By Tracy McNew
Libby’s City Council met on Monday, March 18 at City Hall. The meeting was called to order by mayor Brent Teske at 7 p.m. and started with the Pledge of Allegiance followed by roll call. A public meeting was then announced for April 23 regarding the controlled ground water area. More details will be announced as the date of the meeting gets closer, Teske said. Committee reports followed announcements.
There was no report from the City Administrator, fire department, police department, ordinances committee, lights/streets/sidewalks committee, building, water/sewer committee, cemetery/parks committee, or Kootenai River Development Council.
The finance committee reported that the City’s year end report has been posted to their website.
City-County Board of Health (BOH) representative, Laura Crismore, quickly updated the council on a number of topics including a new tobacco prevention specialist being hired, new funding for the Best Beginnings program so that they will have a full time coordinator, and a recognition letter being drafted to honor Dr. Aubrey Miller of NIEHS who was instrumental in coordinating Libby’s initial response to Libby’s recognition of asbestos contamination in 2000. Crismore also shared with the council that the Lincoln County Asbestos Resource Program has expressed concerns regarding EPA’s proposed delisting of the Operable Unit 2 of the Libby Asbestos Superfund Site, the former screening plant, which is located on the Kootenai River about five miles northeast of Libby.
Next, public comment on non-agenda items included comments by DC Orr and Denay Horn. Orr talked about how the Board of Health, City, and Port Authority all need to establish collective agreement regarding the Libby Ground Water Superfund site and upcoming negotiations with International Paper. Horn talked about chlorine in her city water and how disenchanted she has become with the City Council. Horn stated that she would not be attending anymore meetings and she left as soon as she was done speaking.
Ordinance 1934 was approved to have the City Planning Board act in the role of Zoning Commission.
Resolution 1935 was approved to amend the budget by $17,529.11 in order to fix the damaged patrol car. The resolution will not affect the budget overall, Mayor Teske explained, “It is pass through money from the insurance company.”
Three business licenses were approved for Maid to Clean (house cleaning), Willing to Work (odd jobs), and KMR Consulting (land use consulting). Councilwoman Smith abstained from the vote to approve KMR Consulting since it was her application for a business license. It was clarified that KMR Consulting is not a brand new business, but has been inactive so has submitted an application to regain a business license.
The meeting was adjourned just before 7:30 p.m. following a brief discussion about monthly Chamber luncheons and Business and Banter events.