City water project clears key hurdle

After months of discussion and negotiation, the City of Boulder received a final easement proposal from the Montana Department of Health and Human Services on Aug. 19, which would allow the city to construct a new well on the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) Headquarters campus and connect it to the public water supply.

Once the easement proposal is reviewed by City Attorney Ed Guza, and agreed to by city officials, the well project will be submitted to the Montana State Board of Land Commissioners (MSBLC) for final approval.

“We’ve been told that approval from MSBLC is ultimately a formality,” said Boulder mayor Rusty Giulio at the Aug. 19 City Council meeting. Decisions from MSBLC on projects such as the MHP campus well are usually issued within a month of receiving a proposal from involved parties, and, according to city officials, are likely to result in approval.