TONASKET – The Tonasket City Council heard a quote tendered by Greg Gardinier for electrical work and security camera installation and approved fellow council member Alisa Weddle to remain as mayor pro tempore for 2024 at their Jan. 23 meeting.

“We have two quotes; the public works portion is $7,703.50 and the portion that would belong to Chief Tonasket Park is $9,656.50. So those are the two portions,” said City Clerk Alice Attwood about the electrical work and cameras.

Attwood said Gardinier had split his quote into two parts, the public works portion would come out of Water, Sewer and Streets and shared proportionately and the park portion would be taken out of Current Expense Funds.

“Do we have a motion regarding the bid,” asked Mayor René Maldonado.

Tegan Levine made a motion to proceed with the electrical and camera installation and Alisa Weddle made a second. Levine asked a question when the mayor asked about further discussion.

“So the park’s comes out of Current Expense as a Parks line item?,” asked Levine, adding that she just wanted to clarify.

“Yes, we do not have it budgeted but we do have the ability of that amount of funds in Parks,” said Attwood.

Levine asked about the “Digging Labor” in the quote and whether public works would be doing any of that.

Attwood said she believed as part of Gardinier’s quote that public works would be assisting with much of the labor.

The motion to approve the bids passed unanimously.

Mayor Maldonado talked about electing the mayor pro-Tempore for 2024, a position that Weddle held in 2023.

“First off, I’d just like to say before we do that, Alisa you are the bomb. You did an awesome job, you put out a lot of fires and you’re very diligent. Your heart is always in the right place and you’re more articulate than I am. You’re also tougher than I am in many ways. I think the council did a good job in 2023. I do not know if you want to continue or not or if someone else on the council wants to try. Before we take this vote, I just want to thank you for an awesome job. I think I speak for all of us that you did an awesome job,” said the mayor.

Councilman McMillan nominated Weddle to the position and there were no other nominations when the mayor polled the rest of the members. Hearing no other nominations the council took a written vote and elected Weddle mayor pro tempore for the year.

Attwood said there was correspondence from a representative of Ziply Fiber which has been installing fiber optic cables around Tonasket and Loomis.

“As you can see, Ziply’s groundbreaking is Feb. 13 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. next door at the park. She’s inviting everyone, as everyone will get a shovel and there will be a groundbreaking ceremony. There will be goodies for everybody and conversation. Please let me know if you are going to be there so I can RSVP,” said Attwood.

Attwood also talked about purchasing iPads with accessory keyboards for the council’s use. After hearing bids from Gardinier, the council asked Attwood to do a little more research.

Under reports, McMillan said he did not have anything to report on financial or public safety.

“But I have been in communication with Tanya Palomares, the head of Kiwanis, since the chamber does not want to be in the lead on the parade and Winter Fest. I asked whether Kiwanis would be willing to step up and take that on,” said McMillan.

“She said basically there are 14 of us and Erin (Kesler) and I are the youngest so the Kiwanis won’t be able to do it. However, as of right now the Farmers’ Market said they are willing to step up and take over the parade,” said McMillan.

“Does that mean there would be an arrangement between them and chamber?” asked Mayor Maldonado.

“I don’t know how that is going to work since chamber doesn’t want any part of it anymore. I guess they’re going to have to work that out,” replied McMillan, who added that he believed the parade and rodeo would be on different weekends.

Attwood said she had spoken with the current head of the Farmers’ Market and confirmed that the parade and rodeo would remain on the same weekend again this year.

“We talked about some of the details. He was very nice and very gracious. I gave him some ideas of who he can talk to. I’m sure we will be in further communication because he will be back here on Feb. 13th to talk to council,” said Attwood, who added her office was working on a parade policy.

“Outstanding, outstanding, we are moving forward, outstanding,” said McMillan.

Councilwomen Weddle and Levine said they had nothing to report.

Councilwoman Patti Hill had a question about playground equipment and what was being done with the money that the chamber had offered to use to buy the equipment.

The mayor said the city had requested that its insurers agree that the equipment met with their safety standards and that was what was causing the delay.

“That’s my understanding, but I wonder if that is the chamber’s as well,” said the mayor, addressing the question to Marylou Kriner who was joining the meeting remotely via Zoom.

“Yes, but we are getting down to the point where we didn’t think the city was going to allow us to buy the equipment for History Park. So, we were on the point of taking our funds and doing something else with it if it was not passed. I’ve asked Jeff (McMillan) and I’ve asked Patti (Hill) and that’s probably why she’s looking into It and asking all these questions. I’m not getting any answers. I presented this back in November and here we are nearly at the end of January,” said Kriner.

The mayor asked if the chamber had already decided to move on with the funds somewhere else. Kriner said they hadn’t.

“No, we have not yet, but it will be next week when we have our meeting and we’ll decide,” Kriner said.

Kriner was asked to bring the catalog so the city could show their insurers.

“Here’s the thing, it’s a company we already used to buy equipment for the city. The city already buys out of this catalog,” said Kriner. “They bought the slide for History Park from this company.”

The mayor asked if Superintendent Darren Johnson was familiar with the information and Kriner said he was.

“I don’t know how long it would take the insurance to get back to us,” said the mayor asking Attwood if a week would be enough, which she said it would.

“We would not want you to make that expense and then find out, whoops we can’t put it in the park,” said the mayor.

Kriner said that is why she had waited this long to work with the city’s committee.

The mayor said they would have the committees assemble that day and they would reach out to Kriner the same day.

“OK, perfect,” she said.

Mayor Maldonado also announced his Committee Appointments and Department Head Appointments for 2024.

Committee Appointments

Finance/Personnel/Public Safety – Weddle & McMillan

Water/Sewer/Streets – Levine & Weddle

Park/Pool – Levine & Cerrillo

Airport/Cemetery – Cerrillo & Hill

Public Buildings – McMillan & Hill

Ad Hoc Perfect Passage – Levine & Weddle

Department Head & Other Appointments

City Attorney – Michael Howe

City Clerk/Treasuer – Alice Attwood

City Superintendent – Darren Johnson

Court Judge – Anthony Castelda

Airport Manager – Darren Johnson

Building Inspector/Permit Administrator/Code Enforcement – Randy Taylor.

Planning Commission – George Hill, Position 1; Gayle Maillooux, Position 2; John Sanchez, Position 3; Debbie Roberts, Position 4 and Anthony Jenkins, Position 5.

Tree Board – Keth Seydlitz, Marylou Kriner, Jessica McNamara and Rob Thompson.

The Tonasket Council meets the second and fourth Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall. The next meeting is Feb. 13.