City hears request to honor emergency responders

Dave Brewer of Havre said during the public comment portion of Havre City Council meeting Monday that the city should look into the possibility of flying the United States flag half-staff in honor of active or retired city firefighters, emergency medical technicians or police officers when they die.

"I think it would be really appropriate because, I know when I was here years ago, you get into some pretty dangerous situations whether you're in the fire department or you're just going on an ambulance call or the city police going wherever they've got to go," Brewer said. "You just never know what you'll find these days and so they put a lot of risk out there."

Brewer said that he recently attended a funeral for a service member and thought it would be an appropriate way to honor and recognize those who have served the city.

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon said that he likes the idea but would need to do some investigating to see what the city would be able to do.

"I think it's something worth looking at," he said.

The city also approved a fourth payment of $123,363.10 to Lakeside Excavation for the Bullhook Storm Drain Project.

Havre Public Works Director Dave Peterson said Lakeside is on the last segment of the project and, depending on the weather, should have the project concluded by the end of the month. He added that the recent snowfall in the area did postpone the project.

The council also approved an agreement with the Clear Creek Court Community that the city can send water testing to the state Department of Environmental Quality.

Peterson said that the agreement is similar to a previous agreement the city made with Montana State University-Northern, and the agreement was required by the state and federal government because the water system for the property has more than 11 service hookups. The agreement for Clear Creek would require the city to continue to conduct testing on the water systems, because it is part of the city's water system.

The agreement would not change how the city and Clear Creek would operate.

"We are not doing anything different," Peterson said.

Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich updated the council on the police department. He said that the department has a number of technical and mechanical improvements which will be taking place in the next following months. He said that the department is also making replacing a radio antenna as well as the cabling for the antenna. He added that the department is also going to be replacing the 911 center with the newest radio systems and mapping systems by the end of the month so radio and mapping systems will have next-generation 911 capabilities. 

The department is also looking to update its servers by the end of December and is looking for two new officers, he said. He added that a captain recently announced retiring after 30 years of service and the department is looking to fill the position.

Matosich said that the dispatch has also made some recent hires and are now at full staff.

The council set a Streets and Sidewalks Committee meeting for Monday at 7 p.m. to discuss special improvement districts.