Budget given green light

MATTAWA — A $3.78 million budget adopted by the Mattawa City Council for 2016 at its meeting of Dec. 3 has a surplus of more than $40,000.

The budget submitted to the Council by City Clerk Robin Newcomb calls for revenue of $3,786,777.43. It shows spending of $3.746,280.

Accompanying this story is the budget summary prepared by Newcomb. You may obtain a more detailed budget document at city hall.

The biggest spending projected for 2016 is $1,177,100 in the street fund. That is $50,000 less than the revenues that will come into the fund. It will have an ending balance of $450,895.

The current expense fund, which has beginning balance of $755,000 will have an ending balance of $755,000. It is projected to spend $914,556 with new revenues of $914,556.

The first order of business on Dec. 3 was the swearing in of Council members Cheyenne Weedmark and Betty Webster and Mayor Scott Hyndman. They all won re-election in November in uncontested races.

The Council set Dec. 17 as the date for a hearing on its plans to absorb the Transportation Benefit District recently enacted by the voters. TBD and Council meetings will be held on the same dates after than, and TBD records will be Council records.

The Council approved a consent agenda that included a payroll total $69,760.74 and payment of claims totaling $48,331.56.

The Council approved and agreement with Gray & Osborne Engineering of Yakima for $29,444 for engineering a sidewalk project on Williams. The new sidewalk will cost a total of $265,000. It will go from Government to Fourth.

The Council also approved an agreement with the Transportation Improvement Board for a $513,000 grant to pay for an overlay on Ellice from Government to Priest Rapids and Columbia, from Government to Fourth.