Medical Lake City Council set for summer schedule

Summer is still officially over a month away but the Medical Lake City Council was thinking about it early at their May 1 meeting.

Councilman John Paikuli made a motion for the governing body to set its usual once-a-month summer meeting schedule beginning in June with the only meetings through September being the second Tuesday of the month.

The vote, minus Councilwoman jessica Roberts, absent due to a death in the family, was lightning quick with competition as to who would officially earn the second on the motion.

Requests for excused absences of council members for vacations and other activities during the warmer times, dating back a number of years, prompted the move.

Speaking of absences, the effort to fill the vacant council seat left when John Merrick resigned due to work commitments moved ahead with three applicants already in the mix, according to City Administrator Doug Ross. The application period extends through the end of business on Friday, May 25 with information packets available at City Hall.

In the rest of his multiple reports, Ross told the council that city parks are experiencing early use. He also noted that work continues on revisions to the city’s sign code.

Councilman Ted Olson reported that there are ongoing efforts to resolve an issue with West Plains Little League over their desire to leave artificial pitching mounds in place at Waterfront Park baseball/softball diamonds.

Ross was back to report that the city’s compost trailer “Is getting the heck used out of it.

With Roberts away, there was no public safety committee meeting, so Paikuli suggested — and council agreed — to hold off on their recommendation on the future direction of the police department.

Assistant Fire Chief Corey Stevens reported that the annual fisherman’s breakfast, a fundraiser for the Medical Lake Volunteer Firefighter Association, had “A great turnout,” of some 700 people.

The next council meeting will be Tuesday, June 12.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].