Moses Lake pushes through weather challenges

MOSES LAKE — The City of Moses Lake has spent nearly all of the money it allocated in its 2022 budget for snow removal.

“The city’s budget included funds for this snow event,” wrote Assistant City Manager Rich Huebner in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. “If we have another significant snow event before the end of the year, the City Manager has the authority to authorize an emergency expense, and a subsequent budget allocation can be completed.”

Huebner said city streets crews were working on Friday to clear the streets following a storm that dumped another 1-2 inches of snow on the city.

“Our street crew is holding up well,” Huebner wrote. “The city is very thankful for the dedicated professionals on our streets crew.”

To make their jobs easier, as well as minimize the risk of accidents on snow-covered roads, Heubner advised residents and those driving through Moses Lake to slow down, drive more cautiously and graciously than they might drive normally.

According to National Weather Service Meteorologist Robin Sox, 5-6 inches of snow has accumulated in the Moses Lake area since Nov. 30, when the season’s first snow fell. The fact the temperatures have rarely wandered above freezing during the same period means the snow has simply stayed on the ground in places.

“It has been a while,” Sox said. “The good news – it will be getting warmer next week.”

The NWS is forecasting temperatures as high as the low 40s the week after Christmas.

Huebner said the cold has not caused any significant problems for city services, such as water or sewer treatment. However, he said, some residents are reporting burst water pipes to the utility department. To avoid that, Huebner advised residents set their home or apartment thermostats at 65 degrees, minimum, open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around water pipes and drains, keep garage doors closed if there are exposed pipes in the garage and place foam insulation tubes around water supply lines.

Sam Puntenney, a spokesperson for HopeSource, which runs the city’s homeless sleep center near the intersection of N. Broadway Avenue and S.R. 17, said that whenever daytime temperatures reach 10 degrees or lower, the sleep center opens its offices as a warming space.

“We know this service is especially critical at this time when temperatures reach the extreme,” she wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. “The office also has coats, blankets, and all the cold weather accessories guests need to keep warm.”

“Thanks to many generous folks in the community, we have hot meals available most nights of the week,” she added.

Puntenney added the sleep center can always use additional donations of hand warmers, blankets, hats, gloves and socks. To donate, Puntenney advised people visit the organization’s website at www.hopesource.us or stop by with any donations to 1000 W. Ivy. Ave.

Huebner said a number of businesses in Moses Lake have made donations to the sleep center during the recent cold snap, including Home Electrical Service, Hayden Homes which has provided blankets and Slices Brick Overn House which recently closed for an hour to make pizza for people at the sleep center.

“We would like to recognize and thank local businesses offering additional supplies and meals to the sleep center,” Huebner wrote.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com.