| Cottonwood
City Council meets
The Cottonwood City Council passed an ordinance giving them some flexibility for utility rates for special situations at their regular August meeting Monday, August 13. The text of the ordinance is elsewhere in this week’s Chronicle. It was developed in answer to the American Legion’s concern over having to pay full rates despite their building being used only a couple times a month. The council spent considerable time discussing a sewer/water hookup problem. A couple had purchased a piece of undeveloped property in town with an eye toward putting a doublewide trailer on it. According to their letter to the city they were told by the owner that getting sewer and water wouldn’t be any problem. Once the property was purchased they found out from city public works superintendent Roy Uhlenkott that it wasn’t that easy. The owners requested permission to look into a septic tank. Mayor Denis Duman said that he didn’t think he or the council wanted to open up that possibility. City attorney Joe Wright informed the council that their municipal code requires hookup if services are available within 200 feet. Apparently the location doesn’t lend itself to a gravity flow to the nearest line. The council also didn’t want to do something piecemeal for one property owner because what happens if some of the other property in that area gets developed? Then you wind up with problems like they’re running into elsewhere in town when something was installed for one property and then later on others came along. The council decided to throw the ball back into the property owner’s court for them to look into their options. In other business Chance LaRue, who owns a mobile home in the trailer court questioned the necessity for a building permit and the associated fees for an addition he’s building onto his mobile home. He stated Idaho County doesn’t require building permits. Mayor Duman informed LaRue he’s in the city of Cottonwood, which does require building permits even if the county itself does not. Busdastublup put in a request to allow blocking off the parking areas and a lane of traffic on Main Street for an event they have coming up on August 25. The council voted to allow blocking off the parking area from King Street to State Street but said to get the lane of traffic blocked they would need to talk to the Idaho Transportation Dept. as that part of Main St. is still a state highway. Police Chief Terry Cochran said he could provide the proper forms and get them in touch with ITD. In the water report Jay Hinterlong said they pumped 7.9 million gallons of water in July with nearly all of it being sold indicating little or no leakage losses. He said despite the heavy pumping due to the hot, dry weather, that the water levels are holding up very well in the wells. Jack Duman reported the dust oiling went very well on the streets and seems to be holding up very well. They sealcoated several streets and wants to let people know there was a method to which streets got picked. He said some streets in poor condition didn’t get it because he felt it wasn’t worth the money to sealcoat those streets. One street got only half done because they ran out of oil. He reported they are also repainting crosswalks and some sidewalk repair was done as they get ready for school to start. Shelli Schumacher reported a crew of prisoners was in town working at the park and in the Centennial Garden doing some weeding and cleanup. They also put a concrete bench at the garden and another at the Baptist Church. Mayor Duman asked about dumpsters at the park for the Fair. Uhlenkott asked if they could take the ones at the ballfields up to the park for the Fair. The council said go ahead. In the fire department report Mayor Duman said they had quite a field fire at Gary Crea’s that got the Dept. of Lands involved. He also invited the council to the firemen’s breakfast Saturday, August 18, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the department. They will also have an open house at the fire station that day. In the Planning & Zoning report Jack Duman said the only item of business was the Verizon cell tower request. The height variance and conditional use permit were okayed by P & Z and there will be a public hearing on the matter August 27 at a special council meeting. An amended 2006-07 budget was approved as was the proposed 2008 budget. Public hearings on both budgets are set for August 27. In the final business of the night a catering permit request by Busdastublup for a beergarden in the park during the Fair was approved. The council meeting adjourned at 8:58 p.m. The next regular meeting is Monday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. with a special meeting set for Monday, August 27 at 7 p.m. |
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