Dayton City Council Update

DAYTON--Mayor Craig George presented the budget for 2018 at last week’s council meeting. Changes to the budget are possible pending contract negotiations with the union, he said.

Chamber Director Justin Nix presented his third-quarter report to the council.

Nix said marketing is working well. An email blast about Christmas Kickoff went out to 40,000 people in Pacific Northwest and there were 970 hits within two days, he said. Bookings at both hotels were made within three days of the blast and Google searches are up as well, Nix said.

Nix said 55 local events were promoted by the chamber in the third quarter.

City Administrator Trina Cole and Mayor George attended an IACC meeting in Wenatchee on Oct. 22 where they met with representatives from the Department of Ecology and the USDA to discuss financing of the $13.5 million wastewater plant planned for the city in 2021-22.

“We want to get as much money as we can at the lowest rate,” George said.

“If everything falls in the right places, and things work right, we might just end up having to pay $1.5 to $2 million ourselves, between grants and so forth,” he said.

George said the meeting gave city officials a better idea of how to achieve funding going forward and Cole said the city intends to “aggressively” seek funding.

The city continues to search for the ideal location for the new wastewater plant.

Public Works Director Jim Costello said leaf pick up is tentatively set for Nov. 20, 27, and Dec. 4. No materials other than leaves should be placed into bags and bags can be placed in alleys or on curbs, but not in the street, for pick up.

Costello said that all that is left on the S. 1st Street project is a punch list to fix some odds and ends.

Local resident Russ Whipple is seeking a month-to-month lease with the city in the amount of $50 each month for the city’s use of the restrooms and parking spaces at Flour Mill Park, which are owned by Mr. Whipple, George said.

After some discussion, the council said they would like Mayor George to seek a long-term lease with Mr. Whipple. The city has been leasing the restrooms and parking spaces from Mr. Whipple for one dollar each year since 1992.