Grace City Council Report—Jan 21
This report is adapted from the official minutes recorded by City Clerk Shelley Reeves.
Present were Mayor David Pristupa; Council Members Kimi Lowe, Curtis Toone, Kathy Tillotson; Superintendent Riley Crookston; Clerk Shelley Reeves. Also present were Zoning Commission Member Karen Kladis, Crystal Shawcroft, Jackie Barthlome, Loy Raye Phillips, Matt Loertscher.
Bills in the amount of $6739.15 and payroll in the amount of $14,991.46 were reviewed for payment approval. Motion passed unanimously.
Mayor Pristupa turned the time to Zoning Commission Member Kladis, who reported that the zoning commission held the public hearing on Zoning Map Amendments 2025-01, 2025-02, 2025-03, & 2025-05 on January 8, 2026. The zoning commission recommended approval of all of the zoning map amendments. Commission Member Kladis asked if the city council had anything for the zoning commission. There was nothing at this time.
In regard to an ongoing discussion of technology for broadcasting the city council meetings, Mayor Pristupa presented the price of using zoom to stream the meetings. A yearly subscription for zoom would cost $160.00 and the city would still need to purchase the Owl device to video the meetings for a price of around $1100.00. Mayor Pristupa asked the city council members to talk with their neighbors and see if they would be interested in joining the meetings if they were streamed online. This item will be tabled until next meeting.
The zoning map amendments were discussed. Councilmembers moved to approve Zoning Map Amendment 2025-01, which passed unanimously.
On amendment 2025-02, the motion passed with Councilmember Toone voting opposed.
Zoning Map Amendment 2025-03, and 2025-05 passed unanimously.
Councilmember Toone moved to approve Mayor Pristupa as a signer on all bank accounts. Motion passed unanimously.
Mayor Pristupa provided the city council with a bid that he had received from MR&E, the garbage company that provides garbage services to Soda Springs, Bancroft and the county. They stated that they could provide garbage services for the city for $13.26/can for residential customers. They would also provide to the commercial customers based on the number of containers and number of pickups weekly. Councilmember Tillotson asked about spring clean up and the fair. Mayor Pristupa stated that they said that they would provide whatever the city asked them to do. There was discussion about the fact that the city just purchased new garbage cans. Mayor Pristupa stated that MR&E was willing to purchase those from the city. Superintendent Crookston stated that one employee now spends 13 hours per week on garbage, and that the sanitation fund should earn enough to pay the wages of one employee for a year. There was discussion that the city has just split the sanitation fund from the sewer fund and it would be good to see what the sanitation fund actually makes before deciding to go with another company. After discussion Councilmember Lowe moved to not contract with MR&E to provide garbage service for the city. Councilmember Toone seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
Mayor Pristupa stated that Attorney Doug Wood is willing to come do some training on open meeting law and public meetings for the city council, since many council members are new or not able to attend other training sessions. He asked if the city council would like to have that on a regular city council meeting night, or on an off week. The city council decided to hold it on an off week on February 11, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
Superintendent Crookston reported that the gear box on the screw pump at the wastewater treatment plant went down and what they thought was a spare was a bad gear box. They contacted Motion Industries and they were able to get the city a new one and a spare. The employees were able to get the screw pump up and running. The cost of the new gear boxes was $7767.00. A motion to purchase the needed gearboxes passed unanimously.
Superintendent Crookston reported that the tech will be here on the 27th to fix the new pumps at the wastewater treatment plant. They are still under warranty.
The contractor that is replacing the bridge on east Center Street will be on site next week to work on getting traffic control done and the bridge will be closed as of January 30th. They will have the bridge in by March 30th and will be finished with the top by May 1st. The transportation alternatives program grant from the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council has been submitted.
Mayor Pristupa attended the Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting today and reported that the discussion was about Itafos moving mine areas. They were told that 2nd South in Soda Springs may be torn up until possibly November.
Councilmember Toone asked Superintendent Crookston to speak with the State Transportation Department about not pushing the snow from curb to curb so the snow doesn’t turn into an ice dam in
the curb.
Mayor Pristupa read a thank you letter from past Mayor Jackie Barthlome.
