Power lines tangle council meeting

Several Whitefish city councilors

flip-flopped at their Jan. 3 meeting when it came to spending city

money for burying power lines along U.S. 93 West when it’s

reconstructed some time in the future.

While there is broad consensus to

improve the look of Whitefish’s west entrance, the additional cost

was a concern, especially in the midst of a severe economic

recession. Nevertheless, the council in August approved spending an

additional $353,737 on decorative street lights from Lupfer Avenue

to State Park Road.

Burying power and other utility lines

currently hanging overhead on poles could cost the city $450,000

more — and that’s just from Lupfer Avenue to Karrow Avenue, which

would be Phase 1 of the U.S. 93 West project.

But there are other considerations

beyond simply burying high voltage lines, city manager Chuck

Stearns noted in a memo to the council — individual service lines

to homes and businesses are currently hanging from poles. If the

city took on the task of burying those lines, too, it could add

another $100,000 to the cost of beautifying the highway.

Stearns said he had originally been in

support of using tax-increment financing (TIF) money to bury the

power lines until he heard the numbers. That was councilor Ryan

Friel’s take, too, as he initiated council discussion on the issue.

But several councilors who have been concerned about the city’s

budget had gotten an earful from Whitefish residents.

“I agree it’s a lot of money, but you

won’t see a chance to do this again in 50 years,” councilor Turner

Askew said.

“More like 100 years,” councilor Chris

Hyatt said in agreement.

Mayor Mike Jenson suggested leaving

service line poles standing at each property and leaving it up to

property owners to pay the cost of burying their own service lines.

Over the years, he suggested, the lines will be buried as the

neighborhood changes.

Councilor Phil Mitchell noted that he

had voted against spending the money on decorative lights, “but if

we’re going to put new lights up, then let’s put the power lines

underground,” he said.

The council directed staff to let

Montana Department of Transportation officials know of their

decision, but Stearns reminded them that it’s up to MDT to make the

final decision.