Medical Lake council OKs sale of gun range

At its Oct. 4 meeting, the Medical Lake City Council approved the sale of its gun range, in the amount of $10,000, to the Washington State Department of Corrections - acting through the state Department of Enterprise Services. The sale goes into effect on Dec. 31.

Mayor John Higgins noted there is a caveat added to the contract where the DOC will provide extra crewmembers to the city on an "as needed basis."

Councilwoman Jessica Roberts asked if other agencies, such as the city's Fire Department, can still use the gun range for training purposes, something council had discussed prior to the sale. City Administrator Doug Ross said he and Higgins are working on a supplemental agreement with DOC on the matter.

"We are aware the Fire Department still wants to use the gun range for training," Ross said. "I can't promise anything, but I think they (DOC) would agree to let the Fire Department train there."

Council also approved an update to the clerk/cashier job description. Ross said when the city promoted Karen Langford to finance director, it left a vacant clerk/cashier that needed to be filled.

Ross explained that whenever the city has to fill an open office position, staff will update the job description. In this case, the individual will no longer have to assist the Court Administrator, serve as a backup when the administrator is absent or provide clerical support to the court. Medical Lake currently has no municipal court and contracts those services through Cheney Municipal Court.

Roberts asked why the court duties were taken out of the clerk/cashier description when staff chose to keep the "Parks and Recreation Director" when they updated the recreation coordinator job description in the summer.

"I'm just concerned there would be no backup," Roberts said.

Ross explained that since the city has no court, there was no reason to require the employee to perform those duties.

"In the case of parks and recreation, it's just one position and I could see us having a Parks and Recreation director again," Ross said. "With court, it's a department we don't have."

Councilman A.J. Burton said leaving the court duties in the job description would mean the city would make the "candidate pool smaller."

Higgins added that if the city has a court again, staff can update the job description again to include those duties.

Council approved the second reading of ordinance 1049, which is a franchise agreement between Avista and Medical Lake for the distribution and sale of gas for 25 years. The ordinance is an extension of a previous agreement that had been with Washington Water Power. Since Avista is a non-exclusive franchise, they cannot prevent the city from granting or awarding similar agreements to other businesses like Inland Power and Light for gas services.

Ross announced that the repairs to the maintenance shop are complete and staff have moved equipment into it.

"We still have some external things to do," Ross said. "It turned out alright and we're excited to have the shop back."

During public safety reports, Councilman John Paikuli said the Fire Department is narrowing down their choices for air packs and the cost of the devices could come under budget. Ross added that the city may end up purchasing all of the air packs the Fire Department needs.

"Before we were going to buy half of them now and the other half next year, but it looks like we can get a better deal if we buy them all together," Ross said.

Roberts asked Ross if the city would have the money to buy the equipment all at once. Ross said it would mean a shorter ending fund balance for the 2017 budget, but the city can purchase the equipment.

Council set a public hearing for Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. for 2017 revenue sources and possible increase in property tax and emergency revenue service revenues.

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].