City council hears soccer, community center plans

by Ted Escobar
| January 27, 2017 12:00 AM

MATTAWA — Lars Leland, who has helped the City of Mattawa move plans forward for a complete renovation of Government Way, spoke to the city council recently about a community center-soccer fields complex.

Mattawa’s favorite adult sport is soccer. There are not many places for adults to play, and Hund Memorial Park takes a beating when games are played there. The problem as been discussed by the Council in the past.

At its meeting of Jan. 19, the City Council heard from Leland about the proposed complex. Monday he told the Sun Tribune the complex is part of the Government Way Improvement Committee’s plan for the street.

Leland said the committee hoped the school district, the city and private entities could combine private and public funding to convert property owned by the district at Government and Boundary.

“The school district is open to the idea of a community center, but nothing is set in stone,” Leland said Monday.

Leland met with representatives of Washington State University’s Rural Community Design Initiative and other private entities on Friday, Jan. 20, to further the discussion. He said an organized group of soccer players is part of the discussion.

Leland said the City could seek grants from the Community Development Block Grant program and Paul Lauzier Foundation to fund the project. He suggested an architectural grant and seeking private donations.

In other matters before the Council, Mattawa Police Department Corporal Tony Valdivia presented the council a letter of retirement. His last day will be Jan. 31.

There will be a retirement celebration at 2:30 p.m. at city hall on Friday, Jan. 27.

Interim Police Chief Joe Harris informed the Council that he will meet with Grant County Emergency Management Services to review the city’s emergency plan.

Harris said the new police car for the department has been acquired. This purchase was approved by the Council last year.

The car needs a radio, which will cost $1,500 to $3,000, depending on the style. Harris noted the MACC (Multi Agency Communication Center) approves the radios.

Harris said his force will take firearms training at the Columbia Basin Shooting School in the near future. He said the cost will $1,782 for entire department. There are four range qualifications, one per quarter, Harris said. The Council approved the expenditure.

The Council approved a consent agenda that included the Council meeting minutes for Jan. 5, the December Treasurer’s report, a payroll of $9,400 and Claims in the amount of $161,407.24.