Council approves street closure request for community parade

The Ritzville City Council touched on a number of different topics during its 48-minute meeting on Aug. 20, which included approving a street closure request for the Ritzville Community Parade on Saturday, Aug. 31.

The request came from the Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce, who requested the following streets be closed from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Aug. 31: Main Avenue, from Jefferson Street to Columbia Street; Broadway Avenue, from Jefferson Street to Division Street (Division Street will remain open for emergencies).

Councilmember Dennis Chamberlain noted that this request was typical each year, and stressed that the Chamber is in “dire need” of volunteers for the parade. The Chamber is also looking for volunteers to help man the ice cream booth at the Wheat Land Communities’ Fair and Ritzville Rodeo. Those interested in volunteering can sign up by visiting Uniquely Washington at 116 W. Main Ave. or calling Uniquely Washington at (509) 659-0059.

Along the same lines as approving the street closure request, the council also unanimously approved the Wheat Land Communities’ Fair and Ritzville Rodeo’s request to allow them to place a 4-foot by 6-foot banner that is attached to straw bales at the Ritzville freeway exit. The banner has been put up for the last three years. The fair and rodeo also requested to post picket signs in straw bales at Division Street and Main Avenue and 1st Avenue. The signs point the direction to the fairgrounds.

City hires temporary public accountant

The council authorized the hiring of Tara Dunford, a certified public accountant who will assist the city in a number of different accounting areas.

The council gave Mayor Gary Cook the authority to sign the agreement between the city and Dunford. The fee for Dunford’s services is set at an hourly rate of $150 per hour and is not to exceed 40 hours or $6,000. Clerk-Treasurer Julie Flyckt told the council that the funds were budgeted for in the clerk’s 2019 budget.

Dunford will be assisting the city with reviewing activity for the Equipment Rental and Revolving Fund, which had a beginning fund balance of $550,000 going into 2019.

Dunford will also help the city develop a cost allocation plan. Flyckt said she’s talked with Dunford about how the city should structure the clerk department, whether the department needs extra help or just temporary help, or whether the department needs to just restructure its roles.

Other tasks that Dunford may assist the city with include evaluating the structure of the finance department and providing technical accounting assistance.

Other notes

Breazeale noted that the department is done with its crack-sealing operation for the time being. The department used all of the material that it was allotted to use. Since undergoing the operation beginning in 2018, the department has covered: Pacific Street to Clark Street, up to 6th Avenue; Adams Street to Palouse Street in downtown; and Birch Avenue.

The department is also continuing to repaint signs on the roads, such as ‘stop ahead’ signs, signs indicating the speed limit and arrows on the roads.