POLSON – For the first time in its short three-month tenure, the Polson City Commission agreed with two of its most vocal critics in moving forward with a vote on whether to purchase an existing structure to build a sewage treatment plant instead of delaying the move to hold a workshop to obtain additional public input.
At issue was whether to purchase an empty 20,000-square-foot building, known as the Tamsco or Meridian Building, on the east side of Kerr Dam Road or to earmark an area across the street along the Flathead River already owned by the city and currently used for settling ponds for future construction of the plant.
But as compelling as the unanimous 7-0 vote against buying the vacant structure for $700,000 was the continued dialogue among the public at the meeting.
Extensive comparisons have been completed about the two possibilities, but some audience members encouraged commission members to take more time to discuss its options and raised the possibility of a workshop to discuss it further. But city commission meeting regulars, Rory Horning and Murat Kalinyaprak, who often are at odds with the commissioners, sided with the commission and bypass further public input.
“I don’t think there’s enough information to make that decision,” said Dennis Duty, a Polson developer, near the end of an extended and sometimes heated discussion. “I think a chance to discuss this would be time well spent.”
“I can really see no down side to having a workshop even if it puts it out another 30 days,” added Rick Smith, a Polson realtor. “We’ve waited years. Another month is kind of irrelevant.”
“It’s a big issue and it’s going to be with us for a long time,” said Tim McGinnis, another Polson realtor.
Commission members, who voted 6-1 against having a workshop, said three engineering studies and a myriad discussions have given them the information they needed to make a formal vote.
“I think tonight’s the night (to vote),” said Commissioner John Campbell.
While Horning initially said he favored more discussion, he changed his mind and recommended moving forward with a vote. Kalinyaprak first questioned how the public’s business can be conducted if such delays continually occur, then questioned why some audience members, specifically McGinnis, were attempting to thwart a vote – further raising the possibility of potential conflicting business relationships between those asking for a public workshop.
The location across the street from the Meridian Building has potential increased land value because it is river view property, which was described by Smith as “legacy property for the community,” But the commission’s decision hinged on uncertainty about the refitting costs for the existing building, which is about twice the anticipated needed size, versus the ability to set costs when starting from scratch.
“I don’t think that building is the best for the city’s application,” said Commissioner Judy Preston.