Brekke again council president

Andrew Brekke, starting his third term on Havre City Council, is now starting his second term as council president.

Without a word of dissent, Brekke was re-elected to the post Monday night, which puts him first in the line of succession behind Mayor Tim Solomon.

Brekke laughingly said he expected that Solomon would retain his present policy of rarely leaving the city, so the job should entail little work.

As president, Brekke will represent the council at various functions.

Two years ago, Brekke was elected when Solomon broke a 4-4 party-line tie vote. Democrats voted for council member Allen "Woody" Woodwick, while the four Republicans backed Brekke. Solomon broke with his party and cast the tie-breaking vote for Brekke.

Since then, voters have decided to eliminate partisan elections.

Also, at the first council meeting of the year:

• Fire Chief Tim Hedges called 2005 "a very good year for the fire department."

The department responded to 1,065 emergency medical calls last year, compared to 1,076 in 2014.

Firefighters were summoned to 181 fire calls during 2015, compared to 199 the year before.

The 181 fire calls resulted in a property loss of $191,000, he said. An estimated $2 million in property value was saved.

• Council member Terry Lilletvedt, a supporter of the proposals to reconstruct city streets, said she didn't mean to push the matter, but questioned Streets and Sidewalks Committee Chair Matthew Boucher as to when his committee would begin study street repair proposals that might go on this year's ballot.

Boucher said he would call a committee meeting soon.

• The session was the first meeting for two newly elected council members, Ed Matter of Ward 1 and Caleb Hutchins of Ward 3.