Center funding approved

Airway Heights City Council was busy at the Aug. 21 meeting. One of the major business items taken care of was the board’s approval of the Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) going towards helping fund the Recreation Center.

J.C. Kennedy, the parks and recreation director, explained that the costs of the center have been more than expected and that he has been told by the designers to dedicate funds as soon as possible to the recreation center. The initial costs also did not include street improvements around the building which is going estimate around $400,000.

“Better decisions can be made if more funds are available,” Kennedy said. “Decisions have to be made now.”

What the approval means is that about $1 million will go towards the center from the REET funds from the city. REET funds come from real estate bought within the city limits.

On average, about $75,000 goes to Airway Heights in a year, with a high of $136,000 coming last year. Taking $500,000 out of both REET accounts the city has, gives the recreation center extra funds, with $53,000 left in one account and $21,000 in the other. Kennedy was confident that the account will be replenished with the growth of Airway Heights.

The REET funds can also only be used on capital projects, which the board felt this is something that the people of Airway Heights had invested their time and voted on, which makes it important.

Another item discussed was the open City Council positions and how the board wanted to go about filling them. As of right now, one position is vacant because Tanya Dashiell left her deputy mayor position for a job in the city. Another position will be vacant as Aspen Monteleone plans on leaving in November, even though her term does not expire until 2019.

Mayor Kevin Richey proposed that they open up applications now for the vacant position, interview the applicants in a City Council meeting and then have the council choose the replacement. Applications will be open for about two weeks.

Fire Chief Mitch Metzger addressed the council about replacing a fire engine that the department has had since 2001. The council approved purchasing a new fire truck that has a 10 year warranty.

The truck will cost $500,000 and the fire department staff is using the National Powers Alliance to fund the new vehicle which utilizes national bid tabs and national buying power to reduce cost to the city.

Metzger also announced that the fire department had selected 11 volunteer firefighters with two of them being EMTs and one a paramedic.

Finally Kevin Anderson, the public works director, presented the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds to assist with road repairs due to the severe weather earlier this year.

He said funded projects on Craig Road, Lundstrom Street, 17th Avenue, 12th Avenue and Lyons. Anderson said that the city’s portion of all project costs will be 12.5 percent, about $6,054.25 as FEMA is funding 75 percent ($36,325.50) and the state is picking up another 12.5 percent.

The board unanimously approved receiving the funds.

In other discussions, Kennedy thanked everyone for coming out to Airway Heights Days and said that it was well attended.

“It was nice to see everyone having a good time,” Kennedy added.

Grace Pohl can be reached at [email protected].