Chinook City Council holds special meeting, begins review for new budget

Steve Edwards

BCJ News

The Chinook City Council held a special meeting on the evening of Wednesday, June 22. Council began building the agenda for a special meeting during its regular June meeting earlier in the month. Much of the recent special meeting was devoted to discussions about the 2016-2017 city budget. That final budget will be approved later in the summer.

Mayor Keith Hanson called the special meeting to order. All council members were present: Mitch Haider; Robert Smith and Clint Greytak. One council seat is still vacant after the resignation of Chris Thurman who moved from the area.

Council reviewed some 20 claims for payment remaining from the regular June meeting. After review and discussion, the claims were motioned and approved. Mayor Hanson then read Resolution 808, a resolution affirming the council’s desire to continue a relationship with Bear Paw Development Corporation (BPDC), a Havre-based group that provides grant writing services and helps find funding for city projects and programs. The resolution also pledged $6250 for the annual portion of Chinook’s matching funds to support BPDC. Resolution was motioned and approved.

The Council began budget discussions by reviewing a preliminary budget report. That document contained information, for comparison, about various city accounts and expenditures from last year. As part of the preliminary budget document, city department heads submitted regular operating budget requests plus costs for projects they anticipate during the coming budget year.

During the budget discussion Sheriff Glenn Huestis was invited to speak about the need to replace the existing crime reporting system—a system currently shared by the city and county. Huestis explained the state, which requires the statistical reporting, will be going to a new system and the city and Blaine County need a system that can better meet those new requirements.

The desired crime reporting system has an initial cost of $133,000 and Chinook, Blaine County and the 911 group would split that initial cost in some way. Huestis said these statistics, first reported at the local level, then reported to the state, eventually are used by federal agencies for various grant decisions and legislation needs. Council thanked the sheriff for bringing the information forward during the budgeting process.

Sheriff Huestis also commented on a city ordinance that gives the city primary jurisdiction over a five-mile radius around Chinook. Police Chief Elmer Zarn gave some background as to why the city council passed the ordinance in 2008. Council referred the review of the ordinance to the ordinance review committee and asked that committee to make a recommendation to the council for action.

Council discussed wage/salary increases for city employees under the new budget. Several worksheets showed scenarios of how different pay increases would affect employees’ pay levels and the overall budget. There was discussion about revamping the city’s pay scale to better reward longevity and help assure employee retention. Council decided that restructuring the pay program needed to be done during the coming year. Council motioned and approved a 1.5% pay increase across the board with appropriate certification bonuses (for employees who achieve job-required professional licenses or certifications during the year) plus the existing longevity increases.

During the regular June meeting there was discussion about the ‘disincentive’ for hiring lifeguards and pool staff because of the cost to applicants for required certifications to work at the pool. Mayor Hanson said at that meeting he would like to see a way for the city to shoulder some of the cost of the certifications to make summer employment more attractive. The mayor reported he had discussions with a trainer who could perform the necessary classes and certify potential summer employees. Council agreed that starting the recruiting process earlier would make the hiring of summer pool employees go smoother.

A decision on a recommendation to buy tank tops for the current summer lifeguards was postponed last meeting. Council motioned and approved buying the tops as requested by the pool manager. Council then heard a recommendation to approve a new firefighter for the Chinook Volunteer Fire Department. Council motioned and approved William Robb, of the Cleveland area, as a firefighter with the Chinook Volunteer Fire Department.

Motion to adjourn was approved. Chinook Council will meet Monday, July 11 at 7 pm at the council chambers in city hall.