Medical Lake council discusses renewing community cleanup

MEDICAL LAKE — The City Council considered the pros and cons of another community cleanup day, approved amendments to a professional services agreement and the city’s six-year transportation improvement plan at a short, 22 minute meeting Tuesday, Feb. 4.

The agenda item producing the most discussion was another proposed city cleanup day, possibly as soon as April.

“It was a big hit,” Mayor Shirley Maike said of the last event. “They’re already asking about it.”

The council’s discussion centered mainly on how the city might minimize people from outside the city taking advantage of the event.

Some of the items dropped off, like refrigerators in which Freon must be removed, cost the city money to dispose of later.

“The biggest complaint was out-of-towners and construction people coming in and dumping,” Councilwoman Heather Starr said.

Various estimates put participants living outside the city limits at between five and 10 percent.

“Once people start getting aluminum boats, that’s when it starts getting out of hand,” City Administrator Doug Ross said.

Although no solution was reached, suggestions ranged from providing some sort of proof of residence, such as a utility bill, checking drivers licenses, or providing vouchers.

Ross noted that some residences living in rental properties might not receive a utility bill.

Councilman Tony Harbolt was adamant that the event be “advantageous for the citizens of our city and not everyone else,” he said, noting that he was uncomfortable putting city staff in the position of verifying residency. “If the scale’s going to tip, I want it to tip in favor of our citizens.”

In other business, the council also passed an amendment to an existing contract with SCJ Alliance for hourly, on-call planning services related to land use applications worth up to $30,000, if needed.

The original agreement plus another amendment for various planning services brings the total authorized expenditures for SCJ to $79,642.

The council also agreed to modify the completion dates for projects on the city’s six year transportation plan based on two Transportation Improvement Board grants. The first, a $220,000 grant will add sidewalks along Grace and Hallett streets, while a second, $200,000 grant funds a grind-and-pave project on Lake Street between Lefevre and Prentis streets.

Lee Hughes can be reached at [email protected].