Harrington news

Mayor Paul Gilliland opened the October 14 meeting of the Council. All council members were present: Peter Davenport, Terri Howe, Levi Schenk, Mike Cronrath and Rick Becker, as well as Bunny Haugan, city clerk, and Scott McGowan, public works director. Visitors included Mike, Jacob and Kristi Poteet; Allen Barth; Paul Charlton; Sharon Schultz; Derek Montgomery and William Mann (two high school students); Justin Slack; Tim Tipton and Marge Womach.

Kristi Poteet addressed the council desiring a variance in the matter of an ordinance pertaining to the R-1 zone in which her family is renting a home. She is establishing a business, Me Too, which will entail kennels, pet boarding and grooming. She presented the council with a list of 33 signatures of persons wishing the council to give her permission to continue her business, since it is the only kennel in Lincoln County.

The specifics of Harrington Ordinance 319 are such that a variance cannot be granted, but that the ordinance itself would have to be changed or eliminated in order to allow such a business at that location on South Second Street. After much discussion and a period of question and answers, the mayor asked the council to take a hypothetical vote as to the likelihood of changing the ordinance. The purpose was to determine if the issue was worth the expense to the Poteets that it would cost in attorney’s fees. The Council was not inclined to believe that the city should change the ordinance which prevents most home businesses from being established in that portion of the city. Letters of complaint had been received by the city pertaining to the noise from the dogs. A council member suggested that the Poteet family find another residence in town or near town that would not be affected by Ordinance 319.

Allen Barth, vice president of the Harrington Public Development Authority, brought before the council an application for a development fund grant, seeking support from the council and mayor for an application to the Lincoln County EDC to make broadband available to the downtown business district and any potential homes that are included in that area. Barth said that Spectrum intends to have its tower installed at city hall in the next three weeks. The council voted 5-0 for support of the PDA application for this project.

Mayor Gilliland had received a tentative Wheatland Libraries contract, Reciprocal Use Agreement, which needed approval by the council. It would allow the Harrington Library to participate in the new system of allowing patrons from other libraries of the Wheatland group (Lincoln County libraries and Ritzville Library in Adams County) to check out materials from Harrington and Harrington patrons to check out items at the other libraries. Marge Womach, Harrington Librarian, said an email that morning informed her that the state now required that one document go to each of the libraries for the needed signatures rather than having seven separate documents. Womach advised the council that there are few Harrington card holders in “good standing.” The Harrington Library also does not issue cards to its patrons, so some changes might be needed.

The next council meeting will be held November 11 at 7:30 p.m. in spite of Veterans Day. Alan Gay will present a contract for the wastewater project.