Residents Listen To Town Pump’s Proposal
Triangle Park Property
A low turnout of area residents attended a public hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 16, regarding Town Pump’s desire to purchase Triangle Park from the City of Wolf Point.
Town Pump’s proposal includes paying the city $20,000 for the property. The company will use the land to expand its building and to add diesel islands and gas pumps. Town Pump officials said the assessed property value of the park land is $10,383.
Lindsey Penn, district manager for Town Pump, said the process would take a few years. She estimates the timeline is two or three years.
The plan will be to fence off the property until the physical changes could take place. “So that area won’t have to be policed,” Penn said.
Noreen Hohman, Wolf Point store manager, said the project would result in a nicer building and more jobs, probably about five, for the community. With additional room, the store will have more retail space for products. The casino would be updated, but the amount of machines would remain the same.
Wolf Point resident Bill Juve expressed concerns whether the Montana Department of Transportation would approve the plans. He sees challenges with trucks entering and exiting the site, especially heading west. Later in the meeting, city council member Dean Mahlum asked Juve that if his concerns were met, if he would support the project. Juve said he feels something needs to be done with the Triangle Park area, but he doesn’t feel it’s a good location for truck traffic going in and out.
Resident Jeff Presser said he’s a proponent of having Town Pump purchase the Triangle Park property.
Presser, a board member for the Wolf Point Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, said it’s nice to have a business that wants to expand.
Presser added that the improvements would create a small increase to the tax base. He feels there are several positives in allowing Town Pump to expand.
A letter from resident Kali Lien was read that noted the beauty of Triangle Park. She wrote that she rather look at a park than an expanded truck stop. She noted city officials should work on the real problem of the increased amount of crime in Wolf Point. She feels residents deserve to look at and enjoy Triangle Park.
For Town Pump to receive approval to make the purchase, the city would still need to hold two public hearings. To move forward with their plan for the property, approval from the Department of Transportation would be needed. An environmental review would also need to be completed.
