Medical Lake approves police contract

There’s nothing like discussion of how Medical Lake will police itself in the future to make a City Council meeting lively.

At its June 19 meeting the council — short one member, Ted Olson who was away on vacation and still trying to fill a vacancy — voted 3-2 to approve a two-year extension of the deal with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to deliver police services.

Councilman John Paukuli, the chair of the Public Safety Committee, was one of the yes votes along with Tony Harbolt and AJ Burton that steered the measure over the objections fielded by Jessica Roberts and Laura Parsons.

The deal will cost the city an estimated $980,000 over the next two years, up about 11 percent from the current $890,000.

The new deal is part of a restructuring that was undertaken by the Sherriff’s Office and the city of Spokane Valley — the prime user of police services from the sheriff.

“The county and the Valley worked out the cost model,” City Administrator Doug Ross said. “That’s why it took us so long to get the new contract as they were waiting to get it ironed out with the largest agency they contract with, the city of Spokane Valley.”

In parsing the way the new agreement will be structured, Ross said that the city of Spokane Valley took the lead on the new way the sheriff will do business in policing contracts, of which it also handles Spokane Valley, Deer Park, Waverly and Latah.

“It’s not that they went to each jurisdiction and came up with separate formulas,” Ross said. There was also a thought that Medical Lake should be part of negotiations with the county but there were no talks, Ross added.

The county decided to come up with one contract and developed a formula that would integrate into others which will run through Dec. 31, 2022.

It was suggested by Roberts that the city should have sought out other potential providers for law enforcement services. If there were a different method, Ross said from his standpoint he would take it.

But there is no alternative as trial balloons were sent in a variety of other directions including Cheney, Spokane and Airway Heights with each declining, Paikuli said.

The council had easier decisions on the night.

In a less contentious matter, all five council members approved a water intertie agreement with the city of Spokane that will provide a potential backup supply for Medical Lake, should the need arise in the future.

“That goes to the city of Spokane and they still have to approve it,” Ross said.

In the event of an emergency, and upon approval from Spokane, up to 600 gallons per minute could be provided from that city’s lavishly abundant aquifer. Medical Lake, on the contrary, “Is just in a lousy aquifer,” Ross said.

Besides pending approval from Spokane, there is still a matter of building approximately $500,000 of infrastructure in the vicinity of Craig Road and State Route 902 where the two supply lines meet.

Currently, the two supply lines are only about 300 yards apart, Ross said. A yellow fire hydrant signifies the current Spokane outlet. Medical Lake will have to build a pump with a booster station. That physical connection is still in the works as to whether it will be done this fall or next spring.

Once completed, to access that emergency supply would be simply contacting Spokane, apprising them of the situation and getting the flow started.

The only time such a supply might be tapped would be if a well goes down or a water test is returned with bad readings, Ross said.

Council also unanimously passed the city’s six-year transportation improvement plan, as well as approval of two retail fireworks stands.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.