Milford council approves appointments, contracts, water transfers and equipment purchases

Milford’s City Council moved through a range of routine but consequential administrative items at its Jan. 20 meeting, approving appointments, contracts and equipment purchases.

Consent and appointments: The council reappointed Mallory White to the Milford Library Board after staff described her as an elementary-school educator and regular library volunteer. The council also approved the 2026 slate of council committee appointments (drawn from a lot in the packet) and confirmed changes to planning and zoning leadership.

Capital and surplus: Council ratified a $7,350 bid from Scribe Construction for the old fire-station remodel and authorized surplus disposal of a copier to the landfill.

Millford Airport lease: Staff presented a lease allowing a commercial operator (packet materials reference the operator with variations of the name shown in materials) to park a single vehicle on airport property while conducting intermittent pickups; the mayor and airport operator discussed a designated parking spot and a monthly lease fee tied to typical aircraft tie-down rates. The council ratified the lease.

Payments and water transfers: The council ratified a $10,000 library farm payment that staff withdrew from the state treasury on Dec. 10 and authorized temporary change applications to transfer surplus water: Christianson Farms (250 acre-feet at $50/acre-foot = $12,500) and Larry Carter Farms (500 acre-feet, expected to generate $25,000). Staff said the water transfers follow prior practice and that municipal water rights would revert for municipal use if needed.

Equipment procurement: After reviewing the fleet, staff recommended buying a 2026 backhoe on state contract for $127,000 with a $75,000 trade-in allowance for the 2020 unit (net $52,000). Council approved the purchase to maintain three working backhoes in the fleet.

All motions were approved by voice vote during the meeting and recorded as "motion carried."