Odessa Town Council

The February 8 meeting of the Odessa Town Council was to have included a presentation on a proposed sales tax increase for Lincoln County by Sheriff Wade Magers and County Commissioner Mark Stedman. However, Magers was unavailable that evening, and Stedman was said to be working on a packet of information for county residents on the amount of the increase and on its use by law enforcerment agencies for drug enforcement.

Town librarian Julie Jantz presented council members with a final version of a reciprocal agreement among all six of the libraries in Lincoln County, plus the Ritzville library in Adams County, laying the groundwork for interlibrary loans of the holdings of the seven participating libraries to holders of library cards in good standing. Each of the libraries was to supply the others with an electronic listing of its holdings, so that patrons at their home libraries could see whether a particular item was available elsewhere. Patrons could then check out books from any library covered under the agreement.

Mayor Lois Hubbard asked council members whether there had been much feedback from citizens following announcement of the residential income survey in the newspaper and on utility bills this month. Most council members said they had heard little or no comment from the public. Those who did heard only curiosity rather than any objections. Hubbard encouraged the council to emphasize the confidential nature of the survey and its importance to the town in terms of providng eligibility for government grants and loans. The surveys will be mailed to residents later in February. A door-to-door personal interview will follow for those who do not mail in a completed survey.

A planning-only grant application for infrastructure improvements has been submitted, said Hubbard. Public works director Rod Webster and council members Terry Goetz and Bill Crossley were to visit the town of Royal City to tour the wastewater treatment plant there which had received a large grant award for improvements. The three Odessa men will see what has been accomplished with the Royal City grant.

Webster also said that Fourth Avenue was scheduled to be crack-sealed this year from Alder Street to Fairway. The state department of transportation has created maps of towns marking its streets in different colors to reflect their need for improvements. Copies were emailed to all council members.

Councilman Goetz reported on his attendance at the most recent meeting of the Lincoln County Economic Development Council. Discussion at the meeting centered on the income survey being conducted in Odessa and on how budget shortages are affecting county services.

Hubbard told council members to be prepared to hold a budget workshop sometime during the month of February to begin prioritizing items for next year’s budget.