Ritzville Council concludes the year

After seating Dede Rawlings as the newest member on the Ritzville City Council, the council members turned their attention to the rest of the evening’s agenda.

Mayor Linda Kadlec reported she would retain everyone on their appointed committees for the 2015 year and added Rawlings to the Public Safety; Health and Sanitation; and Law and Justice committees. She also appointed Ben Cross of the Mayor pro-tem for 2015.

During the meeting the council addressed the Adams County Interlocal Agreement for Dispatch, Jail and Prosecution.

With Adams County terminating the contract that has been in place since 1994, the city and the county have been in negotiations over a new agreement to encompass all of criminal justice.

The city adopted a short-term agreement with the county in which the county agreed to provide Ritzville with the services of the Ritzville District Court, the Adams County Public Defender, jail services, dispatch services and the associated staff and facilities.

For this the city is required to pay the county $68 per prisoner per day for each city prisoner held within the county jail. The city is responsible for all costs associated with the medical treatment and/ or medically related transportation of the city prisoners.

The city is also responsible for compensating the county for the district court services provided as well as $19,788.22 for the county dispatching services.

The temporary extension agreement ends March 31, 2015.

Also at the meeting council members decided to continue withholding payment from the contractor working on the well project until the city receives a written schedule of work.

At the last meeting city council members voted to not release funds to the contractor until a schedule had been received.

Though the engineer of the project gave a verbal report of a schedule, council members wanted a physical document delivered to the city.

During the meeting Grove reported the RDDA was disappointed with receiving only the $4,500 for the creation of another metal sculpture around the city.

It was also reported that the funding given by the city for the sculpture might not be enough.

Grove also said the Ritz Theatre is struggling a little with the cost of showing movies not being off set by attendance. He said there are funds set aside to keep the theatre afloat, but it would be difficult in the small community.

The council also approved the amendment to the Professional Services Agreement between the city and T-O Engineers for the rehabilitation of the Pru Airfield runway and apron.

The amendment requested an additional $23,236.60, which would cover the costs of the revised scope of work on the runway. STRATA will be providing the city with a geotechnical engineering evaluation of the ground under the runway as well as a concrete treated base design and consultation.

The council approved the amendment with Grove opposed.

The council finished its business with the approval of claims, Totaling 96,332.20 and the final meeting of the 2014 year concluded.