Moses Lake planners to see temporary home

City hopes to have portable in place in next two months

MOSES LAKE — Have to take out a building permit in Moses Lake? You'll soon need to look across the street.

A growing population has also meant a growing staff at the city of Moses Lake this year, into a space which may seem to be getting smaller to some city departments. A new building on the city hall campus to relieve some of those growing pains is planned in the long term, but the city has purchased an approximately 2,000-square foot portable building to house the community development department across Balsam Street until a more permanent building becomes a reality.

The city this year has added staff in both engineering and community development to handle the number of projects being undertaken, and to facilitate the number of building permits and building inspections at the city. But City Manager Joe Gavinski told councilmen at their retreat in February that there wasn't additional space for any employees at city hall, leading them to consider other solutions.

"We are cramped, and I expect it's going to get worse," Gavinski said Monday, mentioning the new portable which will soon be moved on site. "It's a good interim solution."

The 1997 Blazer Industries triple-wide portable will be placed at the southwest corner of Fourth Avenue and Balsam Street, on the corner diagonally from the existing Moses Lake City Hall. The building was purchased from Moses Lake Christian Academy for $45,000, and Community Development Director Gilbert Alvarado said he hopes to have the building on site in about two months.

Community development has gradually forced some of the city's engineers into the basement as the department has increased staff members. Community development has itself utilized every small space, including turning what was once a closet into an office for the city's code enforcement officers. When most of the community development staff moves across the street, Alvarado said engineering will likely retake their old spaces.

"It's not like we're going to have these vacant offices if we move across the street," Alvarado said. "They'll fill in pretty quick."

Right now, space is at a premium. A new city council chambers and permanent Museum and Art Center building is in the city's long-range plans. Proposals for a new building to house the two entities on the city hall campus are in the early stages, and Gavinski estimated could be undertaken in 2009.

But until that time, the community development department will be moving out of their offices at city hall, and into the building across the street. Alvarado said community development will be looking at utilities and other conversions to convert the facility from a classroom to offices for 14 community development staffers.

City officials had initially thought to use the former Busby building to house planning and building, but Gavinski said the portable proved to be a better solution as it was more accessible across the street. The Busby building near the city's current operations and maintenance complex is also currently being used to house sewer division staff while their facility undergoes renovations.

Residents and developers are currently able to move from one counter to the other to seek services, and will now need to cross the street to get what they need. But Alvarado said they will try to make contact with the public as easy as possible after moving to the portable.

With building activity continuing throughout the city, both Alvarado and Gavinski said the department should remain busy even when it leaves city hall.

"Planning and building is very busy, as is development engineering and engineering in general," Gavinski said. "There's a lot going on and you can expect that to continue."