Medical Lake approves fireworks applications

The Medical Lake City Council approved two fireworks applications and received an update on events surrounding next month’s Founders Day celebration that includes a visit by The Moving Wall, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.

The June 15 Founders Day parade will be a big one, reported Re*Imagine Medical Lake president Gerri Johnson, with over twice as many parade entrants than normal. The weekend event will include 10 food trucks, a petting zoo, 72 vendors, 3-on-3 basketball, a men’s slow pitch softball tournament, a 5k-sprint triathlon, a fireworks show and other events.

Glenn Scholten joined Johnson at the podium to provide an update on The Moving Wall, a four-day exhibit that will be open and staffed by volunteers 24 hours a day.

“People are welcome to visit the wall anytime,” Scholten, himself a Vietnam veteran, said.

Due to arrive in Medical Lake on June 13, a phalanx of law enforcement and motorcycle enthusiasts will escort the wall from Northern Quest Casino to the Medical Lake Middle School playfield on South Prentis Street where the display will be erected. Preparations will begin the Monday before for The Wall’s arrival.

Three memorial services will be held during The Wall’s visit, Scholten said. What he called “the main service” is scheduled for noon on Saturday, June 15.

He noted there would be no business vendors, but a variety of veteran service organizations will be on-hand to provide counseling and other services for veterans.

About 40,000 people are expected to descend upon Medical Lake to visit The Moving Wall.

“It ought to be a very interesting and very moving four days,” Scholten said.

Johnson noted there will be signage directing visitors to parking, and that Spokane Transit Authority, hotels and other organizations may be providing shuttles. The Medical Lake School District will be parking district buses off-site to provide additional parking capacity at the bus garage. Homeowners will be contacted a week prior regarding the impact to their streets in the area.

Johnson also asked the council for a donation from the city for the Founder’s Day effort.

Due to a lack of follow through by some pledged sponsors — one for $10,000 ended up being 10 times less — she asked the city to “come along side us at this point” with a donation.

“We’re really stretched to the utmost,” Johnson said.

Councilman Don Kennedy asked for a number. Johnson gave one: $2,500.

City Administrator Doug Ross noted the city couldn’t make a cash donation, but it could contract directly with a provider to cover that cost on behalf of Re*Imagine Medical Lake’s Founders Day effort.

“We can’t’ just donate money,” Ross said.

Councilwoman Jessica Roberts asked for a written request from Re*Imagine that would then be run through the Parks and Recreation Committee for a recommendation and approval by full council.

In other business, the council approved an application by TNT Fireworks to sell personal fireworks products from a stand to be located at the Denny’s Harvest Foods parking lot as has been done in recent years.

The council also approved an application for a public fireworks display by Rocketman Pryos, Inc.

Medical Lake Fire Chief Jason Mayfield, said that while fire conditions were currently in the moderate range, they were — so far — better than last year. He told the council the department could mitigate risk with help from the districts mutual aid partners.

“We can always shut things down if there is a weather event,” he said, such as a sudden windstorm or high heat conditions combined with a drop in humidity that could elevate hazardous fire conditions.

Mayor Shirley Maike reported on candidates who had filed to run for city council.

Of the five open positions, three incumbents, Don Kennedy, who was selected to fill a seat vacated by John Paikuli last year when he moved away, and Elizabeth Rosenbeck — also a selectee after John Merrik abandoned his council position — and Jessica Roberts will run unopposed for another two-year term.

Newcomer Heather Starr has filed to run unopposed for the seat currently held by Laura Parsons, who opted to instead fight incumbent Felicia Jensen for her seat on the Medical Lake School Board.

The only contested council seat is position 5, currently held by Ted Olson, who is not running for another term. Newcomers Mitch Hardin and Arthur Kulibert will be battling for Olson’s position.

Maike noted that there is still a vacant seat on the Planning Commission.

Roberts, the Public Works Committee chair, reported the city is planning to purchase two water booster stations to offset pressure between the city and state reservoirs. The booster stations will increase capacities to the city, and allow the city to add more than 200 water connections to its current delivery capacity.

Meanwhile, Four Lakes Water District will be requesting an additional 50 gallons per minute additional water delivery from the city, according to Roberts.

Lee Hughes can be reached at [email protected].