Thanks to a FEMA grant extension (approved until June 5, 2010), the Motley Fire Department will be able to purchase six new face masks.

The Motley City Council, at their regular meeting March 9, approved the purchase of these six masks from Fire Safety USA. Priced at $664 each, the total cost is $3,984.

Fire Chief Dave Greig reported that (due to what was previously budgeted) the fire dept. will only be able to purchase six masks at this time. The MFD plans to purchase two more masks at a later date.

The council also approved (with a stipulation) the MFD spending $575 to hire a grant writer, for the purpose of applying for another FEMA grant to purchase turnout gear.

Greig said he’s hoping to purchase $60,000 worth of turnout gear. However, FEMA will not replace anything that is less than seven years old, so council member Nancy Nieken (as part of the motion) asked that the fire department’s current gear be checked to make sure it meets age requirements before hiring the grant writer.

Greig mentioned that the MFD is in need of 20 turnout gear sets, each costing approximately $3,000.

In other matters, the council:

o HEARD concerns from Fire Chief Greig that there are firefighters on leave of absence who have not returned city property (i.e. pagers). He wondered if the MFD needed to add something to its by-laws to address this situation (requiring firefighters to return all city property if they are on a leave of absence). After some discussion, the council felt that this is something that should be adopted in the city’s personnel policy manual to cover all city departments.

o APPROVED a motion to purchase tables and chairs for city hall from Suite Spaces in Baxter, as presented by council member Rob Sampson, who was on the committee assigned to this project. The total cost for these items (60 fold- ing chairs and 11 table bases - two table tops of one size and nine of another) is approximately $4,440. Sampson explained that the committee received three different quotes, with two being similar.

o ACCEPTED a bid for $5,150 from the City of Gonvick, for the city’s 1979 International truck (the old #3 firetruck).

o HEARD monthly report from Utilities Supervisor Wayne Barros, which included an update on the city’s wastewater ponds. In February, the wastewater treatment plant exceeded CBOD; but they did not exceed TSS.

Barros also mentioned that there is some confusion in regard to the lift station located near the school. According to information that was found in that lift station, Barros said, the city is to maintain the lift station and bill the school. The lift station services the school and two city residences.

In 2007, the city billed the school for $9,621. It has still not been paid.

Barros said, in a later phone conversation, that they are trying to resolve the situation. “We want to be realistic for both sides. We’ve got a good working relationship with the school and we want to keep it.”

o HEARD monthly report from Police Chief Brian Madison, who mentioned that February was another extremely busy month for the MPD.

Chief Madison also informed the council that Maintenance Assistant Bruce Brotheron had recently fixed the 2001 Crown Vic squad car for approximately $345. Madison said he felt the car was good as a back-up car; but that he wouldn’t want to get into a pursuit with it.

The council had previously approved purchasing tires for the Crown Vic from OK Tires and having them put on at Motley Muffler. Chief Madison would like to have that done soon.

The Charger also needs new tires, Chief Madison said. He will get quotes for those and get back to the council later.

o PASSED an ordinance amendment (#153.05), as presented by Ben Oleson, Community Growth Institute Planner, regarding:

o Use of non-conforming lots; and

o Non-conforming structures and uses.

o Conservation-designed conditions on permits and approvals

o Setting up escrow accounts for plats.

The first two are both state-mandated changes; and their effect is to make it easier for landowners to build on nonconforming lots and to at least replace non-conforming structures. Some of these changes applied only in shoreland and some applied everywhere. For consistency sake, the city decided to just make them apply everywhere.

The amendments having to do with conservation designed conditions and escrow accounts for plats were specifically authorized by the state statute changes, but not required of local governments. The City of Motley chose to put this authorization into their own ordinance. It doesn’t mean they have to impose such conditions or require escrow accounts, but it lets them do it if it is appropriate.

The council also approved (as part of the same motion) zoning map amendments.