Some residents still have frozen water service lines, despite onset of spring

Despite several weeks of warmer weather, a handful of homes in Columbia Falls still have frozen service lines to their homes, public works director Tyler Bradshaw told city council Monday night.

Late February and early March saw temperatures well below zero, including at least one day with record cold.

The city doesn’t assist with frozen service lines, according to its code. Most of the homes are in the Fifth Avenue neighborhood area, Bradshaw noted. Some homeowners have managed to get the lines unfrozen on their own or with the help of a plumber, others are simply waiting out the weather.

In other news:

- The city OK’d a contract with Downing Underground to rebuild a sewer lift station at the bottom of killer hill for $230,800. In addition, the city will buy the new pump for about $24,400. Funds will come from the city’s sewer operations and capital improvement fund.

- Bradshaw noted that requests for proposals for improvements to River’s Edge Park should be coming in this week. The city wants to put in a bathroom with running water at the park and make a variety of other improvements, including enhancing the landscaping and access to the park’s new fishing pond.

- The city wrote a letter of support for the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force as it applies for grant funding. In the letter, the city noted the value of the task force and the fact that drug related overdose deaths are up in the city.

- The city held a hearing on updating its city code concerning building codes. The new code is trimmed down, noting that the city’s building code regulations are in line with state codes.