City of Townsend Council Meeting Minutes                                                                                    July 21, 2026

 Call to Order:  Mayor Rauser called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.  Council members in attendance are Angie Wintrow, Vivian Boaz, JB Howick, and Nate Brown.  Peter Simon called in absent, although he participated via phone for the first twenty minutes of the meeting.  Also in attendance are Nichole Simon, Shawn Simon, Doug Brekker, Shirley Wilson, Jim Domino, Jake Balliew, Jerry Davis, Sharon Davis, Britani Laughery, Lisa Ledaux, Eric Crusch, and Kari Williams.

Public Comment:  Mayor Rauser asked for any public comment on anything not on the agenda, but under the City’s jurisdiction.  (no comment)

Minutes from July 7, 2026:  JB made a motion to approve the minutes as presented.  Angie seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried. 

Current Agenda Items for Discussion & Decision:  

Shirley Wilson and Doug Brekker from Townsend Chamber of Commerce proposed adding an American flag to the water tower.  Council requested design and warranty review before decision. Council encouraged the Chamber to develop a design and consult with the contractor who painted the ‘Townsend Montana’ logo. They will work with Public Works Director, Eric, for additional information.

• Jim Domino from Broadwater Community Theater received conditional approval for the street dance event, pending insurance documentation. The event will take place on September 11^th from 5:30-9:00 p.m.  This will require a street closure on So Spruce Street from Broadway to B Street.  Six barricades were requested.  There will be a live band and food catered inside the Lodge by the Betsy. 
• Britani Laughery from MMIA gave a presentation on a property insurance quote.  JB made a motion to approve the property program agreement and resolution contingent on some minor details.  Vivian seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried.  Mayor Rauser read the resolution to be signed. Joining MMIA’s property insurance program will offer substantial savings and includes cyber and crime coverage at just $7.50 per employee. 
• Ordinance revisions for Titles I and II were referred back to committee for legal review because the city attorney advised against approving draft revisions to Titles I and II of the municipal code, citing significant legal concerns related to municipal law, penalties, public meetings, and statutory compliance. Council agreed to refer both titles back to committee for legal review and revisions before further consideration.
• SID appropriations were amended to transfer $16,300 in authority to the SID revolving fund. To align budget authority with cash distribution, the council approved transferring the total with the following breakdown:   $14,600 from the general fund, $1,137.50 from SID 5, and $562.50 from SID 6. This resolves Remaining funds in the revolving account may be used for future SIDs or transferred to the general fund at a later date.
• City Hall Copier Replacement: Staff evaluated bids from three different companies. Kelley’s quote was preferred due to lower cost and strong vendor service. Council approved replacing the city copier with Kelly Office Machines’ bid with a lease at $130.82/month for 63 months.
• Payroll Schedule Change:  After Mayor Rauser explained the idea of shifting from a twice monthly payroll to a biweekly payroll, Vivan made a motion to accept the change.  Angie seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried.  Going forward, the pay periods will end on Fridays and checks will be processed the following  Mondays. The change simplifies payroll processing and provides staff with predictable paydays. No additional cost to the city; however, adjustments will be made for payroll processing if a Monday falls on a holiday. 
• The pool committee recommended proceeding with repairs: a chlorinator ($5,400) and pump (up to $4,000), totaling under $10,000. The city plans to apply for a Community Trust Board grant funded by county property sale interest—non-public funds. County Commissioner Debi Randolph endorsed the application, increasing chances of approval.  JB made a motion to move forward with the grant application.  Angie seconded the motion.  Council approved the motion to proceed with planning and grant application.

Round Table

Public Comment:  Any matter not on the agenda but under the City’s jurisdiction.  (none)

Eric, Public Works:  Public Works will sweep chip seal remnants on South Pine, particularly near the school, and may enforce vehicle removal per ordinance.

Fire Chief, Shawn Simon, requested red paint to be sprayed on the curb at the fire hall apron to identify the No Parking areas more clearly on either side of the apron; Public Works will assess.

Fishtail Tavern sought to lower occupancy from 100 to 99 for rate purposes; fire code does not allow lowering occupancy unless a space is walled off. A letter was sent permitting the change under existing safety compliance.

Mayor Rauser:  The sheriff’s office intends to gift a surplus vehicle to the fire department; county commissioners must first approve disposal, then council will vote on acceptance. Insurance and title transfer will follow.

The compliance officer resigned effective the end of July; job announcement and recruitment will begin.

Animal control ordinance update delayed due to scheduling and illness.

Telecommunications review will be prioritized in order to discuss at the next meeting. 

Council:  Council members reminded staff to report unpermitted park events (over 40 people) for ordinance compliance, noting ongoing education efforts for internal and public awareness.

Kari, Clerk:  Kari thanked Britani Laughery for coming and giving the presentation on the property insurance.  She is thankful that the process will be seamless. 

Adjournment:  Nate made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  JB seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried.