Rugby Mayor Dave Cichos requested that Montana-Dakota Utilities (MDU) look into running a natural gas line to Rugby and discovered in the process that the project would be cost-prohibitive.

In a letter from Jayden Veil, energy management specialist, MDU, the mayor was told that “the closest pipeline is between 5 & 10 miles away and is operated by Alliance.”

“In a quick review of pipeline costs it would cost about $6.5 million just to get the pipeline to the edge of town,” said Veil in the letter.

Veil went on to explain that distribution system costs which would include building a border station and installing the pipeline infrastructure would just add to the cost. The $6.5 million price tag adds enough burden to make it hard to justify a project like this, he added. The city council agreed.

In further business, the council reviewed a letter which was to serve as a letter of agreement between the city and the engineering firm AE2S on another Safe Routes to School application for 2013. After reading the letter and discussing it, the council voted unanimously to tell AE2S that the contract was unacceptable as presented. They talked about looking at other engineering firms as a possibility for the 2013 application. AE2S did the work on the Safe Routes to School project for 2011 in Rugby. Many things were done right in the project, but the council wasn’t 100% satisfied. This issue was tabled for further discussion.

A property dispute between two neighbors resulted in the council telling the person standing in for one party that the judge had found that the other neighbor was not in violation of his previous orders and had done everything ordered. City Attorney Hartl informed both sides who were either in attendance at the meeting or had a proxy that it is not the city council’s job to settle the dispute. If there is further discussion it will have to be with the judge.

The mayor reported that the land purchase, on which to build a new fire hall was proceeding and would soon be completed.

A special event permit application for Jester’s Lounge for the Northern Lights Shootout to be held on Dec. 2 and 3 was approved. An application to extend hours at Jester’s to a 2 a.m. closing for the Northern Lights event was also approved by the council.

Vicky Falkner, one of the owners of Hometown Quilting, asked if she could have a few spaces in front of her Main Avenue store for her customers. She is frustrated that her customers have no place to park close to her store. City attorney Hartl informed her that parking on Main Avenue is a first-come, first-served situation. Various council members discussed that this issue has come up before and it is frustrating for the store owners but there isn’t much that can be done about it.