone cares about our community and I'm also thinking about people not here and the kids," she said before making the motion, which the council approved.

Updating the council on the status of the wastewater project, Carrie Gardner with Great West Engineering said the final design for phases 3 and 4 is getting closer. Once the design is approved by the Department of Environmental Quality, the project will go out to bid. Gardner looks for that to happen this summer. She said depending on contractor schedules, the project construction could begin this year. Gardner also provided an update to the council on phases 1 and 2, which are nearing completion. She said some work that was removed from the original contract, including disposing of sludge, will need to be put out for bid. "We're trying to help get Razz (the contractor) to the finish line," she added. Gardner said that once the project status is approved as substantial completion, Razz Construction will have 30 days to complete a final list of items that is being compiled and then the project will be closed out. She noted that the contractor has to warranty the work for one year after completion.

Gardner also updated the council on the water project, stating that the main focus is the water source for the city. Great West has identified a possible location for a new well source. "We're trying to align the water and projects to share costs and street paving," she said, adding that along with a new water source for the city, water mains need to be replaced in phases 3 and 4 of the sewer project.

During public comment at the end of the meeting, resident Philip Williamson revisited the topic of the meeting location. "We need a place to accommodate these meetings," he said. In recent months the council chambers and the lobby of city hall have been filled with people attending council meetings.

The meeting ended abruptly during public comment when Mayor Leivestad pounded the gavel repeatedly asking for order in comments and said the meeting was adjourned and walked out of the council chambers.