Ritzville receives grants for improvement projects

During a recent Ritzville City Council meeting, Clerk-Treasurer Kris Robbins informed council the city received two grants, which will go toward funding projects at the City Park and the Ritzville Walking Path.

The first grant the city received is a $4,000 Rural Aging Response Grant from the Empire Health Foundation. According to the Empire Health Foundation’s website, every year the Rural Aging Response Grant program provides up to $15,000 of funding for projects designed to help adults age 60 and over live full, meaningful lives with independence and dignity.

According to the grant application completed by the city, the goal for the project is to hopefully create an environment that allows senior citizens to become healthier and happier both mentally and physically.

The addition of the features will help make the Walking Path a destination for residents.

The grant funds will cover costs to repair and enhance the Ritzville Walking Path.

The path is three miles and leaves from downtown Ritzville along existing arterials and winds through the Wheat Land Communities’ Fairgrounds. The path continues through a residential neighborhood and culminates back to downtown Ritzville.

Robbins explained Karen Palmer at Adams County Health Department informed Mayor Gary Cook of the grant after she attended a Rural East Adams Coalition for Health (REACH) meeting.

Ann Olson, a former city council member who was familiar with the Empire Health Foundation grant process, worked on the application for the city.

The restoration part of the project will consist of repairing damage to the concrete and asphalt surface. The funding will also be utilized by adding features on the path, such as benches and picnic tables, and installing directional and informational signs.

The total cost of the project is $20,000 with the $8,750 in funding coming from the city, the Ritzville Tree Board and Ritzville Dog Park.

For the project, the city will work with the Wheat Land Communities’ Fair Board, due to a portion of the walking path crosses through their property, and REACH. The city council’s health and sanitation and public safety committees will also assist with the project.

A combination of Public Works Department employees and local volunteers will complete the work for the project. The city will reach out to community groups and efforts for the project.

The work for the Walking Path Project is scheduled to be finished in June 2018.

The second is a Tree City USA Tree Planting and Maintenance grant from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The funds from this grant will go toward maintaining 10 large Silver Maple trees at the City Park, which were damaged by the windstorm in 2013.

Ritzville has been a member city of the Tree City USA program since 2010, making the city eligible for the grant.

In 2013, the city received a $10,000 grant from Tree City USA to place trees that were lost in the fall windstorms. The city planted 57 trees throughout Ritzville, specifically in areas where trees were lost in the storm.

Every Arbor Day, the city and the Ritzville Tree Board invites the Ritzville Grade School fifth grade class to plant trees in the park and throughout the city.

The city has also received help and consultation on tree management from Garth Davis, the Spokane Conservation District Program Manager.

According to the Tree City USA Tree Planting and Maintenance grant application submitted by the city, crews will perform structural pruning and remove weakly attached suckers to reduce the risk of damage and restore their health and structural stability.

The total amount of the pruning project would cost $12,155. The city requested $5,000 in Department of Natural Resources funding while the applicant share is $6,835 and the in-kind share is $320.

Robbins said DNR will reimburse the city based on the bid and cost associated with the project. Davis will provide a bid packet in December and seek bids for the project in January.

After the project is complete, Ritzville’s Public Works Department crew will perform follow up maintenance on the trees.

Staff will evaluate the trees every five years, and perform structural pruning and crown restoration on an as needed basis.