CHENEY – The state Legislature began its 60-day short session on Monday, Jan. 13, and legislators will be hearing from a lot of people on a lot of issues over the next two months.
You can count representatives from the city of Cheney among those vocalizing concerns. Specifically, a list of seven priorities for the city passed by the City Council in December — at the top of which is continuing advocacy for funding for a water re-use system and conservation programs.
The city has at times imposed irrigation restriction measures over the past few years due to declining levels in reservoirs arising from increased demand, reduced supply and hot weather that often sets in earlier and longer than in previous years. Water users dodged that bullet last summer, thanks to more seasonal temperatures and the recent successful re-drilling of Well 3 — which can provide around 1,250 gallons per minute — that helped on the supply end of things.
But officials believe more is needed and, while that could be drilling more wells, have initiated steps to find other methods to address water — especially water used for irrigation. The city has received $2 million from the state Department of Ecology for the initial phase of its “Purple Pipe to Parks and Playfields Project” that would take some water from the water reclamation plant and use it for irrigating city parks and playfields along with Cheney School District fields and possibly Eastern Washington University.
The money will go towards installing the needed equipment at the plant to treat effluent to Class A drinking water standards that are required for use as irrigation water. The city estimates it will cost $12 million to then install the system of piping and pump stations needed to provide the water to parks and fields.
A second item of priority on the list is advocating for expanding broadband internet to rural communities that need “reliable, fast and affordable internet access.” Cheney officials cite better internet access not only as a need to spur economic growth but also to “meet the needs of educational, commercial and residential sectors within our city.”
As part of this effort, the City Council in November approved a request from staff to apply for a Washington State Public Works Board Broadband Feasibility Study Grant program for up to $50,000 in funding to address internet issues in the city.
Several items on the legislative list deal with transportation, beginning with support for funding regional transportation projects that have been put on hold and face possible cancelation due to passage of Initiative 976 which limited car tab fees to $30. Cheney is asking legislators to make sure funding for Moving Washington Forward 2015 transportation package is retained in any future budget adjustment.
Projects in that measure that have been placed on hold while impacts of the initiative’s passage are sorted out include the $2.3 million Spokane Transit Authority’s Cheney-Spokane High Speed Transit Corridor Improvements and the $5 million – $10 million improvements to Interstate 90 between the Medical Lake and Geiger Field interchanges.
City officials also want to put widening of State Route 904 to include passing lanes back on a faster track than the expected construction date of 2040. The portion of 904 from Four Lakes to Cheney is of “antiquated design and is terribly unsafe,” yet sees 17,000 – 19,000 vehicle trips daily from traffic to and from Eastern Washington University and Cheney to Spokane for work and school, including Cheney School District transportation.
Also on the priorities list is support for EWU’s request for $3.36 million in state funds to replace lost tuition revenue.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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