Council reviews growth policy, hears report on dam tests
by Kootenai Valley Record
October 14, 2010
A draft growth policy aimed at replacing the city of Libby's 1972 comprehensive plan was presented last week to the city council for review and eventual adoption.
The council took no formal action at last Monday night's meeting but received a briefing on the plan from county planning director Kristin Smith, who has been working on the project with the city's planning board since last spring. Planning board members present at a Sept. 16 meeting unanimously approved the draft, Smith said.
The largest portion of the plan is an overview of the current state of the city - "What is Libby like today, since it obviously isn't what it was like in 1972," Smith said.
The plan also sets objectives for the next 20 years.
"It's not a perfect picture," Smith said. "Nobody has a crystal ball."
An "overarching theme" throughout the plan is the need to improve Libby's image, which has been tarnished by publicity surrounding asbestos contamination associated with W.R. Grace's defunct vermiculite mine, Smith said.
Councilwoman Robin Benson said she appreciated the plan's attention to the need for the city to work together with other local, state and federal government entities, along with private organizations such as the Libby Area Chamber of Commerce, to promote Libby's future.
"All of these organizations, we all have a common interest in bettering the community," she said.
In other business, the council:
- Received a report from city administrator Jim Hammons on a project to test the integrity of the concrete of the city's Flower Creek dam. Core samples have been taken and sent to a laboratory for analysis, with results expected in four to six weeks, Hammons said. Concrete from the original construction of the dam in 1946 showed variations, with some samples appearing well-bonded and sound with high abrasion resistance while other samples showed cracking and poor bonding with low resistance to abrasion, he said. The core drilling was prompted by inspection last fall that indicated some seepage from the dam, Hammons said. Such inspections are required every five years, he said. "We really don't know anything about how sound the dam is or the integrity of the concrete until we get those samples back," Hammons said.
- Heard about plans for a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Libby Volunteer Fire Department scheduled for next summer. An event is being planned for July 9, 2011, with the unveiling of a bronze monument near the Libby Area Chamber of Commerce visitor center followed by a parade through downtown Libby and a donkey baseball game at J. Neils Park. The fire department is currently working with Libby sculptor Scott Lennard on the monument project and is beginning an effort to raise funds for its construction, said LVFD Assistant Chief Steve Lauer. The county has committed $10,000, and the department is asking for a matching donation from the city, Lauer said. Donations are also being sought from local businesses, and fundraisers are being planned. The monument is being budgeted at $25,000 to $40,000, Lauer said.
The council took no action on the funding request, but Mayor Doug Roll expressed support.
"It sounds like a heck of a deal," Roll said.
________________________________________
Editor's Note: See the October 12, 2010 edition of the Kootenai Valley Record for the printed version of this story. The Kootenai Valley Record publishes once a week, on Tuesdays, in Libby, Montana. They are a locally owned community newspaper, located at 403 Mineral Avenue in Libby. For in-county and out-of-county subscription information, call 406-293-2424, or e-mail kvrecord@gmail.com.
|
