Great news for toys at Hund Park

MATTAWA — Great news, especially for the children of Mattawa. The playground toys for Hund Memorial Park arrived on Aug. 21.

The arrival was announced the day before by Public Works Director Gary Crowder at the Aug. 20 Mattawa City Council meeting.

The Public Works Department, under the direction of Crowder started to install them on the new toys on the Aug. 24th. According to Crowder, the work could last as many as 10 days. That would mean completion early in September.

“It all depends on how many volunteers we get,” he said.

The new toys, which may make Hund Park look like a carnival, were made possible by a $62,600 community improvement grant from the Paul Lauzier Foundation.

Crowder said most of the old playground toys will remain in the park. After the work is completed, the park will have an expanded playground toy area, and not just a new one.

“All we’re going to take out are two swings,” Crowder said.

The expanded playground toy area will be located near the park fence along Government Way.

In not so positive news before the Council, the annual Mattawa Community Days celebration took a hit. There were complaints about a Ford Mustang that did burnouts during the parade and the absence of pooper scoopers. The consensus was that rules need to be strengthened or changed.

Crowder reported to the Council that the city has hired a new Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator II. Two applicants were interviewed.

Mark Adelmund of Kennewick was hired at a pay rate of $20.13 per hour. He started on Aug. 24. Adelmund has more than 20 years of experience, and he last worked Mabton.

In another matter related to public works, The Transportation Improvement District (TIB) 2016 overlay grant application has been submitted. The streets on this application are Ellice, Eighth, and Columbia.

In other streets news, the city council approved a Transportation Benefit District for the community. The TBD is a taxing district that raises funds for the benefit of streets.

The same people who are on the Council will make up the TBD board. They will meet for the first time on Sept. 3. That meeting will be preceded by a City Council meeting.

The big topic on the TBD agenda will be taxes. Members will discuss a resolution that sets up a vote in November to raise sales taxes in Mattawa by two-tenths of a percent. According to City Clerk Robin Newcomb, that would raise an estimated $4,000 per month to go toward street needs.

City Planner Gary Piercy told the Council that the final plans for the city hall remodel are on their way to the contractor’s engineer. They were held up by some last-minute changes.

Councilwoman Silvia Barajas asked the Council why a resident who wanted to build a carport was denied. Newcomb said the problem was the setback regulation, which requires more than 20 feet in that part of the city.

“The one he wanted to put in was too long. It came within 20 feet of the street,” Newcomb said.

The Council approved a payroll of $11,300 for Aug. 20 and claims of $41,614.60.