Council discusses speed limits, cancels unopposed elections, again hears of Airbnbs

Editor’s note: This version corrects that Miranda Bautista was issued tickets in a vicious animal and dog at large incident involving Ryan Turner.

Havre City Council voted on and heard about a variety of topics during its meeting Tuesday including requests for lower speed limits in some areas, the upcoming city election and Airbnbs.

The council also convened its hearing on the city’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget, recessing the hearing until it reconvenes tonight at 6 p.m.

During the public comments section at the end of the meeting, some Havre residents said people drive far too fast in their neighborhoods and asked the city to put in lower speed limits.

“We have people on a daily basis going up and down our street, and I’m not exaggerating a bit, doing 50 to 60 miles-per-hour-plus on that street,” Monroe Avenue resident Doug Jenkins said.

He said he has lived on the 1300 Block of Monroe Avenue, which is a 25 mph zone, for the past 35 years. He added that he has five grandchildren, three of whom are younger than 7. In the past, he said, he has stopped people and spoken to them about their speed as well as called the police on several occasions but no actions have been made to correct the issue. People speeding on his block creates a risk to children and other residents, he said, and something has to be done.

He requested his street’s speed limit be reduced from a 25 mph zone to a 15 mph zone.

Miranda Bautista, who said she lives on the 1200 Block of Fifth Street, said her street also has an issue with people speeding and that poses a risk to children and other residents in the neighborhood. 

“I don’t know if this is the right place, but I think it’s the best place to start,” she said. 

She said her block is a 25 mph zone but its location next to 14th Avenue — which is a busy road and comes off of a steep hill — encourages people to speed in that area. 

“When people hit it, they hit it,” Bautista said. “… It’s not a safe place.”

She added that people are regularly speeding more than 10 mph faster than the speed limit on her street and it poses a risk to children, pets and elderly neighbors. She also requested her street be reduced to a 15 mph zone.

Mayor Tim Solomon said people who want their neighborhood’s speed limit reduced need to talk to Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich so he can look into the area and conduct a study to identify and see how to correct the problem.

The city has to prove a specific reason for a reduced speed limit, such as the location being a residential area, he said. Once a study has been conducted the issue will go to the council’s Streets and Sidewalks Committee before going to the full council for a vote.

He added that the city could put up “children at play” signs, but studies have shown that they are not effective and the city will have to enforce speed limits. 

Airbnb was discussed again at the City Council meeting during the public comment portion of the meeting. Kerma Boyum, her husband, Joe Sarmiento, and Kristen Martens all voiced their support for Airbnbs and urged the city to support the businesses, in which people can go online to book rooms or residences for short stays.

Boyum and Sarmiento had been renting a space in their home in the Northern Heights neighborhood until the city informed them that the business was not allowed in a Residential A1 Zone like Northern Heights. They have requested a zoning change or using other means to allow them to continue their business.

Solomon said Tuesday that the city council was not the place for more discussion about the issue now that it has moved to the Ordinance Committee. He said the council understands the benefits of Airbnbs, but the issue is with zoning.

“This is not a place to argue because we are not against Airbnbs,” he said. “It’s the changing of the zoning that is an issue that needs to go to the committee and so need to take this up with the committee.”

At least one Airbnb is in operation in Havre in a Residential General Zone, where they are allowed.

Community member Greg Dolven said that the last Ordinance Committee meeting where Airbnbs were discussed got out of hand, apologized and said he wanted to tell the council members that he and his wife will not be causing any issues moving forward.

“Neither my wife or I will use any obscenities or obscene gestures at any City Council meetings,” he said.

He added that he also wanted to give condolences to council member Ed Matter, whose wife, Judy, died of cancer Aug. 25. Dolven said that he and his wife know what it means to lose a loved one, having lost their only son to cancer. 

During the agenda portion of the meeting, the council approved a request from Sax Cadillac member Kirt Miller to close Second Avenue from First to Second Street to allow Sax Cadillac to hold a street dance Friday, Sept. 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. during Festival Days.

MIller said no street dance was planned this year for Festival Days, and not many activities are planned for Friday night. He said he wanted to hold a free street dance in front of Old Station Brewery.

“We would like to provide some kind of entertainment for people,” he said.

The event will be free, but they might take freewill donations, he added. Sax Cadillac performs Kicks@Six in Pepin Park Tuesdays through the summer, which accepts donations to fund helping children to play instruments. He said they could incorporate the same idea to the street dance. 

“We just want to have fun, just play,” Miller said.

The city also approved a number of other items on the agenda.

After months of discussion and a rewrite of the proposed ordinance, the ordinance amending how the city fills vacant city council seats was passed on second reading. 

City Council member Caleb Hutchins said the revised proposal requires applicants for the vacant city council seat to submit a resume, but removes a requirement they provide a written philosophy.

The city council also passed a resolution cancelling the Nov. 5 general election this year for people who are running unopposed for re-election.

Solomon said that Tuesday was the final day for applications and council member Erik Meis is the only council member who has an opponent in the election. 

Derek Eldridge has filed as a candidate, running against Meis in Ward 4 on the northern edge of the city.

City Judge Janie Hedstrom and council members Ed Matter in Ward 1, Denise Brewer in Ward 2 and Caleb Hutchins in Ward 3 are unopposed

“It’s a pretty simple election this time for the city,” Solomon said.

Havre Finance Director and City Clerk Doug Kaercher said elections usually run the city up to $8,000 and canceling the general election in unnoposed races will cut the cost to only about $2,000. 

The council also approved the fifth drawdown of funds for the Bullhook/Storm Drain Project.

Bear Paw Development Corp. Community Development Director Lisa Moisey said the drawdown is a request for reimbursement to the city for contractors pay application for the Bullhook project of $272,362. It also includes a change order and pay up, and invoices from Bear Paw Development and the engineer which will be charged to the local contribution part of the Bullhook project.

Havre Public Works Director Dave Peterson said that as long as funding and everything are put in place, the contractor expects to finish the project sometime early-to mid-October, but the city is still waiting on some items to be finalized.

“Hopefully that all gets put in place and we can get all finished up,” he said.

The city has been working to repair the storm drainage that runs underneath parts of Havre from where Bullhook enters Havre near Havre High School to where it drains into the Milk River since streets and sidewalks over Bullhook started collapsing in October 2013.

The city hired Kincaid Civil Construction out of Mesa, Arizona, in 2016, but ended up in arbitration after the company failed to complete the project by deadline. The arbitration came back in favor of Havre, and it hired Lakeside Excavation this year to complete the project.

The city, also confirmed the appointment of Jayce Barclay to position probationary police officer on Tuesday.

Matosich said Barclay has always wanted a career in law enforcement like his father, Steven Barclay, who served in the Anaconda-Deer Lodge area and now works for the state Department of Investigations.

Jayce Barclay meets all the requirements and is scheduled to attend law enforcement basic academy in September, Matosich said.

“I believe Jayce would be a great asset and addition to the Havre Police Department and would recommend him to the position,” he said.

In the public comment section of the meeting Ryan Turner apologized to the city for his behavior in an incident involving a neighbor’s dog.

Havre Police Department reports Miranda Buatista was issued citations for vicious animal and dog at large Monday at 1:57 p.m. after Turner called to complain and threatened to shoot the dog.

Turner said during Tuesday’s meeting his family has had a problem with their neighbor’s dog for some time and the dog has repeatedly gotten out of the house and have attacked cats and people.

“It’s happened on multiple occasions since the beginning of the year,” he said. 

He added that no steps have been taken by law enforcement to take care of the issue and he would like to propose having the dog removed from the property.

Solomon said that Turner will have to talk to the police department and the city attorney to see what actions can be taken.