Leavenworth City Council educated on failing water meters and stacked parking

The June 11 City Council meeting brought a packed house, a presentation over water supply and appointment of a member to the Parking Committee among other miscellaneous business. 

Arnica Briody, water plant manager, presented her mandated water efficiency report in a public forum to the council from 2018. She came bearing bad news regarding the water meters that are dated thirty years and showing their age. Briody stated that there is a loss of revenue because the water meters data is faulty. The total loss in revenue is $557,587.20 but Briody stated it could be even more than that.

“Our cash register is our water meters and they’re faulty and they’re not reading accurately so we’re losing revenue,” said Briody. 

She suggested the water meters be replaced in a two year time frame, given the state the meters are in. The goals were to replace the water meters, the water lines and upgrade the water plant which is 50 years old. 

“This is consistent with what we’ve heard over the years. I can assure you that replacing the water meters is on our radar,” said Mayor Farivar. 

There was a robust public comment period during the public hearing regarding the Planning Commission amendments 1588 and 1589 (Planned Developments and Development Standards) that was shelved until a later date due to the controversy. As for public hearings, the council set one regarding the Right of Way Vacation for July 9. 

Stacked parking was the sole Planning Commission's amendment that passed on June 11. This is a tool to combat the notorious parking dilemma many residents and tourists face when circling Leavenworth. 

“The stacked parking regulation  were primarily drafted to address the limited parking availability in the commercial zones,” said Lilith Vespier, Development Services manager. “It’s a mechanical device that allows car to be parked, elevated and another parking space available underneath. I think what we will mostly find in the city of Leavenworth because of the costs of putting these mechanical parking devices is just a one or two tier. However, it can be expanded and the code as its drafted right now would allow for a parking garage to be all mechanical. But it does need to be enclosed in a structure so that helps protect the Bavarian theme we strive for.”

Additional fees to the Wastewater Treatment Plant contact with Varela and Associates was approved by council. Varela and Associates are conducting the engineering and design work for the facility. After several changes to the scope of work were tweaked, the city needed an additional $33,948 to cover the work. 

Lastly during committee reports, Waters stated that people may start being ticketed for leaving out trash and other forms of food sources for bears. The Parking Advisory committee is also weighing options on downtown parking - timed or paid parking.

Other business tended to: 

- After no public comment was made regarding the change to the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan, the council approved the amendment for 2020-2025. 

- Approval for the 2018 annual report that Finance Director, Chantell Steiner, and Deputy Clerk, Tami Gates, recently completed to be submitted to the Washington State Auditor's Office. 

- The very fresh Parking Advisory Committee had an open seat to be filled on the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce's end. Kayla Applebay, some may be familiar with her ownership of Bushel and Bee Taproom, to the committee devoted to parking.