By Katie Teachout
The Journal 

Waste Water Treatment Plant repairs in place

Lind Public Works employees in need of safer equipment

 

Last updated 1/21/2021 at 8:55am



LIND – Public works employee Brandon Stinnett gave a report on the Waste Water Treatment Plant to council Jan. 12. Stinnett has been working with Sewer Utility Operator Casie Monge and Water Utility Operator Joe Pessutti the last couple of weeks.

Stinnett reported the belt press and electrical components have been repaired, and a blower motor is being repaired off-site.

“Everything is starting to run smooth out there again,” Stinnett said.

He said he mowed the overgrown field, and got valves and manholes uncovered to help with normal maintenance of the plant.

Stinnett also reported being in conversation with Mayor Bell and Sheriff Wagner regarding enforcing some of the town ordinances.

Council members praised Stinnett for all his hard work and initiative, including taking on snow plowing and repairs of city equipment.

Councilperson Rose Elkington expressed concern that safety equipment is not being used by the public works employees. Stinnett said the cage on the backhoe that is used to lift the guys in the air is not up to OSHA standard. He said he felt it is safer for a worker to not be tethered to the cage in case it does fall off, then the worker would be able to jump out of the way.

“With the equipment we have right now, they are doing it the safest way they can,” Stinnett said, adding, “There are several options to make getting up in the air safer than what we have.”

“Well, at least you could all wear a hard hat,” Mayor Bell said.

“If we had hard hats provided to us we could, yes Ma’m,” Stinnett said.

Council discussed getting a truck with a cherry picker or a man lift; and a hard hat for Stinnett. Stinnett said the other workers brought hard hats from previous jobs.

“Now that it has come to our attention, it would behoove us to make our employees as safe as they can be,” Councilperson Jim Dworshak said.

When asked what each public works employee’s designated areas are, Stinnett said along with the Waste Water Treatment Plant, he takes care of the Lift Station, Shop and Vehicle Maintenance. Dave Christian is Water, Wells, Reservoirs and Chris Miller is Streets and Parks. All employees take care of garbage.

In Unfinished Business, Patrick Sheehy of Century West Engineering reported USDA has signed off on a change order to allow C & E Trenching to fix the leak that is North of Clarence Street. Double J Excavating is still working on completing the Variable Frequency Drive at Well No. 8, with work tentatively set to begin this week. Well No. 8 will be shut down for two weeks while the work is being completed. Sheehy reported Double J Excavating is looking for a spare motor or possibly a generator for Well No. 7 while Well No. 8 is down. Sheehy also reported Century West Engineering is still working on the contract for the 5th Street TIB resurfacing project.

A resolution to transfer $7,000 in funds from Current Expense to the Water Fund was striken from the agenda. Mayor Bell said the transfer was originally intended to prevent going into 2021 with a negative balance in the water fund, but an email from the state auditor’s office encouraged her to refrain from doing so, in order to keep the accounting for 2020 as accurate as possible. One councilperson suggested carrying over the negative balance would illustrate how the town is hurting due to COVID restrictions and people not paying their water bills.

In other business, council:

– Passed a motion to have Councilperson Rose Elkington remain as Mayor Pro-Tem for another term of 6 months.

– Heard from Councilperson Kathy Vedder an individual is interested in possibly working as the town’s dog catcher.

– Heard from Mayor Bell the town crew will be taking their pesticide licensing Jan. 19.

¬– Agreed Mayor Paula Bell should be allowed to use the town car to get to the office and back home every day, as she does not have a working vehicle at this time.

– Heard the Adams County Sheriff’s Department has a new crime tips email address where people can report crime annonymously at [email protected].

– Approved payment of warrants from Dec. 22 through Jan. 11 in the amount of $59,467 and invoices from Dec. 11 through Jan. 4 in the amount of $37,134.

Author Bio

Katie Teachout, Editor

Katie Teachout is the editor of The Ritzville Adams County Journal. Previously, she worked as a reporter at The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, the Oroville Gazette-Tribune, Northern Kittitas County Tribune and the Methow Valley News. She is a graduate of Western Washington University.

 

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