Ronan Council signals intention to buy MREC property
BERL TISKUS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 6 months AGO
Reporter Berl Tiskus joined the Lake County Leader team in early March 2023, and covers Ronan City Council, schools, ag and business. Berl grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and earned a degree in English education from MSU-Billings and a degree in elementary education from the University of Montana. Since moving to Polson three decades ago, she’s worked as a substitute teacher, a reporter for the Valley Journal and a secretary for Lake County Extension. | April 4, 2024 12:00 AM
Kim Aipperspach and Mike Bartel, representing Ronan Pioneer Days, returned to Ronan City Council March 27 to continue a discussion of the Mission Range Event Center land.
At the March 13 meeting, the council had agreed to purchase the MREC land from Lake County and then lease the ground to Pioneer Days. A meeting with the Lake County Commissioners on March 18 ended with the commissioners asking for a letter of intent from the City of Ronan.
Aipperspach brought a buy/sell agreement to the meeting for Mayor Chris Adler to sign. After volleying the issue back and forth, and consulting Ronan City Attorney Ben Ancieaux, the buy/sell remained unsigned.
On March 28, Adler and Ronan City Clerk and Treasurer Kaylene Melton prepared a letter of intent to go to the commissioners, along with the unsigned agreement.
In other business, council members approved The Pheasant’s open container application for a beer garden at the ChainSaw Carvers’s event in June at the Lake County Fairgrounds. It’s a four-day event instead of the usual three days.
The council raised the price from $35 to $100 for the extra days.
Council members also gave preliminary approval to the Jake Jannsen subdivision. The Norgaard subdivision has been dropped.
Dan Miller, Ronan’s director of Public Works, discussed House Bill 355 which was passed by the 2023 Montana legislature and established the State-Local Infrastructure Partnership Act (SLIPA).
Members passed a resolution to use SLIPA funds for the city’s water projects and to fund the cash match that the program requires local governments to contribute.
The next meeting will be held April 10 at 6 p.m.
ARTICLES BY BERL TISKUS
Ronan City Council accepts conditional loans and grants for $9.7 million wastewater project
The agenda of the Sept. 21 Ronan City Council meeting presented on completing the steps for the Rural Development grants and loans for the Ronan Wastewater Treatment Facility improvements. Council members met online with Steve Troendle, USDA Montana State Community Facilitator of Water & Environmental. Other personnel from the state office were also in attendance and Ronan city attorney Clif Hayden.
A course, a certificate, a career path: SKC has something for every student
Salish Kootenai College began its fall quarter on Sept. 15, although some students are still completing registration. The school usually has between 650 and 700 students.
Mission Mountain Pedal to Plate cyclists pedaled Charlo, St. Ignatius this year
The sky dawned grey with slightly cloudy conditions on Saturday, Sept. 19, but turned into a crisp, sunny fall day. That was just what the 175 Mission Mountain Area Pedal to Plate cyclists were looking for — a stunning day to enjoy cycling on backroads near St. Ignatius and Charlo, with the Mission Mountains to the east.