June 4 meeting reviews 2025 budget and capital plan, flags $163,000 road funding and $50,000 well decommissioning estimate

At a June 4, 2025 meeting, the Chair and committee members reviewed Resolution 2025-01, the town's proposed 2025 budget and capital improvements plan, which includes a $163,000 line for street maintenance contingent on funding from Transwest and a contracted requirement to decommission two wells by April 2027 with an estimated cost of $50,000.

The Chair said the $163,000 entry for street and operation maintenance assumes Transwest will deliver funds in August; members emphasized the town should not spend contingent funds before they are received. "But, again, don't spend it until we have it," the Chair said, noting projects must be on this year's budget to be eligible for work in 2025 or 2026.

Committee members discussed construction timing and procurement. Members noted chip sealing and similar roadwork are seasonal and typically performed in summer; if schedules slip or the contractor delays, bidding should be planned for early spring or early summer next year rather than cold months when chip seal is impractical. The Chair said county officials are involved in the road work and that Joe Tibbets is expected to attend the July meeting to present the contractor's plan and timing.

Several other capital items were discussed. The Chair proposed increasing park/gym finish upgrades from $2,700 to $5,000 to cover flooring, paint and related work. Planning and zoning was quoted to digitize ordinances and records for $2,500; the board discussed budgeting up to $4,000 as a maximum estimate to ensure full coverage if costs run higher. The Clerk noted quotes from vendors described in the transcript as Sunrise and Jones; Sunrise was said to already have some records digitized.

The Chair said a potential grant was discussed, with the amount referenced in the meeting as approximately $41,250; if awarded, the grant could fund an additional capital project, but the Chair said the budget additions are constrained by currently unknown reserve balances. "We won't get that until they finish," one member said of the outside funding, and members asked staff to confirm reserve account balances before committing funds.

A committee member described a contractual obligation to fully decommission two wells by April 2027, including plugging and removing above-ground equipment; the member provided an estimate of $50,000 for the work and described one well as roughly 16 inches in diameter and 740 feet deep and the other as about 10 inches and 400 feet deep. The member said they did not plan to include that cost in the current capital list because other projects (roads, waterline work) would already stretch the budget.

Other infrastructure items noted included a proposal to replace the park's water meter with a sprinkler meter at an estimated $3,500 because the current meter is old, hard to read and not radio-read. Members also raised the possibility that leftover funds from a new pump house grant might allow replacement of a 10-inch valve; staff (Jess) was asked to check grant proceeds to determine whether money remains for valve repairs.

At the close of the discussion, the Clerk moved to close the public hearing on the budget and road location; the Chair seconded. The transcript records the motion and second but does not record a vote or final outcome. The Chair also noted that the applicant for the Christie Bunker Road vacation ordinance was not present and that the ordinance had been returned previously because of a technical wording error.

Next steps noted in the meeting: staff will confirm reserve account balances and grant awards, Joe Tibbets is expected to present contractor plans at the July meeting, and staff will follow up on whether Transwest funds are available before the town commits expenditures.