MLIRD talks dredge during Vision 2020
Mick Hansen, chairman of the MLIRD board, listens to a question from fellow board director Ron Covey during a Vision 2020 meeting Tuesday.
Mick Hansen, chairman of the MLIRD board, listens to a question during a Vision 2020 meeting Monday. Alan Heroux and Debbie Doran-Martinez, of the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce, are also pictured.
MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District met with about 30 members of Vision 2020 to discuss dredge operations and other district happenings during a special meeting held Tuesday at the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Vision 2020 meetings are typically held on the third Tuesday of each month, but a special meeting was called to hear an update on recent MLIRD activity.
MLIRD chair Mick Hansen brought the group up to date with district projects, such as dredge efforts on Moses Lake. Board director Ron Covey was also present during the meeting.
Vision 2020 chairman Bill Ecret said he has heard positive comments from Moses Lake residents, who were generally happy that the hydraulic dredge was back in the lake. He added that he has noticed a big improvement in the way the dredge operates compared to last year.
Vision 2020 members asked Hansen how long MLIRD was planning on operating the dredge this year.
Hansen told the group that the dredge was placed in the lake at the beginning of this month. It was in order to do testing requested by the engineering firm MLIRD hired to obtain permits to work in the dry.
Hansen said the dredge will be removed from the lake on Oct. 30, due to MLIRD budget restraints. Operating the hydraulic dredge wasn't originally budgeted for, he said.
He added that labor and fuel costs would be too high if the district decided to keep the dredge in the water until the end of November, when their permit to dredge expires.
"It's mainly labor costs," said Hansen. "We didn't budget to run it this year."
Hansen said the district's budget would be better spent on other projects, like installing a mobile home at Connelly Park for a full-time park ranger position. Hansen said it would make more sense to fund that project, then fund the operation of the hydraulic dredge and related labor costs.
"One person living down there in the mobile home at minimum pay is going to be so much better than having a couple of kids down here during the summer," he said. "Every time I go down there I've seen so little production."
An audience member asked Hansen what the financial benefit would be to place a mobile home and full-time ranger at Connelly Park, when some people might not even want to go to the park because of the current condition of the lake.
Hansen said the park looks much better than it did previously, and it made sense to house a full-time ranger at the park, like other places around the state do.
"We've spent so much money and time to developing Connelly Park," said Hansen. "Having a round-the-clock person there is going to be a benefit."
Hansen also said the district wants to spend a lot of its budget on acquiring an additional piece of land for a potential MLIRD office. Currently, the district spends more than $50,000 in renting their current space.
He said progress is being made toward finding a suitable location, that is accessible to the community. The land purchase is a big priority, said Hansen.
Ecret said it was important for 2020 members to get the chance to learn about recent irrigation district projects and developments, as well as question them, because it ties in with the purpose of Vision 2020.
Part of the group's mission includes promoting the best aspects of Moses Lake and encouraging tourism and economic growth, he said.
"We feel that the lake is the most precious natural resource that we have and we want to protect it," said Ecret. "It's our livelihood."