Lind Town Council determines employee wages for 2018

During the Jan. 9 meeting, the Lind Town Council approved several action items, including two resolutions for 2018.

The first resolution established the wages of Town employees for 2018. The resolution was originally scheduled to be voted on at the Dec. 28 meeting, before it was postponed due to extreme weather.

The resolution states the Clerk/Treasurer will make $14.42 an hour while the Deputy Clerk earns $14.04 an hour.

The Public Works Supervisor will make $18.25 an hour while Public Works/Sewer employee will earn $13.12 an hour, and the Public Works/Parks/Streets employee will make $14.19 an hour.

The documents stated the Wastewater Operator will make $600 per month, the Mayor will earn $350 per month and council members collect $30 per meeting.

Council also approved a resolution to appoint Mayor Paula Bell and Clerk/Treasurer Kim Michaels as agents to receive any claims for damages made under Revised Code of Washington Chapter 4.96.

The ordinance states all claims for damages against a local governmental entity or its officers, employees or volunteers acting in such capacity shall be presented to the agents.

Council also voted to send a letter to former Mayor Jamie Schmunk thanking her for her efforts and contributions to the Town during her eight years in office.

In other business, Stantec Engineer Alan Gay informed council he received a request from Washington State Department of Ecology to conduct another mini-study for the Town’s Storm Water Project.

Gay explained the additional study is not budgeted in the project’s current scope of work. He estimated the study would increase the project’s cost by about $10,000.

If council agreed to the study, Stantec would amend the project’s engineering report to include the results of the study. Stantec would present the report to Ecology for their approval, then bring it to council.

With the new study and the process, Gay said he not be able to go out to bid for the project until mid-May. Pushing the bidding until May would make it difficult for Gay to find contractors to bid on the project.

Gay said the Town could continue with the project without the additional study. Stantec would address comments in the engineering report, finish it and start the bidding process in mid-April.

Without the additional study, Gay said the project’s scope of work would not be completed, and both Stantec and Ecology believe the project would likely go over budget.

If the project is over budget, Gay said the Town could request for supplemental funding from Ecology, but there is no guarantee they will receive it. The Town could also research different financing options to pay for the additional cost.

Gay said another factor is the Town will want to complete the Storm Water Project this year because of the impending work for the FEMA improvement street projects.

Gay said the Town could abandon the project altogether, but they will likely have to pay back the amount of money they have already received in loans, as well as Stantec’s outstanding fees.

He added there is a possibility Ecology could request the Town to reimburse them for the grant funding they used because only a portion of the project would be completed before it was abandoned.

Council members Rose Elkington and Kathy Vedder said they were in favor of moving forward with the project without the additional study and for the beginning in April. Council motioned to proceed with the project.

Gay said he would inform Ecology about the council’s decision and bring feedback from the agency.

Gay said he understands the council’s concerns about the delays that have occurred since the planning began for the project four years ago.

He added he has been communicating with Ecology staff and it is likely the project will continue as scheduled. Gay said he will report any communication he receives from Ecology to council regarding the project.

During her Mayor’s report, Bell announced she and council members Richard Baldwin and Elkington were sworn into their elected positions on Dec. 29. Vedder was sworn into her council seat on Jan. 2 and Dworshak took his oath of office on Jan. 5.

In regards to the vacant Council Ward 4 position, previously Bell’s seat, the council is accepting letters of interest for the seat until Jan. 19.