City Council Concludes Regular Meetings For 2023

The Glasgow City Council concluded their regular council meeting of 2023 on Dec. 18 in the Civic Center Council Chambers. The agenda included Mayor Karst performing oath of offices for three council members, recommendation to move forward on pull in diagonal parking on 2nd Ave. S and 3rd Street South, as well as approval to apply for the HB355 funding.

Mayor Karst started the meeting by performing the oath of office for council members Lisa Koski, Brian Austin and Butch Heitman, who will serve another four-year term on the City Council effective Jan. 1, 2024. Koski represents Ward 1, Heitman represents Ward 2 and Austin represents Ward 3. All three members terms will expire on Dec. 31, 2027.

After many meetings since the request was first brought up to the City Council in July, the Council voted to change from parallel parking to diagonal parking on 2nd Ave. S. and 3rd Street S., which will be effective Spring of 2024.

Drivers, business owners and pedestrians will see the biggest change on 2nd Ave. S., in downtown Glasgow where the south side, from Western Drug to the Glasgow Elks Club, will be pull-in diagonal parking while the north side will remain parallel parking. Diagonal parking will also be implemented on 3rd Street South from the Fire Hall down to the current bathhouse of the pool.

When the idea first came into fruition, it was discussed that back-in diagonal parking would be the safest option for residents, however when weighing the demographics of the area as well as the current landscape of downtown, the Council decided that pull-in parking would be the better option. "It was more ease, people are used to that. We have an elderly population and when you back in, people are going to back in - back tires will hit the curb, no matter what, its going to take out everything that is on the sidewalks," expressed Councilwoman Lisa Koski on the rationale behind moving forward with the pull-in diagonal parking.

Councilman Stan Ozark expressed concerns he had been hearing regarding the semis' ability to still drive through with this change in parking since 2nd Ave. S., is a designated truck route. According to Director of Public Works Paul Skubinna, with the current width of the paved surface available right now, the change to diagonal parking would still maintain the minimum truck route lane width. By transitioning from parallel parking to diagonal parking on the south side of 2nd Ave. S., it will also make room for additional parking spots on that side of the street.

With a motion made by Councilwoman Koski and Councilman Heitman, the Council unanimously approved the changes to the parking and the transition on both 2nd Ave S. and 3rd Street S. will start Spring 2024, weather permitting.

After discussing and prioritizing city projects at the Work Session on Dec. 11, the City Council unanimously approved to apply the HB355 funding in the amount of $241,283 and have it be put towards the Hall Terrace/Hurly Drive Project.

The State-Local Infrastructure Partnership Program is a state-funded program to help cities and towns fund the maintenance/repair of local government facilities on a partnership basis, with local governments supplying a cash match. This program was authorized during the 2023 legislative session via House Bill 355 (HB 355).

For the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, $20 million is appropriated from the general fund to the Montana Department of Commerce ("Commerce") to distribute funds as allocated to grant recipients awarded in compliance with HB 355 for eligible projects as recommended by each legislative body of a city or town.

The meeting was also comprised of regular business including approving consent agenda, reappointing Council member Heitman to the Planning Board for another four year term effective Jan. 1, 2024 and committee reports.

As a result of the January federal holidays falling on a Monday, the regular Council Meetings in January will be held Tuesday, Jan. 2 and Tuesday, Jan. 16. Agendas will be posted on The Glasgow Courier's Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/glasgowcourier when they become available.