ST. IGNATIUS — The St. Ignatius Town Council unanimously ratified the appointment of Shay Clairmont as chief of police following last month’s meeting controversy. P.D. Van Hoose, former police chief, resigned from the police force effective Oct. 6.

The council also formally adopted resolution 374 changing the water rate charges for users of the St. Ignatius water system during its regular meeting last week.

The adoption, which raises the base rate from $16 to $20 for the lowest users, is not without protest from some St. Ignatius residents.

Bernie Lovell, a resident of St. Ignatius, said that for her, and others like her on a fixed income, the increase was not feasible.

“I don’t know where I’m going to get the money. You don’t realize that I just don’t have it,” she said to the council.

Mayor Charley Gariepy said, “None of us are happy about it, but it needs to happen.”

Councilmember Ray Jensen said he wasn’t happy he had to vote for it, but didn’t see any other way.

“It’s either this or this town is going to be gone. We have to get our water system in compliance with the state,” he said.

The extra revenue generated from the increase will fund a new water system for the town of St. Ignatius. The increases are as follows:

SVC Line Size    Multiplier    Base rate    Water in base

3/4 inch        1        $20.00    7,000 gallons

1 inch        1.7        $34.00    12,000 gallons

1.5 inch        4        $80.00    28,000 gallons

2 inch        7        $140.00    49,000 gallons

A burn ordinance was changed to agree with other county agencies. Where the ordinance previously said it was legal to burn during the months of September and October, the council changed the order to October and November which is the same as county and tribal rules.