City Council hears request on community garden

City Council heard a request Monday to try to improve the community garden in an attempt to bring more new gardeners in.

During the public comment portion of Monday’s council meeting, Havreite Dale Shulund asked if two trees could be cut down in the garden located near the S-curve between 10th Street and 11th Street by Montana State University-Northern.

Shulund said the trees are throwing patches of shade in which plants won’t grow, and said if the city would cut them down, he would build tables to set on top of the stumps.

He added that the users of the garden would like to build some smaller plots in which new gardeners could try it out. The people who use the garden now could help teach them to garden and can the produce, he said.

As many of the garden’s users get older and stop gardening there, younger people are not coming in to fill it up, Shulund said. He said the users want to bring in some new blood.

Council President Andrew Brekke said he would talk to Havre Parks and Recreation Department head Chris Inman about cutting them out.

Council member Denise Brewer said cutting the trees would probably be a good idea if they are hindering the growth of the garden.

In other business, the board approved assessing fees on two property owners’ property taxes to pay for the city cutting down nuisance growth on their property.

Under city ordinance, people must keep grass and weeds cut to less than 6 inches height. If the property owner is notified that the growth must be cut and does not do so, Havre Public Works cuts the growth and the property owner is charged. If the charge is not paid, the bill is attached to the owners’s next property taxes.

Council member Ed Matter asked how much the city charges for cutting the growth.

Public Works Director Dave Peterson said the standard charge is $150, but can be higher depending on how long it takes to cut the growth.

The council also approved a request from Friends of the Havre Animal Shelter to allow dogs on Pepin Park Saturday, Sept. 29, from 2 to 6 p.m. for a fundraiser.

Peterson told the council that work on the east Havre water tank has begun and is expected to be completed in November.