City to purchase, install downtown bathrooms

In July, the historic downtown business district will have public restrooms.

Mayor Linda Kadlec announced the city is moving forward with the purchase of a prefabricated, handicap accessible restroom facility.

She and council member Gary Cook have been researching since last November and have settled on a restroom building that is similar to the one located in the park in Harrington.

Cook said Harrington’s leaders are very pleased with the quality of the restrooms.

According to Kadlec, the project will cost about $40,000. The funds for the project were included in the 2014 city budget.

Over time, the city will payback the funds to its current expense fund through the collection of bed tax fees, which are generated by the local hotels. The bed tax fee is collected when hotel rooms are purchased. The funds then go into the city’s 110 Tourism Fund, which is used to promote the city.

The restrooms will be constructed by a Spokane company. Kadlec said once the order is placed, it will take about 90 days for the restrooms to be constructed and then delivered and set into place.

The city’s public works crew will do the site prep, plumbing and wiring.

Kadlec said the bathrooms will be located on the gravel lot along Railroad Avenue and Washington Street, next door to Flying Arts Ranch and across the street for the Railroad Depot Museum.

Public restrooms in the downtown district was one of the projects Kadlec had listed in her goals and priorities when she was elected to serve as mayor.