Waitsburg City Council Update

Mayor Walt Gobel and council members Kevin House, Karl Newell, and Debra Callahan were present with Marty Dunn and K. C. Kuykendall absent.

Howard Boggs from Anderson-Perry gave a review of the city’s recently completed water model. See story on page 5.

Approved Main Street Bridge agreement with Anderson-Perry.

Approved motion to give notice to terminate agreement with Waitsburg Ambulance Service. This will allow EMS funds that currently pass through the city, to go directly to Fire District #2.

Approved WWVMPO amendment to include administrative wording changes requested by the MPO.

2016 Budget Workshop: Conversation centered largely on employee compensation issues. Read story on Page 1. City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe expects the budget to look similar to last year, with the exception that five water and sewer related funds will be consolidated into one fund. He said that not a lot of public works projects, which have been fairly extensive for the last five to six years, are planned for 2016. Smaller projects include: repairing a water line under the Preston Avenue Bridge, working on the fairgrounds renovation, and adding water lines and hydrants under Hwy 124 and West St., and re-coating the swimming pool. The city sidewalk program will be continued and citizens have already signed up for next year. Hinchliffe said typical budget expenditures are $2 million and the upcoming budget is $1.7 million, depending on what adjustments are made for employee compensation.

City Clerks Report: Pacific Power donated $2,000 toward the construction of the little league complex. The city paid $9348 to have a slab poured for the building that will house the cardboard baler. The building kit received was much larger than what was ordered and will house the city tractor as well as all the bales and baler. The city crew will frame the building and the inmate crew will sheet the building. The city received a levee inspection report back from the Corp of Engineers who would like to see more work done to remove vegetation from the levee. Hinchliffe asked how the council felt about hunting in the city’s watershed. Discussion leaned toward requiring the purchase of permits, perhaps through a lottery that would be operated by the Fish and Wildlife Department. Brandon Kelly has expressed interest in using the fairgrounds track to run small gas-powered car races. He will be invited to present his proposal at December’s council meeting.