Grant County commissioners visit Moses Lake

Meeting offered chance to discuss issues

GRANT COUNTY - Burn bans, fireworks, the possibility of a second Moses Lake crossing and fairground renovations were among topics discussed at a Grant County commissioners' meeting in Moses Lake Tuesday.

The "town Hall" meeting, held at the Grant County Fairgrounds, presented the public with a chance to voice concerns to county commissioners.

Moses Lake City Council member Dick Deane asked what the community could do about burn bans.

Commissioner Richard Stevens said the law is poorly applied to Eastern Washington and he believes the law was intended for Western Washington.

County resident Ed Stubington said many people do not have the physical or financial means to take their yard waste somewhere, such as a dump.

He said he did not know of any case where someone in Grant County was being endangered by someone burning a small pile of leaves.

Stevens said one problem is cities can receive grants to purchase equipment to help handle yard waste, such as leaves, grass clippings or branches, but no money to hire someone to run the equipment.

County resident and Fire District 5 volunteer firefighter Jim Turner said the fire district encourages people to call in when they plan to burn material. Sometimes the fire district is called out to a fire, and when firefighters arrive they learn it is a controlled fire.

"We're allowed to burn our field edges and with a permit, we can burn our field," Turner said.

Stevens noted residents of the county are supposed to be allowed to burn fires, but he agrees they should call in with the fire district.

But he added there is a problem with enforcement and wondered who would enforce the burn ban. He said the sheriff's office does not have time to enforce the ban.

"I don't think our county intends on chasing everyone down with a leaf pile," Stevens said.

Deane asked commissioners about fireworks. He said the city banned fireworks, but fireworks are sold at the fairgrounds.

Commissioner Cindy Carter noted the group selling fireworks at the fairgrounds notifies the public the fireworks cannot be lit in Moses Lake. She added they can be lit within the unincorporated Grant County.

Fairgrounds Facilities Coordinator Terese Schrom said the last time fireworks were sold at the fairgrounds, they were sold from a stand in the parking lot and someone was patrolling the site.

Schrom said the patrol made a difference.

"We did not have the firework waste that we had in the past," she said.

The possibility of a second Moses Lake crossing was another topic discussed.

Stevens said the money is not there to do the project. Cost estimates have reached as much as the $300 million range, he said.

He mentioned the project would need to be a combination of fill and bridge.

Commissioner LeRoy Allison said the cost just to study the crossing is $50,000.

Deane also requested an update on the fairgrounds facilities improvement projects.

Stevens said the commercial building is complete and will be cleaned up in time for Spring Fair/Home Show. The 4-H building will not be finished in time for the fair, he said.

He said two new master barns were constructed. After the meeting, Schrom said a total of 204 stalls exist between the four barns.

Stevens noted a new set of bathrooms is going to be installed in front of the 4-H building. He said three to four bathrooms would have showers.

"Most of them have showers because they're next to a campground of some sort," Allison said.

Deane said he was proud of the county's improvements to the fairgrounds.