Mexican Consulate to visit Mattawa

MATTAWA — The Mexican Consulate will be coming to Mattawa August 9 through 11, according to a report from Mattawa Police Chief Joe Harris at a city council meeting on July 11. The meeting was originally scheduled for July 4, but was postponed a week due to the holiday.

“Any business you need to conduct at the consulate in Seattle you will be able to do,” said Harris.

Anyone wishing to take advantage of this service will need to make an appointment on July 25 by calling 1-877-639-4835. Walk-ins will be available on a limited basis.

“We are expecting a couple thousand people,” Harris said. “Most of the credit goes to Norma. This is her project. She called and talked to them. When she finally got to the right person, they were beside themselves. They couldn’t say yes fast enough.”

The Mexican Consulate has hosted events in Yakima before. Harris said that a majority of people who attended those events were from Mattawa.

Harris also told the council that he has three future town hall meetings set up at Mattawa-area apartment buildings. The meetings will cover auto theft prevention, gangs, self-defense and what residents can and cannot do to protect themselves. Harris hoped to hold meetings at all of Mattawa’s apartment complexes.

Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones will present at the next City Council meeting, Thursday, July 18. He will be addressing the council about putting a sales tax increase on the ballot.

Juan Ledezma, Mattawa’s public works director, showed council a piece of pipe that had been drilled out of one of the city’s water pipes as a part of extending the city’s water line.

Mayor Scott Hyndman told the council that instead of shutting down the water system for the entire city, they did a live tap. Ledezma said that the water portion of the project was complete, but that the sewer portion still needed work done.

The city may have to purchase two new fire hydrants. Crews noted that the hydrants were loose during a recent flushing of the fire hydrants.

Ledezma said that clean up after the Fourth of July wasn’t as bad as last year. He reported that they had to take six dogs to the animal shelter in Moses Lake due to the limited space at the city.

City Planner Darryl Piercy reminded the council to bring their wish lists for things they’d like to see in a park to the first council meeting in August. Piercy would like the city to have a parks plan in place. The plan would help the city as they grow.

In business, a public hearing was held on the city’s six-year transportation improvement plan. The council approved the plan.