At its January 17 meeting, the Hamilton City Council held a public hearing and approved on first reading a change in the Municipal Code to address leaves and other debris being swept into the city right of way. The amended ordinance would prohibit it.
Public Works Director Keith Smith told the council that last fall he warned a few people who were blowing their leaves off their property onto the street for the city maintenance people to deal with that it was not legal and warned them to stop. Back at the office upon researching the codes, however, he could not find anything that actually prohibited it.
The council voted unanimously to add the prohibition to the city code.
The council also officially signed off on a contract with Montana Department of Commerce, an assistance agreement with GlaxoSmithKline and a sub-recipient agreement with the Ravalli County Economic Development Authority enabling a $240,000 grant from the Big Sky Trust Fund for job creation.
The grant was announced last July 26, but the contracts and agreements enable the grant funding to proceed. It is a one to one matching grant to GlaxoSmithKline to purchase manufacturing equipment that will lead to the creation of new jobs. That means the company will contribute a matching $240,000. According to Julie Foster of RCEDA, the grant money is predicated upon the company producing an additional 32 jobs over the next two years. The jobs must pay a minimum of $14 per hour and involve at least 35 hours per week per position.
In other business the council appointed Darwin Ernst to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a three-year term ending in February 2015; reappointed Velda Vial to the Park Board for a two-year term ending February 2014; appointed Michael McKee to the Park Board with a term ending February 2013; and appointed Doreen Pierson to the Park Board as an ex-officio member with a term ending February 2013.
The meeting scheduled for November 6, 2012 was changed to Wednesday, November 7, due to Election Day.