Briefs

M.K.B. contract approved

HARRINGTON — Council approved a four-year contract with M.K.B. Lawn Care for city landscaping services at a regular meeting Wednesday, March 22.

Councilmembers Joe Armand and David Buddrius abstained from voting.

M.K.B. will provide landscaping services at the cemetery, city park and town square, plus other needs within city limits.

Anthony Brown of M.K.B. said the company would do a spring cleanup of branches and other ailments that happened over the winter.

The cost will be $3,291.69 a month for 12 months and will have a 3% increase each year.

Brown said the price reflects the cost of taking waste to a dump past Davenport, as there is no longer a dump available for them to use that is closer to Harrington.

ARPA funds marked for sewer repairs

REARDAN — On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) into law, which provided communities financial relief in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The town was awarded $170,363. To date, town council has authorized disbursements of $78,700.59.

The town spent $16,030 in ARPA funds to replace two police cars, $43,301 to replace two sewer pumps and $19,369.39 to purchase a street sweeper.

The unspent total of ARPA funds is $91,662.41, which is budgeted for water and sewer infrastructure repairs.

Council tables Logan Street vacation

DAVENPORT—City council tabled a request from Mark and Kim Elwood to vacate a portion of Logan Street and two adjacent parcels at a regular meeting Wednesday, March 22.

A public hearing was held for the Elwoods’ request for a vacation from the easterly right-of-way line of First Street to the westerly right-of-way of Highway 25 in the Columbia addition.

Council tabled the request in hopes of seeing more surveying work done on the area before approval.

The public hearing and subsequent decision was the only item on the agenda at the meeting.

School board approves three items

DAVENPORT – The school board approved three housekeeping items at a regular meeting Monday, March 27.

The board agreed to cancel a department presentation meeting scheduled for Monday, April 10. The June 26 board meeting was moved to Wednesday, June 21.

The board also approved a secondary school teaching position. A prospective teacher would either be a full-time employee, or at minimum, work 28 hours a week.

Time to remove studded tires

DAVENPORT — If you haven’t yet removed your studded tires, it’s time to do so.

The deadline to remove studded tires is Friday, March 31, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The Washington State Patrol will begin issuing tickets Saturday, April 1. The fine for having studded tires on a vehicle after the removal deadline is $137.

Studded tires are legal in the state from Nov. 1 to March 31. Even out-of-state motorists must have them removed outside of that window.

“Studded tires cause between $20-$29 million in damage to state-owned roads in Washington each winter and also damage city and county roads,” Transportation Maintenance Operations Manager James Morin said.

- The Record-Times