Council passes emergency resolution

Cheney’s regular business includes first budget amendment, computer purchases

 

Last updated 4/5/2020 at 9:52am



By JOHN McCALLUM

Managing Editor

CHENEY – The City Council gave its official blessing at its March 24 meeting to measures already implemented to combat the spread of the severe acute respiratory disease COVID-19.

City officials have taken action to close playgrounds and most city facilities following Spokane Regional Health District, state and federal directives. City Administrator Mark Schuller told the council that passage of the state of emergency resolution would allow the city to apply for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency covering city expenses once those funds are available.

Schuller said federal funding could be 75% of what the city spends, with the state, potentially adding up to another 12.5%. While adopted on March 24, the resolution was back-dated to March 13.

“We’re anxiously awaiting to see if they’re (state) going to chip in, but at least with this anyway we’ve kind of marked our line in the sand as to where the emergency started for us as a city” Schuller said.

The resolution could help pay for salaries if they were directly related to dealing with the pandemic. The resolution passed 7-0 at the meeting that was available to the public.

Council also passed an ordinance adopting its first budget amendment in 2020. Finance Director Cindy Niemeier requested and received all three readings and final passage of the $181,000 adjustment, which included $66,100 from the general fund balance for the Fire Department to make a down payment on new air packs.

“Also, they had a pot of money for their (fire station) remodel, which they did not get done so we’re rolling that into this year,” Niemeier said.

Another $28,000 was added to the residential street fund because it had not been included in the 2020 budget when it was written.

The Solid Waste Department received $75,600, some of which paid for Dumpsters ordered in 2019 but not arriving until just recently while the rest went to cover unanticipated repair work.

Also transferred from the 2019 budget was $43,000 for reroofing of the Light Department’s storage building, being completed this year, along with $86,000 to be coupled with $68,400 to pay for $155,000 in computer replacements and upgrades in the city’s Information Technology Department, approved by council earlier in the meeting.

“I had more money in ending fund balance, which means I had more money coming in than I was going to spend,” Niemeier said.

 

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