Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
REARDAN – Dispatch contract between the police department and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department has been an ongoing topic of discussion in town, and it was among the main topics of consideration at the Aug 6 town council meeting.
The jail expenditure portion of the contract has been its only topic of debate, as previously reported in the July 23 issue of The Times. Police chief Andy Manke informed council that the police department recently received a $611 bill for a DUI offender’s medical expenses and wasn’t previously notified.
Manke told council he wanted a portion of the old dispatch contract concerning medical expenses added in to the new contract for a six-month leeway. The old contract language states that the county has to make “reasonable efforts to obtain pre-authorization for costs.”
Manke previously reached out to Lincoln County Commissioner Rob Coffman, who didn’t think the town would gain any traction trying to renegotiate this portion of the contract. Manke then suggested to council that the town could see about a six-month trial period and then try and re-negotiate if the expenditures become too hefty.
Council elected to wait on action on the dispatch contract in an effort to meet with county commissioners. Town clerk Megan Kamstra said this meeting has occurred, and the town is now in process of writing a letter to detail Manke’s request to add the language from the old contract concerning medical expenses into the new contract.
In other business, council approved a Level 2 contractor to come in and help public works director Bob Winn make sure everything is running smoothly, per the request of the Department of Ecology, who recently reached out to the town to request that they have a Level 2 operator in town.
Council agreed with mayor Gail Daniels’ report that new ventilation was needed in city hall and in the police department. An initial bid totaling approximately $2,700 for new Kysar Vents in these two areas was given, and the town must receive at least two more bids for further action.
Daniels also reported that she is working with attorneys from the Lincoln County fire department on the fire district contract, which hasn’t been amended in “some time.” She added that the fire district and town is using more water than normal right now, so she is working with the above parties to figure out the financial impact of that with an updated contract.
Council also heard a request from Chartwell Homes, Inc. who are requesting a credit for a sewer tap that the town didn’t know was at their recent building location. The town is working to confirm that it’s an active sewer hookup on that property. Further action will be taken at council’s next meeting August 20.
Citizen Susan Eastman owns land north of the railroad tracks surrounding Audubon Lake and has recently developed it into various plots. She had it annexed, making the property within city limits.
Eastman requested council’s help in developing the property while potentially building a road there due to the revenue she’d be bringing the town through new utility bills. She doesn’t yet know what the development would look like, but suggested modular homes or senior living as potential outcomes.
Council will next meet August 20 at 6 p.m.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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