City, BNSF discussing safety, train numbers
Greetings from the city of Sandpoint!
We are eagerly awaiting the completion of the design and engineering plans for the depot. Amtrak tells us it is still on schedule for completion by this winter; our riders will be extremely happy and those interested in preservation of this rapidly deteriorating building will breathe a sigh of relief.
Speaking of railroads, we are in conversations with BNSF about mutual issues such as public safety and increasing train volumes; we look forward to positive resolutions on these matters.
Ron Stocking was sworn in as the new City Fire Chief. We are very happy to have him join the team in Sandpoint. He is looking forward to working on a number of fire department projects that will be of benefit to all.
This last year we have seen a large number of moose in town. Police Chief Coon and I had many conversations with Idaho Department of Fish and Game regarding this issue. As a result, a plan was developed in the event the moose (and specifically that cow with her two bull calves) didn’t leave town. It turned out that almost the same week we were having those talks, they vacated Sandpoint. In the future, if moose become habituated to town and thereby become a public safety issue, we will expect IDFG to follow through with those tools available to them as they do in Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene.
Each city department is in the midst of preparing their budgets for fiscal year 2014-2015. Department heads have done an excellent job holding the line on expenses. Employees received pay for performance raises this spring and we don’t expect to incorporate any market adjustments into our pay scale; this basically means based on the survey information we have, city employees are paid equitably when compared to those in similar job situations.
New businesses are locating here, others are expanding — all good signs for our town and most needed with the closure of Coldwater Creek.
Sandpoint is a great place to live — beautiful, friendly and fun. Here’s hoping you have a great summer and we’ll talk again in the fall.
Carrie Logan is mayor for the city of Sandpoint.