Othello annexation tabled

OTHELLO — A split vote among the Othello City Council led to a possible annexation being tabled Monday.

A piece of property located on Cunningham Road, containing underground fuel tanks, may be annexed into the city.

Property owner John Hoksbergen wishes to annex the commercial zoned property because he expects it to be developed and people will be interested in purchasing it, he said.

Councilmember Kathy Carlton asked how the cleanup process of the underground fuel tanks is progressing.

He said he is in the process of dealing with the cleanup with the state Department of Ecology.

According to ecology, Hoksbergen will be fined $20,000 if the property is not brought into compliance.

He advised there are four tanks and they are empty. He said whether the property is annexed or not, the tanks will be removed.

Councilmember Marc Spohr questioned the difficulty of building around the drain fields on the property.

Hoksbergen said he is aware of the drain fields and is working to resolve the issue.

"The potential of this land is a bit of a risk," Spohr said.

He said there are two sides to the issue. It can be expensive for the city to maintain the roads and surrounding area of the annexation. Mitigation for the fuel tanks and drain fields must also be dealt with. On the other hand, he said, the development could bring in businesses and generate jobs.

Councilmember Ken Caylor said he wants the property to be annexed into the city.

He said it will help the city grow and will provide a larger tax base.

"I agree with you to a point," Carlton said. "This is a risky business for us as a city."

She said after speaking with ecology and discussing the fuel tanks it raised a red flag for her.

"If someone is going to make some money on this project, I hope they do," Mayor Shannon McKay said.

Whether the property is annexed or not, the tanks will be cleaned and the drain fields mitigated, he said. It would not be a liability to the city but rather to the property owner.

"The tank issue is a minor issue," Councilmember Dale Wyman said. "It's just a process of pulling them out of the ground."

He said the removal procedure is standard and has been done all over the city.

"I think it's a prime opportunity to annex a piece of property that should be developed," Wyman said.

Councilmember Eleanor Brodahl said she can foresee cost issues for the city regarding sending water and sewer services to the property.

City Manager Ehman Sheldon said the cost would be the developer's responsibility unless the city chose to upgrade the infrastructure.

Councilmembers Wyman, Caylor and Tim Wilson voted to approve the annexation.

Councilmembers Carlton, Spohr and Brodahl voted against the annexation.

Spohr said he voted no because he was not prepared to vote as the proposal was submitted for information only.

The split vote led to council tabling the issue for the next meeting.

Councilmember Everett Cole was absent from the meeting.