PONDERAY — The City Council voted unanimously to pursue the federal BUILD grant at its meeting Monday evening.

The city will be paying Welch Comer, a regional engineering firm, just over $23,000 to prepare the grant application. As part of the grant application, KayLeigh Miller, the planning director for Ponderay, said the firm will also be updating the city’s cost benefit analysis. 

“To stay consistent with our grants and stay eligible we need to make sure that is always up to date,” Miller said about the cost benefit analysis. “The grant is due in January, so we’ll be moving right along in that process.”  

The grant is given by the federal Department of Transportation and focuses on providing funds for surface transportation infrastructure projects that have a significant local impact. The city received the BUILD grant in 2020 for its lakeshore connection project. 

At the short meeting, the Ponderay Police Department announced a promotion for Trey Robillard. The detective corporal was promoted to sergeant because of his tireless effort and ability to adapt to what the department needs, Ponderay Police Chief Joseph Kaufmann said. 

“You guys probably know him as a hard worker because you see the stats, and the larger numbers are usually next to his name,” Kaufmann said. “He’s a great teammate; he has a wealth of knowledge for all the guys ... one word I hear pretty much every recruit say about him is ‘amazing.’” 

Kaufmann announced at the meeting that the property manager of the Bonner Mall said they will work to replace the stop signs throughout the property. He also said he’ll be driving the Ponderay PD’s new squad car down to Spokane to get it equipped for service and that it should be on the street soon. 

In addition to a decision to pursue the grant, the council also approved four liquor licenses for Flavors of Phenicia, Sand Creek Schweitzer Conoco, Sweet Lou’s Restaurant and Bar and the Springhill Suites Sandpoint. 

The council is scheduled to hold its final meeting of the year Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. at Ponderay City Hall.