Othello to help study development in Adams County
Water rights swap remains undecided
OTHELLO — The Othello City Council voted to pay for a development study and increase Lions Park fees, while discussing empty property and an offer to swap water rights for water service Monday.
The council voted unanimously to participate in a study for development in Adams County by paying $1,000 from their 2006 budget in an attempt to learn the best way to develop the city. The money is for a comprehensive economic development plan.
Each city in Adams County is being asked to contribute a certain amount of money to participate in the study. Community Trade and Economic Development awarded Adams County the bulk of the money needed, $37,500. Each city is being asked to contribute separately to the fund. Cities are allowed to have an individual development plan with the end result being all separate ideas being brought together to develop Adams County.
Council Members Eleanor Brodahl and Dale Wyman will be on the steering committee.
Shelter fees at Lions Park were increased by a unanimous vote from the Council.
The need for increased fees stems from the rising cost to clean up the area. Small shelters are now $10 and large shelters are now $15.
Two new time schedules were also approved. The shelters can be reserved from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. This is in an attempt to reduce mistakes made in overlapping visitor's time and to reduce the amount of garbage and provide adequate time to clean up.
The cost increase and the schedule are effective Oct. 1.
The decision with what to do with several unused lots located near the community swimming pool is still up in the air.
The lots were originally owned by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, but they had no use for them and were given to the city. The lots are controlled by the Othello Housing Authority and they have to be used to benefit the public.
The council discussed using the lots for a senior center or converting it into a parking lot. No decision was reached and the issue tabled.
An offer to swap a water rights application for use of city water in a pending development remains tabled. A developer offers his application for water rights to secure water use for expanding the golf course to 18 holes and construction of 350 homes.
Council decided Aug. 28 to invite a representative from the state Department of Ecology to discuss the status of the application before making a decision.
Resident Ken Johnson spoke about it Monday during the citizen input portion. He urged the council to continue efforts to have the DOE attend a meeting to answer questions. The Council informed him they already planned to do that.