Ritzville begins budget talks

RITZVILLE – City clerk treasurer Julie Flyckt said it was the time of year again to “spend our lives thinking about the budget,” as she presented the 2021 budget calendar to council members June 16.

Mayor Gary Cook and Flyckt will meet with department heads this week to see what priorities they have for the upcoming year. Department heads have until Aug. 21 to file their budget estimates with the city.

The draft budget will be presented at the Sept. 15 council meeting.

Projected revenues will be presented to council Oct 1. A property tax public hearing will be set for Nov. 3, followed by a public hearing on the preliminary budget Nov. 17 and the final budget hearing Dec. 1.

Applications for 110 funds (funds collected by the hotel/motel tax) will be available Aug. 28, and due Oct. 9; with presentations made at a special meeting Oct. 20 at 5 p.m.

Flyckt said the city is eligible for $49,800 in CARES ACT funds, with expenses resulting from the pandemic to be submitted for possible reimbursement. Flyckt said she will ask for $23,467 in payroll hours to be refunded for staff members staying home due to COVID-19 restrictions. She will also submit costs of supplies purchased due to the pandemic, including the cost of getting the city golf course’s website designed for online registration and electronic tablets to access the website.

Flyckt said department heads are looking over other expenses they may be facing due to the pandemic.

“With what we already spent, currently we have about $18,000 left,” Flyckt said.

City Engineer Scott Yeager reviewed the six-year street transportation improvement program to be presented to the state for funding approval.

Yeager said the number one priority was still to continue fixing asphalt cracking on First Street; this year from Division Street to Palouse Street.

“This is due to insufficient thickness of the asphalt; there’s nothing wrong with the base,” Yeager said.

The total project cost is estimated at $375,100. This phase will cost $37,620 in state funds, and $1,980 in local funds.

A sidewalk on the north side of First Ave from Division to Palouse is listed, with a start date in 2022 and a cost of $318,725 in state funds and $16,775 in local funds.

Council members approved setting a public hearing date of July 7 for review of the plan.

In other business, council:

- Approved a pay estimate in the amount of $74,541 from Industrial Coatings Ulimited for the Standpipe Reservoir Recoating Project. This covers the final coating of the tank interior and completion of electrical and tank mixer. The exterior work is yet to begin. Total for the project so far is $348,624.

- Reviewed regular meeting minutes from the Ritzville Public Development Authority’s April 15 meeting. It was reported the McCain plant expansion in Othello has been put on hold for six months, and the wind farm in Washtucna is continuing construction.

- Heard the Adams County COVID-19 booklet providing operational guidance for businesses is ready for distribution. The booklet, developed by Adams County Emergency Management staff and county health official Dr. Alexander Brzezny, is available free of charge by calling the Adams County Health Department at 509 488 2031 or Ritzville City Hall at 509 659 1930. Copies will also be available at the Gritman Senior Center, the Ritzville Food Pantry, and on the city’s website.

- Heard a new slide has been ordered for the little park on East Cherry St., at a cost of $1,948. The old one, purchased eight years ago, is wearing out due to exposure to the sun.