Waitsburg City Council Update

Council members present: K.C. Kuykendall, Kevin House, Terry Jacoy, Jim Romine, Kate Hockersmith, Mayor Marty Dunn.

Public comment

Don and Olga Clarke approached the council regarding a sound nuisance from trucks parking across the street from her home on Highway 12, near Waitsburg Mini Storage.

New Business

Unanimously approved final payment on Main Street Bridge.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant will be open from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturdays and Mondays for yard debris (limbs/brush) and cardboard drop off. See story on Page 1.

Tabled a discussion regarding the possibility of moving City Hall from Main Street to the former Jehovah’s Witness church building across from Preston Park. Council would like to gather more community input and feedback. See story on Page XX.

Appointed Pam Chapman and Lane Gwinn to the planning commission. The council representative seat held by K.C. Kuykendall will become a non-voting position. See story on Page 1.

Mayor’s Report

Mayor Marty Dunn thanked city workers for all they do and reminded citizens to be respectful of City Crew employees who do not make the rules and policies but have guidelines to follow. He asked that city employees show respect in return.

Council Reports

Kate Hockersmith said that the Friends of the Waitsburg Pool is running the annual Laurette McCaw Pie Contest which generally raises about $1000 to be used for lifeguard training. Applications are available at Waitsburg Grocery, City Hall, Ten Ton Coffee and Words-n-Print. The Emergency Preparedness Committee will resume meetings in September.

Jim Romine shared complaints that kids were cleaning pinecones and debris from the pool themselves following the recent storm and citizens were complaining about a lack of shade on the pool deck. Apparently, broken umbrellas have not been replaced. The pool closed for the 2019 season on Fri., Aug. 16.

Kevin House asked City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe to check into the cost of paving or chip sealing a portion of the Lion’s Club building parking lot and possibly dedicating one or two handicap stalls, to make access easier for the elderly.

Terry Jacoy complained about excessive weeds in the Taggart Road area. Hinchliffe said the City has been spraying but the weeds are becoming more resistant.

K.C. Kuykendall expressed frustration that a grant application to the Public Works Trust Fund did not receive approval and that funds were directed to larger cities such as Seattle, instead.

City Clerk's Report

The pool closed on Fri., Aug. 19. Average attendance was 42 people a day which is down 16 people a day from 2018. Hinchliffe requested a discussion next month to discuss the future use of the pool and how it is managed. “Using teenagers isn’t working. We need to figure out a solution,” he said.

Dunn, Hinchliffe and Romine met with representatives from Jacobs Engineering Group to tour the City wastewater treatment plant. The representatives will do more research and provide an estimate of general cost estimate for them to run the plant as opposed to the City. The interest stems from “the revolving door of retraining operators,” Hinchliffe said. Jacobs currently operates the College Place and Walla Walla plants, among others.

The wastewater treatment plant anaerobic mixer died and was replaced with an undersized motor that now need to be exchanged for a larger motor costing an additional $3,000 above the $8,000 already paid.

A Public Works Trust Fund grant application for work on the east end of Waitsburg failed to make the cut. Hinchliffe said that funding from the state will help make “major improvements to the eastern part of the City” and “we will go as far as we can.”

The City is still working for estimates for trimming trees in the park and cemetery and is considering a long-term contract to cut costs.

Alleys will be assessed for overgrowth in Sept. and letters will be sent to property owners with vegetation obstructing alleyways.

Hinchliffe said that the conversion to LED streetlights resulted in a $400-$500 savings last month. Residents who live near a streetlight that is excessively bright or invasive should note the number of the light pole and inform City Hall. (See story on Page 6)