City OK’s changes to water billing

Ordinance 829 to amend Title 13 of the city’s water and sewer utility account provisions unanimously passed on first reading after public comment at the city council meeting March 4.

In the case of rental properties, the proposed change would require that water and sewer utility accounts be in the owner’s name, though the bill card will go to both owner and tenant. It will also eliminate the $250 deposit collected by the city, which the landlord can elect be obtained from tenant account holders under current provisions. 

The request for change comes as city staff have put in extra time and manpower chasing down tenant account holders as they move in and out of rentals. City manager Susan Nicosia noted that the last time overdue letters were sent out to rentals, 185 were mailed — only 35 of them to property owners. 

“We spend a lot of time managing this small group of customers,” Nicosia said to council. Changes to the city’s billing software would allow for a cost-effective solution, where the owner always holds the main account, and tenants can be easily changed. Deposits currently held by the city would be refunded.

Optimistically, changes would take place in June to coincide with the July 1 start to the fiscal year. Final reading of the ordinance will be at the council’s March 18 meeting.

After reviewing extremely high project estimates for the Wastewater Treatment Plant with engineers — last meeting a portion of the project originally thought to be $3.5 million was estimated at $7.5 million — Nicosia confirmed that the high projection is a “worst case scenario” estimate and the city will be able to move forward with its plans. A call for bids went out, with bids due April 9.

“We went back and looked at it and said, ‘Let’s just get it into the hands of bidders, then we’ll know exactly what numbers we’re dealing with,’” Nicosia said. 

The project is funded by $1.21 million in capital expansion funds, $1.4 million in federal ARPA funds, $2 million in a competitive grant passed through the state of Montana, and $877k in a HB 632 grant allocation. 

A call for bids was also opened on a water treatment plant scum pump and controls replacement project funded by HB 355. 

A resolution to authorize application for Land and Water Conservation Fund Assistance for the Fenholt Park skate park restrooms passed unanimously. The project is estimated at $738,000 total with funds coming from the Badrock Skatepark Association and Land and Water Conservation; the city previously agreed to fund $15,000 of the bathroom cost.

City council swore in probationary patrolman Ronald “RJ” Thompson. Thompson comes from Alabama with previous law enforcement experience, Police Chief Clint Peters noted that it would be nice to add someone with experience to their relatively young crew. 

During public comment, Shirley Folkwein with Coalition for a Clean CFAC reported that the Columbia Falls Superfund site has been added to the Montana legislature’s environmental quality council agenda for their meeting March 13-14 with the opportunity for public comment. The coalition has also applied for a technical assistance grant from the EPA in order to better communicate and work with the community. 

Jaden Woeppel with the Flathead County Transportation Advisory Committee reported that Columbia Falls has been on pace or outpaced Whitefish with the number of rides serviced by the Mountain Climber bus. He invited a city council member to join the advisory committee. 

“As Columbia Falls and the valley as a whole continues to grow, I think it would be great to have the insight of a counselor from Columbia Falls,” Woeppel said. 

Council are reviewing city manager applicants, final interviews will be open to the public. 

The city plans to release 2023 Water Consumer Reports in June; Nicosia noted that all testing came back clean. 

“The message loud and clear is, our water is clean and pure,” Nicosia said.