Getting the state to make a switch

While still in the budgeting process, the Cheney City Council set its sights on items farther a field by approving a resolution at its Oct. 27 meeting in support of the mayor’s 2016 legislative agenda. On the agenda are items officials will push for either state funding or favorable resolution at the Washington Legislature’s next session in January.

City Administrator Mark Schuller told the council the resolution contained “no surprises,” and focuses on concerns city officials have talked to elected state representatives about before. What’s new for 2016 is the item topping the list — realigning the Palouse River Coulee City railway that runs from Cheney through Four Lakes.

The state, in partnership with Highline Grain, LLC, is in the process of improving the current tracks, which cross Cheney’s main entrance, also considered Eastern Washington University’s front door, at State Route 904 and Betz Road. The upgraded tracks will allow Burlington Northern Santa Fe engines to pick up 110-car unit trains loaded and assembled at Highline’s new grain loading facility currently under construction near the Medical Lake-Four Lakes Road.

The new tracks will also give those trains the ability to travel faster than the currently allowed 10 miles per hour, likely up to 25 mph.

Cheney Mayor Tom Trulove, Schuller and other officials have said the grain terminal unit trains aren’t necessarily an issue, as those loads would be seasonal and infrequent. What is an issue for the city is the refurbished tracks are part of a rail line that connects about a mile further to the west with the relocated Geiger Spur, offering the opportunity for better rail access to current manufacturers and potentially new manufacturers on the West Plains.

That in turn could lead to increased train traffic through Cheney’s main entrance point from Spokane, causing vehicular delays and long backups that could include emergency vehicles. The city is proposing to realign the tracks to the eastside of the highway by crossing them under SR 904 closer to the Cheney Rodeo grounds location.

The resolution also lists expanding SR 904 to four or five lanes as another lobbying item, one that has been on its legislative agenda for several years. The agenda also includes persuading the Legislature to protect and restore shared revenues between the state and cities, opposes the imposition of more unfunded or underfunded mandates, and asks the state to allow cities to better recover costs associated with public records requests.

In discussion, Councilman John Taves, noting the digital sign leaving Cheney that tracks the number of days since the last serious collision on SR 904 was well over 700, said the city has already said a lot on widening the highway.

“They’re all important, but I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on number two,” Taves aid.

Trulove noted that while traffic safety is important, widening the highway is likely a necessity for attracting more non-retail businesses into the city, particularly in Cheney’s Commerce and Industrial Park.

In other council business, the council approved amending the agreement with CleaResult for the Energy Smart Grocer Program in order to allocate an additional $10,500 from its Bonneville Power Administration conservation budget. The city had originally allocated $10,500 for energy conservation projects, and Light Department Director Steve Boorman said the additional allocation would allow implementation of two projects in two area stores.

If the money is not used it will be returned to the conservation budget.

The council also approved an agreement enabling the city’s Municipal Court to receive a $14,800 grant from the Washington State Office of Public Defense for use providing public defense services. Court Administrator Terri Cooper said it was the eighth year the city has received the funding, although the amount is less due to more cities asking for assistance.

Finally, the council approved an $18,100 award to Dow Excavating to perform work hooking up two First Street businesses, the Bogles Building and the Quonset Hut Building, to the city’s sewer system.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.