Airway Heights council hears pitch for disc golf

At the Jan. 22 study session in Airway Heights, the City Council was pitched the idea of bringing disc golf to the area.

In citizen’s comments, Erin Johnson, a part of the youth disc golf association, talked to the council about the idea of having the activity in the area for the youth. He stated that there are currently 50 schools in the area that support the sport and he wants to expand it to the Cheney School District.

Johnson explained that they train teachers to teach the activity and are given a stipend to coach for the school. He added that the program he runs has a lot of local sponsors that help get the sport into public schools. They find the funding for the courses and design them for the area.

Councilwoman Veronica Messing said that he should also present the idea to the district at the next school board meeting.

The board also discussed appointment of council committees and board representatives.

Every year, the council assigns members to serve on various ad hoc committees, boards and commissions that the city votes to serve on.

“This provides an opportunity for everyone to serve,” City Manager Albert Tripp said.

Mayor Kevin Richey asked the council to look through all of the open positions available to serve on and to come back at the next meeting ready to talk about which committee they want to take on.

The next item on the agenda was the first reading of Ordinance C-903 that sets the salaries and compensation for city employees. Salaries increased for the public works treatment plant operator and the police department’s administrative assistant, due to their pay not being increased over the years.

The reading also increases the VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary) amount from $325 to $343 for all the City’s full-time employees with the increases being retroactive on Jan. 1. The final reading of the ordinance takes place on the next meeting.

After the citizen’s comments, the board also went into a strategic goal-planning session.

Grace Pohl can be reached at grace@cheneyfreepress.com.