The Libby City Council approved a disaster contract with Noble Excavating to repair the damaged Lower Flower Creek Reservoir and directed staff to pursue FEMA and state emergency funding, schedule core sampling RFQs and hold a public briefing Feb. 26.

Council approved allowing the Libby Police Department to apply for a METAP tourism grant to help buy a patrol vehicle and voted to request county opioid-settlement funds to purchase an Apex R7 spectrometer (approx. $33,000) to improve officer safety and in-field drug identification.

The Libby City Council voted to authorize staff to pursue an emergency flood recovery funding alternative involving USDA assistance, while discussing use of restricted reserves, potential borrowing and coordination with FEMA and Montana DES. Council approved keeping the USDA avenue open to meet a May allocation deadline.

City staff told the council they are pursuing three funding tracks — a pending presidential disaster declaration, Montana DES emergency funds, and a USDA Rural Development package (described as a $600,000 grant and a $2,000,000 loan option) — while moving ahead with a sewer-system preliminary engineering report and rental flow-meter testing.

The council approved a $27,500 grant for a street-shop generator, accepted alcohol and amusement licenses and approved claims and business licenses; a motion to add diagonal parking failed procedural votes and the item was returned to committee.

The Libby City Council voted to hire ER Assist Inc. to pursue FEMA reimbursements for emergency work at the Lower Flower Creek Reservoir. The three‑year contract is capped at $80,000; councilors raised questions about billing, documentation and how long reimbursements could take.

City officials described extensive flood damage to the Lower Flower Creek reservoir and intake system, emergency bypasses and a planned cofferdam; officials said daily testing and sediment removal aim to convince DEQ to lift the boil order and move to a health advisory soon.

Emergency managers reported engineers reduced reservoir head and sandbagged seepage areas at the city‑owned Lower Flower Creek Diversion Dam, lowering failure risk. City staff said the municipal water plant remains on a boil order pending lab results; an incident web page and EOC phone line were set up for residents.

Council approved Resolution 20‑65 (intent to annex ~31.625 acres for the Timberlands Business Park), adopted the first reading of Ordinance 20‑66 to pre‑zone the property and approved the subdivision preliminary plat with conditions addressing infrastructure, DEQ review, fire flow and Superfund remediation compliance.

The Libby City Council approved a resolution authorizing a legal services agreement to preserve the city's ability to pursue or join claims related to AFFF/PFAS contamination; the item was framed as preventative because no PFAS have been confirmed in city water supplies.