The Hamilton City Council has confirmed Police Chief Ryan Oster’s appointment of two new probationary police officers, Michael Neil and Joshua Scoggins. Neil has four years of experience working as a police officer in California. Oster said his background checked out well and his wife has already moved to the valley. Neil is also already certified and will not have to attend the Police Academy. According to Oster, about ten years ago Scoggins worked for about a year for the Montana Highway Patrol before quitting for personal reasons. He then returned to California where he joined the Air Force and served in Germany and Iraq. Upon return to the States, he worked for the Sheriff’s Office in Minot, North Dakota for three years. Scoggins is also certified and will not have to attend the Police Academy.
Oster also notified the Council that he has hired retired police officer Calvin Elliot as Code Enforcement Officer. That code enforcement officer is a civilian position which does not require council confirmation. Oster said that Elliot was “a good fit for that position.”
The Council also approved hiring a grant writer to apply for a state grant to procure GIS equipment that will allow the city to map its underground water and sewer lines. This would enable the city to locate the lines in case of emergency. The cost of writing the grant proposals is estimated at about $1,900.
Councilor Jenny West was re-elected unanimously to serve as Council President for 2016.
