New police officers, no manager for Polson

Three new police officers have found their way to Polson, bringing their various skills with them.

At Friday night’s council meeting, police chief Doug Chase introduced Juan Maso, Brandy Shaw and William Cleveland to the city and welcomed them with sincere appreciation and humorous candor.

Maso has extensive experience in domestic violence cases, and can speak Spanish and Catalonian fluently, Chase said.

“He’s our in-house guru,” Chase said. “He speaks Catalonian, and I don’t even know what that means.”

Next, Chase introduced Cleveland, who has logged thousands of hours as a reserve officer, Chase said.

“He was very successful in testing,” he added of the new member of the Polson Police Department.

Last, but not least, Shaw was introduced to members. She served as a master at arms in the U.S. Navy from 1999-2004, has an associate degree in arts, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

“I don’t want her studying me and my role as chief,” Chase joked.

Interim city manager James Raymond gave an update on negotiations with city manager candidate Joe Kerby.

“It’s not looking good,” he said.

He said the hold up is regarding the differences in the rollover retirement system between Colorado and Montana. Council member Elsa Duford asked to be kept abreast of all developments and negotiations.

Raymond also asked the council if they would like a clock to time public comments. The public, as expressed by their comments, were opposed to the purchase.

“I think it’s a waste of tax payers’ money,” Suzanne Luepke told the council.

“It’s about who speaks, and who speaks about what,” Murat Kalinyaprak said.

Duford said the three-minute timing of public comments was intended for large crowds or late meetings. She said a clock would intimidate people.

Duford and council member Bruce Agrella opposed the extra expenditure, of roughly $300-$400, and the motion for the purchase was tied and did not carry.

An amendment to ordinance 640, excluding item 8 and changing item 4, carried - with Duford the only opposition. The ordinance was amended to exclude the increase of public document fees to the public. Raymond said he was going to look into posting public documents to the Internet, as per a request at a previous meeting by resident Rory Horning.

Approval was made to make the intersection of Sixth Street and Tenth Avenue into a dead-end street, with no opposition from council members.

Chuck Jarecki of the Mission Valley Friends of the Arts addressed the council about landscape improvements at the Port Polson Summer Theater at the golf course.

Decisions on who to give the liquor license to have been put on hold.

Duford asked for public and council comment on differences between the city code 3.03 in the city manager contract, and the Montana Annotated Code 7-3-305. She said the city was not following the state law, as the city code differs in wording. Raymond said the charter is in full conformance with the law, but that he would look into it.

Raymond said the council had no power to change the charter and it is up to the voters. Duford’s motion that the council conform to the Montana code was not seconded, and therefore the public was unable to comment, yet Horning proceeded.

“You are in conflict with state law,” Horning said. “It can be brought to the attorney general’s office to find out if you’re in conflict by law, and not just hearsay.”

Bonnie Manicke addressed the council about a decreasing cash fund and urged the council to cut their spending.

“We have to make payroll,” she said. “These other little things people want, we can’t do that,” making references to the three-minute clock.