Health Department asks City of Mattawa for e-cigarette rules

MATTAWA - E-cigarettes may be different than regular cigarettes, but the Grant County Health Department wants the same rules.

The Health Department's Jeff Ketchel spoke to the Mattawa City Council recently and asked it to pass an ordinance with the same rules as those that apply to cigarettes.

Ketchel also presented an update on the whooping cough outbreak which has struck the migrant farm worker community of Mattawa. He said that in Grant County 210 close contacts received antibiotics.

Ketchel also said the Health Department is asking for two letters of support for grants for which it is applying.

The Health Department offered a waste box to the City of Mattawa for citizens to dispose of drugs.

In other business, the council voted to extend the hiring of the temporary customer service clerk who is working in place of an employee who is ill. Because of the new electronic meter reading system being installed, the temporary employee will be working more hours to input the meter numbers into the customer accounts.

Police chief John Turley told the council there is an officer on duty until 5 a.m., four days a week. Public Works Director Gary Crowder announced his department is waiting on estimates to fix the sidewalks that need to be repaired.

Crowder added that the new electronic meters are being installed. He said clerks will be in a training class Aug. 26-27 to learn the new electronic meter reading system.

The council authorized the mayor to sign the Gray & Osborne consulting agreement for the Ellice Overlay project from Government Way to 4th. It is possible this project could be postponed until next spring, according to the Transportation Improvement Board, which makes grants for such projects.

Regarding a planned City Hall addition, City Planner Darryl Piercy has a draft of the letter to go out to contractors on the small works roster. He will make a recommendation to council on the contractor in August, there will be a 30-day construction period, and completion will come in mid-October.

There are four elements to this project. The offices will be completed first. The other three elements are the addition of a room to the northeast corner of the building, a raised platform for the council and conversion of the back storage room into an evidence room.

The Council approved an event permit for a Vacation Bible School in Hund Memorial Park from August 4-8.