Agreement will allow some inmates to be housed at Lincoln County Jail
By BECKY THOMAS
Staff Reporter
Cheney City Council approved an agreement with Lincoln County to send certain Cheney offenders to the Lincoln County Jail.
At its Tuesday meeting, the council voted unanimously in favor of the measure, which aims to reduce jail costs for longer-term offenders. Cheney Municipal Court Administrator Terry Cooper said rising costs at the Spokane County Jail spurred the move.
Lincoln County Jail will now house inmates who have been charged in Cheney with a criminal offense and have a sentence of 10 days or more.
In 2010, the cost charged the city by Spokane County Jail was $130 per inmate per day. The Lincoln County Jail, located in Davenport, charges $60.
“Transport will happen by Cheney PD,” Cooper said. “It's probably another 10 minute drive but that may be faster because there's not that traffic.”
City Administrator Arlene Fisher said the city would continue to contract with Spokane County for inmates with shorter stays in jail.
Tuesday's meeting also featured several forward-looking items, including a 2012-2017 transportation improvement plan that aims to build on the street work done in the past 12 years.
While Cheney's street and sidewalk improvement programs have repaired or replaced the majority of streets in the city since they started in 1999, Public Works director Todd Ableman said the future looks uncertain, with $6.1 million in planned projects currently un-funded.
Councilmember Mike McKeehan said he hoped a tax would be put on the ballot to continue funding street work, adding that previous improvements should be maintained.
Council approved the transportation plan unanimously, along with a contract with Magnum Power for electric work on two city feeders, a contract extension with Intrinium Networks for IT services, updates to the city's water ordinance and an updated facility rental agreement for the Wren Pierson Building.
Rental rates for the building's meeting room, senior room, kitchen and multipurpose room were raised to reflect upgrades and new services like a city staff member on hand during all private events.
Parks and Recreation director Paul Simmons said the rates are in the low to mid range of similar facilities in the area.
Simmons shared more news with the council, including plans for the 50-acre park, which secured a $500,000 grant from the state last month. He said construction documents would be drawn up in the coming months, with infrastructure work beginning this summer and park construction beginning next spring.
Council also approved an agreement with Empire Health Foundation to accept a $18,400 grant that will fund a five-year plan for Let's Move, Cheney, a salad bar to be shared with the city's after school program and the school district, expansion of the Cheney Community Garden and signage for the wetland trail around the city's wastewater treatment plant.
“More importantly, this grant also allows us to build a relationship with the Empire Health Foundation, which is a new foundation in Spokane,” Simmons said, adding that the group's leaders planned to stay involved with Let's Move, Cheney programs.
Finally at the meeting, Mayor Tom Trulove encouraged the council to attend the Washington State Transportation Commission meeting in Cheney June 20. He said the city would be speaking in support of widening SR 904 and other issues important to Cheney.
“We're not sitting back on this one,” Trulove said.
Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].
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