Council okays alternate MVA site

POLSON — On Monday night, with a vote of 4-2, the Polson City Council approved a nominal lease of $100 per year to Mission Valley Aquatics if they should so choose to purchase the Tamsco property located on Kerr Dam Road. Several members of the council voiced their support of a new community aquatics facility, while others felt the land was too valuable a commodity for the city’s storm and wastewater applications, which would become more problematic once the Skyline Project is complete.

MVA President Hu Beaver and Project Director Tana Seeley had proposed the property as an alternate site to the council in November, but the city chose to hear a proposal from the city’s water and sewer department on Dec. 7 before making a decision. The area is water/sewer land that was set aside for retention ponds, which water and sewer superintendent Tony Porrazzo said would be a problem the city will certainly face in the years to come.

“It’s not just what’s today, it’s five years from now, 10 years from now,” he said. “Who do you think is responsible to deal with all that water? I think it’s time to get the building, take away the lease and get it going.”

The council did not approve the next agenda item, which was to authorize the city manager to pursue Tamsco building purchase options.

“It’s been a spirited debate,” City Manager Todd Crossett said prior to the decision. “It’s up to you folks what you want to see there, everyone’s made their case.”

Beaver added that this wasn’t a battle, and everyone just wants what is best for the community. MVA still has a lot of research ahead of them before the decision will be made to purchase the building, or not. The area’s ground water level was of particular concern, and was at previous workshops on the matter. In the Nov. 30 workshop, Joyce Weaver commented that another city in Montana had issues with building a pool in an area with high ground water and that city lost revenue by having to keep the pool half-filled and heated all year round. According to Seeley, if a pool is empty and the ground water is high it can cause some heaving and pushing of the pool shell, therefore causing cracks from the upward pressure. However, MVA plans to have this pool full of water, heated, and in use year round.

“We just need one answer right now,” Beaver said when discussion turned to negotiating the lease and public comment spurred talk about potential loss of revenue to the city, which currently receives $1,500 per month by leasing the property. “Don’t look at it as giving it away. You’re gaining an asset for the community of Polson big time.”

In other news, the council authorized the PRA recommendation to spend $50,000 of next year’s TIF funds for additional Main Street projects including lights, landscaping and benches.

Parks Superintendent Karen Sergeant introduced a revised version of city ordinance No. 661, the regulation of public trees.

“The tree ordinance was outdated, convoluted and the permitting process was confusing,” she said.

In addition, the previous ordinance included superintendent positions that were no longer in existence. The improvements included the absorbing of the former tree board by the current parks board because according to Sergeant, the city needed to have a tree board in order to keep the classification as a Tree City USA, which the city has been for 20 years.

“It was imperative to me that we remain a Tree City USA,” she said of the special distinction. “There are grants out there for urban and community forestry and I’m trying to move the city toward that.”

Council member John Campbell commented that some of the city’s trees were planted 100 years ago and they were nearing the end of their lives.

“We want to give the property owners some ideas to take care of their trees,” Sergeant said.