Ronan Council gives preliminary approval to Jake Jannsen subdivision

The Ronan City Council heard from Ronan Superintendent Mark Johnson last Wednesday about a plan to build two duplexes to house four new teachers who are unable to find housing in the area.

“The one thing we battle here in Ronan is getting teachers,” Johnson said. “The biggest issue they have is housing.”

Johnson believes the district needs to start thinking outside the box to solve the housing shortage and said the school district had some federal Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief dollars to allocate to the project.

The Ronan Planning Board is “absolutely thrilled” with the idea, according to council member Julie Moore, who also sits on the planning board.    

The school district’s project will be part of the new Jake Jannsen minor subdivision, which received preliminary conditional approval from the council Wednesday.

The subdivision is named after Jake Jannsen, who died last April and had been diagnosed with autism as a child. The subdivision includes Proactive Living, a housing facility for developmentally delayed adults and adults who deal with physical limitations. 

The adjacent area will be managed by Farm in the Dell, an organization from Great Falls that works to build community-based, self-supporting farming homes for the disabled, with animals and a garden area. 

Council members also approved an open-container application and street closure for the Ronan Co-op Brewery’s Ice House Rendezvous from 4-9 p.m. March 8. An open container was also approved for the Pheasants Forever annual banquet at the Ronan Community Center on April 20. 

A third open-container permit sought by the 2nd Chance Saloon for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade was tabled until the next meeting, when the saloon’s management will be invited to discuss the council’s concerns. 

Council members unanimously approved the reappointment of Ray Aylesworth, Robert McCrea and Robin Nelson to the Board of Adjustments for a two-year term. The board serves as the appeals committee for zoning and building code issues. 

They also approved the reappointment of Chris Atkinson, Marilyn Tanner and Raquel Davis to the Planning Board for a two-year term. 

Ronan Police Chief Rob Jacobson invited council members to take a look at the new graphics for Ronan’s Police Department after the meeting was adjourned.

The next city council meeting begins at 6 p.m. March 13.