AH council OKs agreement with District 10

The Airway Heights City Council went through a plethora of items at its April 17 meeting.

Council approved an amendment to the intergovernmental agreement with the city and Spokane County Fire District 10 for deputy fire chief services. Councilman Doyle Inman abstained from voting, and Mayor Kevin Richey and Councilwoman Aspen Monteleone were absent from the meeting.

The agreement is for one year in which Airway Heights Fire Chief Mitch Metzger will perform deputy fire chief services for Fire District 10 in conjunction with his own duties in the city. The agreement gives Fire District 10 time to fill the vacant deputy fire chief position. During this time, City Council will meet with SCFD 10 commissioners to discuss the possibility of annexation or contracting for fire services.

Council approved a professional services agreement with KH Consulting for grant opportunities relating to the Spokane Tribe Promise Zone designation.

Spokane Tribal lands were designated “Promise Zones” by the Obama Administration in 2016. The designation gives the Spokane Tribe of Indians, along with surrounding communities, including Airway Heights, preferential opportunities when applying for federal grants. Under the agreement, the city will work with Katherine Howard, who is also working with Airway Heights as a consultant for fundraising relating to the recreation center project.

“This application is for the initial work to identify grants,” City Manager Albert Tripp said. “We can later draw up an agreement for writing specific grants.”

Council authorized the Public Works Department to spend up to $30,000 for purchasing a grader from the government surplus program.

“The turnaround (for purchasing equipment) on the government surplus site is so short that we wouldn’t have time to bring a bid back to council,” Public Works Director Kevin Anderson said.

Council also authorized a project for to install LED lighting at the water reclamation plant. Anderson said conventional (non-LED) lighting was installed in the plant when it was built.

Local power providers have been offering incentives for replacing LED maps. The estimated yearly utility savings would be $9,499.

Council passed a resolution that authorized the finalization of Hazelwood Addition Plat.

Development Services Director Derrick Braaten said Hazelwood Ventures recently submitted an application to the Development Services Department to finalize a 9 parcel plat, located west of Village Centre Cinemas, that was previously approved under Spokane County prior to the city annexing one square mile east of Hayford Road in 2012. The finalization of the plat was carried forward using Airway Heights’ process.

In February 2016, the applicant requested a modification of the plat regarding the alignment of the east access to the site. Staff requested approval of the modified alignment by the Public Works Department and Washington State Department of Transportation before it could be finalized.

The applicant submitted the finalized plat for approval on March 1, 2016, then pulled it back 10 days later for further modifications. The plat was resubmitted on Jan. 24.

“We’ve had some fits and starts, but it looks like everyone is happy with the roads and access and that was the hang up,” Braaten said.

When Councilman Steve Lawrence asked how the plat would affect the Joint Use Land Study, Braaten said the parcel will be located in the 65-decibel contours, which aligns with commercial development in the area.

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].