Columbia Falls council tackles rising water, sewer costs

The Daily Inter Lake

Columbia Falls City Council will take the next step tonight in finding ways to cover an unexpected cost increase for two water and sewer projects.

City Manager Bill Shaw will offer up a proposed budget amendment covering water and sewer work on Fourth Avenue West and Fifth Avenue West, drawing $112,000 from a state loan for the water and taking $30,000 from cash reserves for the sewer.

In addition, homeowners with property served by the proposed improvements are being asked to bear some of the increased costs over projections from a year ago.

Two neighborhood residents protested in writing the amended cost of Special Improvement District 34, which would put in both water and sewer along Fifth Avenue West. Nobody filed a written protest to amending Special Improvement District 36, which upgrades water service on Fourth Avenue West.

As a result, neither received enough protests to block amendments to the special improvement districts.

Public hearings are scheduled for both of the districts tonight.

The council also will give notice of a Feb. 22 public hearing on changing a street name - from Teakettle Vista Place to 11th Avenue West.

They also will hold the second reading of an ordinance lifting a deed restriction on lots just north of Columbia Manor senior housing apartments, allowing more apartments to be built for the general population.

The council also will hear of a requested meeting between representatives of the city and county commissioners to extend planning jurisdiction boundaries to go one mile beyond new annexations on Vans Avenue and at Talbott Road and Third Avenue West.

The meeting beings at 7 p.m. in City Hall.