MEDICAL LAKE—A popular sentiment after the shutdowns and hardships of 2020 may be for residents to plead for everything to “get back to normal.” However, simply hoping for things to get back to the way they were may not always be the right mindset, City Administrator Doug Ross and Mayor Shirley Maike said when discussing the city’s outlook for 2021.
“It’s been nine months now,” Ross said. “I don’t like when people say ‘life returns as normal.’ Maybe this is normal.”
He noted that the city functions nearly the same as before, with the exception of city hall being closed to the public and the glaring lack of recreation programs.
“Honestly, the only thing really, really different about how we operate now versus before COVID is really our rec programs,” Ross said.
Some projects facing the city in 2021 include completion of four blocks of sidewalk between Grace Street and Hallett Street, construction of the new picnic shelter at Waterfront Park and getting recreation programs rolling safely. The latter was brought up by both Ross and Maike.
“Doug and I have had some preliminary conversations about what we can do with our recreation program virtually…just to keep that connection with people,” Maike said.
Ross said he doesn’t anticipate approving any special events prior to June 1. With the fluidity of the COVID-19 situation, that date could be pushed back or bumped earlier, but for now, he anticipates that being the soonest anything could be approved.
The Bluegrass Festival is scheduled for Aug. 13-15 after being cancelled in 2021. It will likely be a socially distanced festival, if it happens at all, Ross said.
“I can’t give anybody absolutes,” Ross said. “We don’t want someone to plan an event, put money into it and then we (have to) turn around a week before and say, ‘I’m sorry.’ As unpopular as it is, that’s why we came out so early (in 2020) with cancelling special events, and we’re going to do the same thing (in 2021), at least until June 1.”
Maike said the Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt isn’t likely to occur on city property.
“It’s just too soon,” Maike said.
Those events are still allowed to be held on private land, but not on city land.
“We’re not going to do anything on city property that is potentially in conflict with the governor’s orders,” Ross said.
“It’s the right thing to do, not just because the governor orders it,” Maike added. “We’re going to continue to keep our citizens safe. That is our mainstay.”
General Industries, Inc., has the freedom to begin construction on the new picnic shelter.
“I don’t know what the snow does…but I think we’ll have that done early spring,” Ross said.
Ross didn’t know exactly when the sidewalk project would be completed, but the city must get it done this year, or else it loses the grant funding it is using to sponsor the project.
“Basically, it’ll join up our post office, it’ll go east for a few blocks, then it’ll turn south and join up with Campbell Street,” Ross said.
“The kids who use Hallett will have sidewalks to walk on,” Maike added.
The city is looking to fill a vacant council seat after Jessica Roberts’ resignation. Ross said just one application has been received, but he expects more to be coming in as the new year dawns.
Additionally, new lake signage will hopefully be installed early summer, Ross said. The city is using a Seattle-based company for the signs, EDX, which “derailed” completion of that project, as the company delayed production due to COVID-19.
The new Fire District No. 3 station has paid benefits for the city. Ross related the story of District Chief Cody Rohrbach, who shared at council’s Dec. 15 meeting that a quick district response helped “bring someone back” in the city. The proximity of the station, as opposed to a response from Four Lakes, was invaluable in saving the resident’s life, Rohrbach had said.
“It’s something that’s been talked about for years and years and years, and now it’s happened,” Ross said of the station’s opening.
The city’s next scheduled event is council’s virtual meeting Jan. 5.
Ross said he understands the hardships that 2020 brought, especially to struggling businesses and those affected by lockdowns and restrictions. However, he said the city will get through the hard times.
“I like the term ‘different’ rather than ‘worst year of our lives,’ our whatever apocalyptic terms we like to use,” Ross said. “It was just a different year.”
Drew Lawson can be reached at [email protected].
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