The Cheney City Council took care of a couple of other pieces of business at its July 28 meeting besides asking voters to lift the city’s levy lid.
First, the council authorized construction to commence, after the bidding process is complete, on the Betz Road/Washington Street pedestrian safety project.
Council originally authorized spending $7,600 in federal funding provided to the city on preliminary design work on the project at its May 26 meeting. Public Works Director Todd Ableman said that work is complete and asked the council to approve releasing the additional $68,500 of federal money for construction.
The project will include installation of ADA-compliant curb ramps, pedestrian crossing markings and flashing beacon pedestrian crossing signals at five intersection locations on Betz Road and Washington Street — Silverthorne Lane, Normal Park Road, North Sixth Street, Harvest Bluff and Mike McKeehan Way. Total cost of the project is estimated at $88,000, with the city picking up the balance between the estimate and the $76,100 in federal funding.
The council was also introduced to Cheney’s new Light Department Director, Stephen Boorman. Boorman previously spent 14 years at Bonners Ferry, Idaho, where he began as the electrical supervisor and eventually became the city administrator.
A 1989 graduate of Montana State University with a bachelor’s in electrical and electronic engineering, Boorman worked five years at the Missoula Electrical Cooperative, and spent another six years working for Boeing in Seattle on the 747/767 passenger jet programs. Boorman began with Cheney July 20, and replaces Joe Noland, who retired in June after 30 years with the city.
“We knew we had some big shoes to fill,” City Administrator Mark Schuller told the council in announcing Boorman’s selection.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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