Culbertson council records 1961 approvals: zoning, tax levies, permits and municipal purchases

The Culbertson Town Council met in a sequence of monthly sessions through 1961 and approved a range of routine municipal matters and specific local projects, including zoning for the Bruegger addition, a set of tax levies for the year, equipment purchases for the water plant and town services, and multiple building and utility permits.

Council business opened Jan. 4 with approval of minutes and a motion by Alderman Weeks, seconded by Alderman Moore, to zone Bruegger's Addition (motion carried). The clerk, E. F. Garbe, reported on a regional water pollution meeting; the council repeatedly addressed water and sewer matters through the year, including conditional sewer/water permits tied to formal application procedures.

Over the year the council took several personnel and administrative actions: it appointed a zoning committee in February (Amos Moore, Earl Weeks and Howard Rasmussen), accepted Lewis Kao's resignation as treasurer and appointed Ray Schledewitz to succeed him effective July 1, and retained officers and employees at existing salaries. The council also canvassed and certified local election results in April.

Financial and procurement decisions included accepting multiple bids and authorizing payments. The council voted to reissue a lost warrant to the Volunteer Fire Department (Jan. 4), accepted a $75 bid from Tom Marchwick to install a manhole behind the hotel (May 1), and authorized payment of sewer-improvement bonds and coupons (July 3). In August the council set 1961 tax levies at General 20 mills, Street 7, Library 1, Fire Department 1, Park 1, Sewer Improvement 8, and Water Improvement 8; the clerk published assessed and taxable valuations in council records.

On municipal equipment, the council approved purchasing a used 30-horsepower motor from Genes Electric (quoted at $345) for the water plant, trading in a small motor on hand (Aug. 7). Miracle Gas submitted bids for heating fuel and building-heater equipment; the council approved buying an overhead heater for Town Hall on the condition the volunteer fire department pay half the cost. The council also ordered 18 Caulmet 3/4" water meters and purchased six bomb flares.

Property and public-works items included multiple building and sewer/water permits (examples: a house permit for Ray Schledewitz; a cement-block building for Peter Hauck), condemnation of a house on Catholic property (April), and permission to construct sidewalks adjacent to Highway 16 for Robert Peterson (formal letter of permission issued June 19). The town also agreed to connect the horseshoe-club courts to the school water outlet and to supply curb-stop materials for that connection.

Recreation and community projects were discussed but not finalized: a Glendive representative (Mr. Vincent) presented a plan to finance a municipal swimming pool and the council asked for operational receipts and expense data from comparable towns before deciding. The council also approved holiday street decorations and additional Vapo lights for road intersections.

The council routinely referred vendor bills across general, water, sewer, police, library, fire and street funds to the auditing committee for payment; specific vendors and amounts are recorded in the minutes. Multiple motions were recorded as “moved by X and seconded by Y; motion carried” without roll-call tallies.

Next steps and procedural notes: several purchases and installations were conditional on further staff follow-up (chlorinator information from the State Board of Health; comparative pool financial data from neighboring towns). Multiple items were carried as routine business to the auditing committee for payment. The minutes close each session noting adjournment with no further action.