Lind Council reviews grant applications, Baldwin sworn into office

Newly-elected Lind Town Council Member Richard Baldwin did not have to wait long after the Nov. 7 election to take his seat on the council.

During the Nov. 14 meeting, Baldwin was sworn into his council seat after he took the oath of office. He was elected to Council Position No. 3 on the Nov. 7 election.

Prior to swearing in Baldwin, Mayor Jamie Schmunk read a resignation letter from former council member Tom Strohmaier. In his letter, Strohmaier wrote he resigned from his position to allow Baldwin officially join the council and participate in budget discussions.

In action items, council approved the Town to submitting an income survey grant application to the Washington State Department of Health.

Schmunk said she learned the Department of Health has funds available to for the Town conduct an income survey through the Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC).

For the process of acquiring the income survey data, RCAC personnel would come to Lind and go door-to-door with local volunteers and speak to residents.

Schmunk said the price for RCAC to conduct the survey work would cost between $7,000-$9,000. The grant funding from the Department of Health would cover the costs to RCAC.

Completing an income survey would increase Lind’s eligibility for Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) funding, which supports water and sewer infrastructure projects.

CDBG grants are 100 percent funded so towns are not required to pay matching funds. The Town could use CDBG funds to help pay for removing the water meters and the water line from Sixth Street.

Schmunk said she met with crews at the infrastructure conference and discussed the Sixth Street road and water improvement projects.

She explained crews want to remove the water meters from the basement of homes on Sixth Street, as well as replace the waterline before they start on the road improvement portion of the project.

The costs for the preparation work is not covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) street improvement grant funding the Town received.

Schmunk announced she met with Department of Ecology officials during the conference regarding the issue of the department reimbursing Town for work relating to the storm drain project. She said Ecology has released the funds to the town and the department is on board with the project.

Schmunk informed council the work for the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board’s Relight Washington project in Lind is finished. She said crews have installed light-emitting diodes into the street light lamps.

She added Avista Utilities sent the Town a bill for $37,000 the project. After she forwarded the bill to the Transportation Improvement Board, the agency allotted the money to the Town. She added the funds will go to Avista for the project work.

Council member Jim Dworshak said if the Town placed a three-part measure regarding marijuana businesses in Lind on the February election ballot, it would cost $9,000. He suggested the council could draft an ordinance only allowing a marijuana retail store within Lind.

The ordinance would not authorize marijuana growing or processing businesses within town limits. The retail store would still have to follow requirements from Adams County and the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.

Council member Kathy Vedder added Adams County has already allowed its maximum three retail stories in county limits, but the Town should adopt an ordinance if officials allow a fourth retail business.

Council agreed to extend the Town’s marijuana moratorium for another six months past November for more time to draft an ordinance, as well as examine codes from other cities.