Candidate forum will be on October 7, 2019

Monday night’s meeting of the Odessa Town Council was attended by Mayor Bill Crossley and council members Vickie Iverson, Kelly Watkins and Marleen Kramer, with both Landon Lobe and Amy Hunt absent and by several members of the community, including several currently running for positions on the council.

Under public comment, Odessa residents Jackie Allen and Patty Martin received permission from the council to hand out invitations to council members and those running for office to appear at a community forum to be held October 7, 2019 in the Old Town Hall in Odessa from 7-9 p.m. to provide an opportunity to meet the candidates for town government running in the November general election.

The community forum is to have a moderator, and the public is invited to attend and submit any questions they have to the moderator.

Each candidate will be asked to present an opening statement introducing themselves, telling their relationship to the community and explaining why they chose to run for the position. Following the question and answer period, the candidates will provide closing statements. It is requested that both the opening and closing statements be no more than two minutes long.

The Odessa Chamber of Commerce has requested that the town purchase and install an additional lock to secure the community center from the front entrance to the building. Concerns had been expressed that events such as the annual wine tasting and Booster Club auctions in which items are stored there prior to the event would be at risk of theft or tampering. Requested was a keyed-entry lock at a cost of about $100. The council seemed leery of spending any additional unbudgeted money, but Odessa businessman Jeff Huiras offered to install a keyed-lock that he had never used at no cost to either the Chamber or Council. The council gratefully accepted the offer.

Steve Nelson of CenturyWest Engineering of Spokane was on the agenda but unable to attend. But public works director Rod Webster announced that work on roadways and sewer lines would begin next Monday, July 29, at Alder and Second Ave. and then on Fairway. One lane of Fairway will be kept open at all times to permit emergency vehicle access.

Nelson had also suggested to Webster that a loan be taken out at a very low interest rate to purchase grinder pumps, as the original pumps continue to need replacement. Over 70 pumps are currently at risk of failure, Webster said.

Various other breakdowns in equipment of the public works department were also reported by Webster. The Department of Health has also told Webster that the south hill abandoned reservoir needs some patching work done to repair hazardous areas of deteriorating concrete.

Deputy Marshal Les Jimerson reported on behalf of his office that Odessa’s officers have been very busy lately dealing with traffic violations, dogs running at large, trespassing incidents and thefts. He also requested that council consider amending the general penalty ordinance, raising the fines to be levied to be more in line with those of other municipalities in the area. The council tabled the issue to study it.

Dan Jess of Armada Collections in Moses Lake gave a presentation to the council on his company’s services involving debt collection and online credit card payment options for the town website. The council will also study those issues prior to the next meeting, which will be August 12.