Mayor Ryan Corum told the Ronan City Council at its meeting Feb. 11 that U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke’s staffers, John Bockmeyer and Steve Hauk, came through town recently and asked the mayor if Ronan had any projects it needed help with.

Corum told them about issues with the community's sewer treatment plant, and has since sent an informational letter to Zinke’s Kalispell office, which forwarded the request to Washington, D.C.

According to Ronan Public Works Director Dan Miller, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued regulations regarding the removal of ammonia from wastewater discharges. While the sewer lagoon typically meets those standards, it tends to fall short during the colder months. The fix, he said, would cost an estimated $11 million – a sizeable amount for a small town.

“We’ve secured some of the funding and we’re working on securing the rest,” he said. “That’s the purpose of talking to our congressional delegation. We’re trying to do this without raising rates, or with a minimal increase.”

The future of a new pawn shop on Round Butte Road remains in limbo, pending the resolution of parking issues. Miller told the council that the Board of Adjustment has recommended that the council approve a zoning variance for the shop, which would be located in an area zoned mixed commercial/residential, if the owners can come up with a parking plan.

The pawn shop would be located next to a coffee shop where parking is already an issue, with customers often obstructing the walking path when they pick up beverages. The pawn shop owners are supposed to present the parking plan during a public meeting at 6 p.m. March 11.

The council also discussed the old Second Circle building, which the Tribes plan to tear down. They’ve changed their rebuilding plan to two duplexes, which the property is zoned for. The duplexes will provide housing for engineers working for the Tribes.

Miller reported that the Department of Environmental Quality shut down Ronan’s surface water plant on Middle Crow Creek because of problems with monitoring chlorine. H2O, the company that the city hired for filtration, will be in Ronan on March 4, and Miller hopes with H20’s help the plant will be up and running again by the end of March.

In a separate interview, Miller explained that DEQ wants the city to monitor chlorine differently at its Crow Creek plant. “We’re working on complying,” he said.

Meanwhile, the city is relying on its two 600-gallon-per-minute wells to provide residents with safe drinking water.

Council members also heard and discussed Jamie Erbacher’s request to vacate a portion of the alley east of 1st Ave. SW for Ace Hardware’s business expansion. The request was approved unanimously.

Karl Sutton presented information to the council on Mission West Community Development Partners’ Brownfields Community-Wide Assessment Program, funded by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. The program provides landowners with environmental assessments and cleanup planning in Lake, Sanders and Mineral counties.

Typical brownfield properties, often contaminated with petroleum or other hazardous wastes, can include old gas stations, auto repair shops, landfills, herbicide/pesticide facilities, abandoned mines or buildings containing asbestos or lead-based paints.

According to a flyer passed out at the meeting, fear of environmental costs can cause owners to avoid developing problematic properties. Landowners with issues like these can now call Mission West CDP at 406-676-5901 and ask for the brownfields program manager or go to missionwestcdp.org/brownfields.

Council members discussed the program, which aims to develop an inventory of potential and existing brownfields for future environmental assessments, clean up and redevelopment.

In other business:

• The council approved Janet Camel’s request for the city to forgive $423 in water fees since October 2025 for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe’s new meat processing plant.

Camel, CSKT planning director, said the plant will begin start-up equipment testing in March.

• The council approved an application for an open container permit for Mission Valley Pheasants Forever’s annual fundraising banquet April 25 at the Ronan Community Center.

• They also approved an application for an open container permit and street closure for the Ronan Co-op Brewery for and Ice House Rendezvous on Feb. 27 from 4 to 9 p.m. Street closure would be 4th Ave. SW from Main Street to the alley.

The council’s next meeting will be Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. at Ronan City Hall.