Rehberg will seek earmark for Superior fire hall
by Mark Hebert
A guided tour for Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg through Superior’s ramshackle fire hall last month has turned into a possibility for federal funding for a new facility. “We do now have conformation that there is an earmark request in for us,” Fire Chief John Woodland said at Monday night’s Superior town council meeting. “We are also working on the CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) application.”
Woodland said that given a choice the earmark--a Congressional appropriation directing approved funds to specific projects--would allow for more funds. He said the CDBG requires a 25 percent match; it would cost Superior $112,500 to get $450,000.
“If the earmark deal comes through we are much better off going in that direction,” said Woodland. “It’s basically for twice the amount of money. What we are looking at getting from the CDBG grant is the bare minimum.”
Woodland said land purchased for the new fire hall wouldn’t be eligible for the matching portion of the CDBG.
Town Clerk Brenda Schneider said between the fire department capital fund and the town’s general fund, the $112,500 for the 25 percent match would be available. But, she added, there wouldn’t be much left afterwards.
“We definitely don’t want to drag our feet on this,” said Superior Mayor Michael Wood. “I’m sure that $112,500 is possible.”
Superior Town Clerk Brenda Schneider agreed stating that the town’s funds would be low for a little while, but added that the town has been in that situation before.
In other Superior Fire news, Robert Ireland, who has been a volunteer on the department for at least the last 20 years, was forced to step down from Superior Fire as “someone in Helena has concluded that Robert has unsupervised contact with children under 18” as a result of his position with the fire department.
A letter to the editor in April, 2007 asked that Ireland not be allowed to volunteer with the fire department because he was convicted of sexual assault and is currently a registered sexual offender.
Woodland refused to take action against the volunteer, stating that he had no legal authority to do so. “Robert's activities on the Superior Volunteer Fire Department do not violate any conditions imposed in connection with his release,” he wrote. “I will not take it upon myself to deny him this opportunity to contribute to his community if the legislature and court system did not deem it appropriate to do so. I will not act as judge and jury, placing myself above the legal system.”
Chief Woodland’s report also stated that the department had only one incident to report from March, a fire under an eastbound I-90 bridge. Woodland’s report stated that the fire--a campfire--was started by a transient who took up lodging underneath the overpass.
In other news, Mineral County Justice Court Judge Wanda James said that Mineral County Justice Court recently had Virtual Cashier installed in her offices so that people needing to pay fines in the area can now do so with a debit or credit card.
Superior Public Works Supervisor Roger Wasley said the Superior community pool will start to get its spring cleaning around the first of May. Schneider said that the town has received a few applications for the open pool manager position and that three pool employees are currently taking life guard training in Missoula.
Wasley said also said that street sweeping is underway in Superior and has been for the last three weeks. He said that people often comment that the street sweeper used in removing sand from the town’s street “doesn’t do anything,” but he disagreed.
“If you go in before and after and you look, it sucks right down to the asphalt,” he said.
He also said that street sweeper recently had its internal computer go out. Public Works employee Tony Lapinski had to rewire and bypass the computer and now the sweeper is running off three toggle switches. Wasley added that a call is out to try and find a working computer from an older sweeper, but until then Lapinski will make do and get the job done.
“He’s an amazing guy,” commented Mayor Wood. “We wouldn’t have a street sweeper right now if it wasn’t for him.”
“No, but we would have a lot of complaints about dust,” added Schneider.
Wasley also said that the potholes on Fourth Avenue in Superior would be the next project to get attention as soon as he was done cleaning the parks or Lapinski got done sweeping the streets.
“We were fortunate and had a break (in the weather) in February or March and got some of them done,” said Wasley. “But there are still quite a few.”
On Monday, Old School House owner Mariah Derhaag requested an extension of 60 days to consider what to do with the property in front of the Old School. At March’s meeting, Derhaag and the town council discussed deeding the front of the property to the town as a park so that the town could water and maintain the area. As a condition of purchase, she had been required to cap a well on the property. That well had been used to water the lawn and the trees that line River Street.
###
A guided tour for Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg through Superior’s ramshackle fire hall last month has turned into a possibility for federal funding for a new facility. “We do now have conformation that there is an earmark request in for us,” Fire Chief John Woodland said at Monday night’s Superior town council meeting. “We are also working on the CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) application.”
Woodland said that given a choice the earmark--a Congressional appropriation directing approved funds to specific projects--would allow for more funds. He said the CDBG requires a 25 percent match; it would cost Superior $112,500 to get $450,000.
“If the earmark deal comes through we are much better off going in that direction,” said Woodland. “It’s basically for twice the amount of money. What we are looking at getting from the CDBG grant is the bare minimum.”
Woodland said land purchased for the new fire hall wouldn’t be eligible for the matching portion of the CDBG.
Town Clerk Brenda Schneider said between the fire department capital fund and the town’s general fund, the $112,500 for the 25 percent match would be available. But, she added, there wouldn’t be much left afterwards.
“We definitely don’t want to drag our feet on this,” said Superior Mayor Michael Wood. “I’m sure that $112,500 is possible.”
Superior Town Clerk Brenda Schneider agreed stating that the town’s funds would be low for a little while, but added that the town has been in that situation before.
In other Superior Fire news, Robert Ireland, who has been a volunteer on the department for at least the last 20 years, was forced to step down from Superior Fire as “someone in Helena has concluded that Robert has unsupervised contact with children under 18” as a result of his position with the fire department.
A letter to the editor in April, 2007 asked that Ireland not be allowed to volunteer with the fire department because he was convicted of sexual assault and is currently a registered sexual offender.
Woodland refused to take action against the volunteer, stating that he had no legal authority to do so. “Robert's activities on the Superior Volunteer Fire Department do not violate any conditions imposed in connection with his release,” he wrote. “I will not take it upon myself to deny him this opportunity to contribute to his community if the legislature and court system did not deem it appropriate to do so. I will not act as judge and jury, placing myself above the legal system.”
Chief Woodland’s report also stated that the department had only one incident to report from March, a fire under an eastbound I-90 bridge. Woodland’s report stated that the fire--a campfire--was started by a transient who took up lodging underneath the overpass.
In other news, Mineral County Justice Court Judge Wanda James said that Mineral County Justice Court recently had Virtual Cashier installed in her offices so that people needing to pay fines in the area can now do so with a debit or credit card.
Superior Public Works Supervisor Roger Wasley said the Superior community pool will start to get its spring cleaning around the first of May. Schneider said that the town has received a few applications for the open pool manager position and that three pool employees are currently taking life guard training in Missoula.
Wasley said also said that street sweeping is underway in Superior and has been for the last three weeks. He said that people often comment that the street sweeper used in removing sand from the town’s street “doesn’t do anything,” but he disagreed.
“If you go in before and after and you look, it sucks right down to the asphalt,” he said.
He also said that street sweeper recently had its internal computer go out. Public Works employee Tony Lapinski had to rewire and bypass the computer and now the sweeper is running off three toggle switches. Wasley added that a call is out to try and find a working computer from an older sweeper, but until then Lapinski will make do and get the job done.
“He’s an amazing guy,” commented Mayor Wood. “We wouldn’t have a street sweeper right now if it wasn’t for him.”
“No, but we would have a lot of complaints about dust,” added Schneider.
Wasley also said that the potholes on Fourth Avenue in Superior would be the next project to get attention as soon as he was done cleaning the parks or Lapinski got done sweeping the streets.
“We were fortunate and had a break (in the weather) in February or March and got some of them done,” said Wasley. “But there are still quite a few.”
On Monday, Old School House owner Mariah Derhaag requested an extension of 60 days to consider what to do with the property in front of the Old School. At March’s meeting, Derhaag and the town council discussed deeding the front of the property to the town as a park so that the town could water and maintain the area. As a condition of purchase, she had been required to cap a well on the property. That well had been used to water the lawn and the trees that line River Street.
###