The Airway Heights City Council voted unanimously at its March 21 meeting to purchase two parcels, approximately 20 acres, of land to be used for a new housing site as part of the Fairchild Air Force Base Preservation and Community Empowerment project.
The project was started several years ago in order to remove encroachment issues surrounding the base, while at the same time provide safe, affordable alternative housing for residents currently living in mobile homes within the base’s accident potential zone 2 — APZ 2. The property is located in the Hunter’s Crossing North development, and would be purchased from the owners, AH Land LLC, for $204,000.
“Just a better quality of life is desired,” Development Services Director Derrick Braaten said of the purchase and the city’s efforts in procuring the land.
“And not in the APZ,” Mayor Kevin Richey added.
The funding for the purchase has been allocated in the 2015 Washington State Capital Budget, but is currently tied up pending resolution of several issues. To protect itself, the agreement contains an option clause that would allow Airway Heights to back out of the deal, and recover its $1,000 promissory note, should the money not materialize.
“If it doesn’t come our way, we’ve got the right to terminate,” city attorney Stanley Schwartz said.
The council also approved a pair of agreements between the city and Spokane County Fire District 10 for the services of Airway Heights Fire Chief Mitch Metzger. The first agreement would allow Metzger to serve as assistant fire chief to the district on an interim basis, while the second is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and Metzger detailing the terms of that service.
Under the terms of the contract, District 10 would pay the city $4,650 per month for assistant fire chief services. Under the MOU, Metzger would receive $3,000 a month from the city in payment for his services. The contract begins April 15 and runs through Apri l 15, 2017.
The length of both agreements is one year. Council originally agreed to move the agreements forward out of the March 3 study session, but pulled the agreements off the agenda at its March 10 meeting.
The vote on both agreements was 6-1, with Councilman Doyle Inman voting no each time.
In an agenda item added late, council discussed appointment of one of its members to serve on the Spokane Regional Transportation Council, or SRTC, Board of Directors. The council meets from 1 – 3 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month, and Airway Heights’ representative would serve a one-year term.
Richey had previously been the city’s representative on the council, but can no longer do so due to a work conflict. In fact, work conflicts — the board meets during regular work hours — appeared to be the prime reason no one on the City Council raised their hand to volunteer to serve.
Schwartz said the board is large, 14 members, and would be able to function with one seat vacant. The SRTC is the main coordinating and oversight agency for most transportation projects in the region, including those on the growing West Plains, and Schwartz said it is important to have a voice on those projects.
Council tabled the appointment until they could obtain more information about the seat.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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