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Mayor’s Report
Sept. 7, 2010
Administrative: Short handed; Jackie ended up working 7 ½ hours overtime last week (mostly for PW interviews and tests), to accomplish needed tasks. Ran C/T ad in Wenatchee World to see if we could attract people with more accounting background. Running separate Accountant position (with some response already), locally.
P.D.: Maintaining with just the officers, for the time being. I have not had much time to be very involved.
Public Works:
- Committee of Hans, Clint Dave Sandoz and myself interviewed 4 PW Supt. candidates last Monday and Tuesday. Made a provisionary offer to a very experienced individual. Background check is done (very clean), just need to finish reference checks. We’ll be meeting tomorrow to show him the PW facilities.
- Crew replaced Whispering River apartment water meter. Have begun dismantling inoperative rotor at WWTP, to fix.
- Receiving quite a few service questions- people wanting to use wells instead of Town water, questions related to Isabella extension of water line.
- Hughes Lane: Jerry Holman left a message to call- have not had time to return call. Still needs to be properly priced to determine costs for a decision.
- Lots of other meter issues still to be resolved.
- Need to improve maintenance logs at WWTP.
- Diffuser still in permit limbo. Possible fish project cost offset?
- David Hunter passed WWTP Group II test.
Airport:
- Had pre-construction meeting for repaving job, last week. Job started today.
- Still need to work with pilot’s group to resolve issues of liability (fuel tank and irrigation system) and airport/Town relationship.
Fire Dept.: No time to be involved. Merge with FD 6?
Municipal Court: No involvement. Not a lot of tickets to generate court needs. No annual RFPs, last year. Would be a good idea to issue RFPs, this year.
Planning: Sarah, Kurt Danison, Don Waller (FD 6 Chief), Heidi Smith (attorney for the Walshes) and the Walshes and I met to discuss possible annexation of property in UGA. Discussed costs and how the Town would have to consider build out needs and then determine share for property owners. Will require PW committee to sit down with engineers to determine possible loop waterline route, then have engineers calculate costs.
Building: Dave had Dan Higbee (County Building Dept.) review his personal plans for a hanger at the airport- I signed drawings. Dave is still working on fuel tank issue at the airport- report due next week.
Other Issues
Methow Watershed Council: Lee Hatcher has proposed a budget for next year that would:
- Reduce the Town’s budget for costs for grant management and administration from $39K to 23K. ($16K reduction)
- Shifts the Town’s payment from Phase IV funding (though it is a PHIV task) to a fund (P.U. Support?) that requires a 100% match- and there is currently only 50% of the match identified. Result- funding for only $15K (of 23K budgeted)
- Lee’s total payments would be >$49K ( reduction of $3935), only 7K of which is to come out of PU Support funding.
What service to the MWC is the Town going to cut, or is the Town just going to absorb the full costs?
Water Rights: The Town is paying an extra $10K a year to MVID. I believe we could come up with a much cheaper long-term solution. Accomplishing this would take a significant investment of time, however.
Parks and Rec.:
- Trails: We need to set up a calendar of funding opportunities, so that we know when to apply for funds. If the RCO grant goes through we’ll need to do some further negotiation with landowners. Need to explain to east bank owners that if we sign agreements with them, now, we won’t be able to use them for grant matches.
- Pool: Apparently still has a substantial leak. Heavily subsidized by Town general fund, though heavily used by non-residents. Would establishing a Parks and Rec. District a viable idea? (Could help with the trail effort, too.) A solar (water) pre-heat system would save a great deal on propane costs.
Town Restructuring: If the Council is interested in re-forming the Town to a Council/Manager form of government, it will take a substantial public outreach campaign, in order to succeed. (Re-structuring would need a public vote of approval.)
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