Council also hears of new building projects on the horizon for the new year, which could help revenues
By RYAN LANCASTER
Staff Reporter
Following a final public hearing Dec. 21 Medical Lake City Council adopted a 2011 budget that is balanced but down nearly $1 million over last year's beginning fund.
City finance director Pam McBroom said there were no major changes made over last year's budget although funding decreased in a few areas, a reflection of lean times. “It's a very conservative budget, both revenue and expenditure-wise,” she said.
A smattering of small building projects could help city revenues grow slightly over the next few months, however. Mayor John Higgins said the planning department received several requests for permits last week from Lakeland Village, Eastern State Hospital and the local Conoco station, among others. City Administrator Doug Ross said construction just began on a building at the north end of town that will likely house a new chiropractic clinic.
Ross also spoke to progress made on the expansion project at Hallett Elementary, saying the Medical Lake School District has started sending the city information as outlined by a recent comprehensive plan amendment on wetlands mitigation.
Council ran through a number of action items last week, including approval of a $137,430 grant through the Transportation Improvement Board that will help pay for construction of a sidewalk along SR-902 from Stanley Street to Graham Lane.
A contract agreement between Medical Lake and the city employees union was ratified through Dec. 31, 2013. Ross said it's essentially the same contract as the previous three years with the exception of no cost of living increases.
Council approved a one year contract extension for city planning consultant Glenn Scholten, increasing his hourly wage to $26 per hour but retaining a “not to exceed” amount at $37,500, which is the same as last year's agreement.
Also approved was an engineering services agreement with Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital. The contract, unchanged from last year, provides periodic maintenance and repair for certain city fire department equipment, including ventilators, open-heart consoles and biomedical gear.
Annual agreements were approved with Airway Heights Corrections Center, Department of Corrections and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for use of the city's firing range. Council previously approved similar contracts with Washington State Patrol and the police departments of Airway Heights and Liberty Lake.
The city is currently looking into whether the Spokane County Sheriff's Office might be interested in purchasing the firing range, Higgins said. Any income from the sale would be applied toward the city's law enforcement services contract with Spokane County.
Councilman A.J. Burton was nominated to serve as Mayor Pro-Tempore for 2011 and Brenda Redell was nominated as the city's representative to the Spokane Transit Association board of directors, which provides direction for STA administrators and approves its actions, budgets and long-term plans.
The STA board is composed of nine elected officials chosen from jurisdictions served by the Public Transportation Benefit Area, including the cities of Airway Heights, Cheney, Medical Lake, Millwood, Liberty Lake, Spokane, Spokane Valley and some unincorporated portions of the county. The cities of Airway Heights, Cheney, Liberty Lake, Medical Lake and Millwood rotate membership in three-year terms.
Ryan Lancaster can be reached at cheneyfreepress.com.
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