Cheney council declares emergency to buy electrical parts

The Cheney City Council approved a resolution declaring an emergency in order to waive the competitive bid process and proceed with purchasing needed electrical components to repair a main underground switch cabinet damaged in a Feb. 15 auto accident.

City Administrator Mark Schuller said the reason for the emergency resolution, which would exceed $7,500, is because some of the parts are 12-15 weeks out. Repairs to the cabinet, located at the northeast corner of North Sixth Street and Betz Road, are temporary and if something additionally unforeseen should happen affecting those repairs, many residents on the city’s north side could be without power for an extended period.

“We need to get these components in,” Schuller said.

Council also approved a resolution authorizing needed appropriations for rehabilitating the city’s No. 8 water well. Water Recovery Resources of Spokane supplied a low bid on the project of $43,885 plus taxes, with the total appropriation requested coming to $52,480, plus 10 percent in contingencies.

The work will include chemical pre-cleaning of the casing and borehole, cleaning the pump column and shaft exteriors and applying an Aqua Feed CO2 treatment. Public Works Director Todd Ableman said the city will be cleaning about one well per year, and will take a look at wells 5 and 7 this fall to see which one is next.

The council approved the second reading of Ordinance W-45 adopting the city’s updated Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan. The council held off on the third reading and final passage at the request of Councilman John Taves, who said he had found some areas of concern but had not had a chance to speak with Ableman on them.

Council did pass a pair of ordinances amending portions of zoning code language and removing the requirement of a special designation for an overlay zone in the comprehensive plan. Council also passed a resolution supporting citizen’s efforts to purchase and relocate the 1929 Northern Pacific Railroad Station, sometimes referred to as “The Depot.”

In staff comments, Schuller said work on finishing the 50-acre Park along Betz Road is getting underway soon, with crews installing infrastructure, irrigation, hydroseeding of the playing fields along with installing backstops and restrooms.

“Once it gets up and going it will be a nice thing out there,” Schuller said.

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