By DREW LAWSON
Staff Reporter 

Airway Heights approves virus fund interagency agreement

 

Last updated 7/23/2020 at 11:54am



AIRWAY HEIGHTS — The City Council unanimously authorized City Manager Albert Tripp to sign an interagency agreement for coronavirus relief funding at its July 6 meeting.

The funding totaled $286,350 and can be used for costs related to the COVID-19 fallout, such as medical expenses or business/economic shortfalls.

The funding will be provided to the city through reimbursement.

Tripp presented resolution 2020-014, which would declare financial emergency for the current 2020 expense fund budget due to financial hardships created by COVID-19.

The expense fund budget is the main operating budget for general governmental services such as police and parks and recreation. Tripp said the city is projecting a $1.5 million — 15% — budget shortfall. One of the main contributors for the shortfall is the lack of revenue coming through the rec center.

Tripp said his hope for the July 6 meeting was to increase awareness of the financial impact COVID-19 is having on the budget and will bring an update to council’s July 13 study session and hopes for final approval at council’s July 20 regular meeting. (See related story on Page 1)


The council also unanimously approved Ordinance C-939, which authorized the “maximum capacity of a local sales and use tax to fund investments in affordable and supportive housing as authorized by R.C.W. 82.14.540,” according to meeting documentation.

Public works Director Kevin Anderson said the Department of Health requested an update on the city’s water plan “soon.” He promised further details at council’s July 13 study session.


Anderson also mentioned that the city is working on two grants for funding from the state Department of Transportation due at the end of the month.

One is the “Safe Route to School” grant, which Anderson said would be used to improve the sidewalk on 10th Avenue westbound toward Aspen Street.

The other grant, the “Ped-Bike Grant,” is still being considered, but Anderson said possibilities include pedestrian and bike facilities around the Craig and U.S. Highway 2 intersection.

Councilman Doyle Inman noted he didn’t notice much enforcement of the city’s no fireworks ordinance after midnight July 2 and 3.

Tripp said he only discussed July 4 in conversations with the Airway Heights Police department.

 

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