Troy City Council; Troy Police receive grant for a new police officer
The full membership of the Troy City Council (TCC) and fourteen interested parties and representatives met for a busy evening session on Wednesday, July 15 at 7 p.m. at the Troy City Council Room. After brief focused discussions on each new business license applicant, the council approved applications from Ziply Fiber, Susan Boone’s Cooking/Cleaning/Care, Amy Snow’s In Home and Yard Care, and Elizabeth Vick Art.
Police Chief Katie Davis and her team were present to answer any questions on several topics. A C.O.P.S Grant Agreement from the U.S. Department of Justice was received for one officer position, and the federal funds were spread over a three-year award period under the 2020 COPS Hiring Program. The council complimented the Troy Police Department on receiving that grant.
A Memorandum of Agreement to approve agreement with Troy School District for a School Resource Officer was tabled until final negotiations were complete.
Then a Cadastral Architectural and Design mapping program agreement was approved to work in concert with the Lincoln County Sheriffs Department.
Moving right along with the busy schedule, the TCC approved all claims. They read over and approved the minutes from the council meeting on June 17, and the Fiscal Year 2019/2020 Budget Adjustments, with a note from Mayor Dallas Carr mentioning that opportunities have been lost due to Covid-19, but he stated additionally that we are all in the same boat until things improve.
Under Old Business, the council approved Ordinance # 2020-775, second reading on Animals at Large, and Ordinance # 2020-776, second reading on Nuisances within the City Limits of Troy.
Under Departmental Reports, Clint Taylor, Power Manager reported crews had been working on wind storm damages on Kern Road, Highway 2, and the Chapel Cedar line, as well as the Iron Creek, Freeman Ridge, and Third & Kootenai areas. Service work has recently been done on Lavi Court, Cox Lane, Valley Drive, Callahan, Manier Hill, and Winslow Court.
Safety Training session was on July 14. City of Troy Police reported relatively quiet July 4, Firearms Training on schedule for July, and that the National Child Safety Council sent the educational supplies and swag ordered with the funds raised by the community. Dave Norman’s Public Works Department Report included continuing work on sidewalks, weed control, museum and park maintenance, repairing a water leak on the Callahan bridge, and unclogging sewer service at Dave Chapel’s.
Chuck Ekstedt introduced a proposal for submitting a drawing for a 15 by 15 foot space at the museum site to create a Gazebo styled memorial area with photographs and a wood carving piece depicting the history of the area with mention of notable residents. Council will look forward to seeing the drawings and will consider the proposal.
Shawna Kelsey reported that she is still working on the potential instillation and expansion of the fiber optic and cable system through access points in the Troy area through the EDA Funding Grant. Kelsey is also checking into potential partnerships regarding Interbell and the City of Troy. Mayor Carr commented that this expansion could aid in bringing in new businesses.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately nine p.m..
By Brian Baxter, The Montanian
Proposed safety
improvements on S 567 north of Libby
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to announce and invite the public to comment on a proposal to install safety improvements on about 0.5 miles of Highway Secondary 567 about 3 miles north of Libby. The project begins north of Michaels Draw Rd, at reference post 2.9 and extends north for 0.5 miles.
Proposed work includes shoulder widening and slope flattening, upgraded pavement markings and signage. The purpose of the project is to address a road departure crash trend.
Construction is tentatively planned for 2022 depending on completion of design and availability of funds. New right-of-way and relocation of utilities will be required. MDT staff will contact all affected landowners prior to doing survey work on their land. Staff will again contact landowners prior to construction regarding property acquisition and temporary construction permits.
An important part of properly planning for future projects is partnering with the community. The Montana Department of Transportation welcomes the public to provide ideas and comments on the proposed project. Comments may be submitted online at http://www.mdt.mt.gov/mdt/comment_forms.shtml or in writing to Montana Department of Transportation, Missoula office at PO Box 7039, Missoula, MT 59807-7039. Please note that comments are for project UPN 9608000.
The public is encouraged to contact Missoula District Administrator Bob Vosen at (406) 523-5802 or Project Design Engineer Scott Gerken at (406) 444 5446.
Alternative accessible formats of this document will be provided on request. Persons who need an alternative format should contact the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Transportation, 2701 Prospect Avenue, PO Box 201001, Helena, MT 59620. Telephone 406-444-5416 or Montana Relay Service at 711.
Submitted by Montana Department of Transportation
Montana workshops on Building Codes and Energy Use
The National Center for Appropriate Technology will host two virtual workshops about building codes and energy use in residential and commercial applications. These half-day sessions are designed for architects, designers, builders, contractors, and building officials and inspectors.
The first workshop, Residential Building Session: Residential Plan Review and the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), takes place on Wednesday, August 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dale Horton, AIA, will discuss how to conduct a residential plan review. Montana is expected to adopt the 2018 IECC, with amendments, in the latter half of 2020. This presentation will review the major changes in the 2018 IECC compared to the current code with an emphasis on conducting plan reviews. The presentation covers permit submittal requirements and plan review procedures and checklists. Changes to building tightness testing and duct tightness testing procedures will be highlighted.
The second workshop is Commercial Building Session: Innovative Energy Efficiency Technologies and the Energy Code and will take place on Thursday, August 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jaya Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D., Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) AP, is the presenter.
The half-day course will offer results of research conducted by the Integrated Design Lab at Montana State University. Dr. Mukhopadhyay will identify the leading energy efficiency strategies adopted by Montana design professionals for buildings across the state. The project and technology descriptions will emphasize the energy code requirements and challenges of applying the energy code provisions to these technologies. The technologies that will be discussed include dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS), luminaire light level controls (LLLC), and ground source heat pumps (GSHP).
Participants in each training will earn the same continuing education credits through the Montana Department of Labor and Industry as originally offered to participants who would have attended the Montana Department of Labor and Industry’s cancelled Montana Building Education Conference as these are substantially the same sessions. Participants will be instructed on how to receive their certificates at the end of each session.
The courses are free and registration is required. To register for the residential building session, visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYtdOCprzguHdMXPC_hYYDy8sqEyBL77KS7.
To register for the commercial building session, visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpduysqT8vEtVo38VBnd1_0rYrs-zl5AHo.
For more information, contact NCAT’s Deputy Director, Carl Little, at carll@ncat.org.
About the Trainers: Dr. Mukhopadhyay is an assistant professor in the School of Architecture at Montana State University. Her research interests include net-zero energy buildings, building energy simulation, daylighting, energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings, passive solar building systems, operation and maintenance of high performance buildings, and indoor environmental quality. She received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in architecture from Texas A&M University.
Dale Horton, AIA, is the former Energy Services Program Manager for NCAT. As an architect and energy consultant, Dale’s experience has focused on integrating architecture and energy engineering to develop solutions that improve energy efficiency, comfort, and productivity in residential and commercial facilities. Prior to joining NCAT, he owned a small consulting firm offering architecture, energy, and utility-management services. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo and a Master of Science degree in environmental studies from the University of Montana. He works with residential and commercial energy-efficiency programs by developing publications and conducting various types of training.
Submitted by Montana Workshops on Builder News