Leavenworth City Council meets March 14

The Leavenworth City Council met on March 14 for their regular biweekly meeting. With Mayor Florea absent for this session, Anne Hessburg led the charge as Mayor Pro Tempore. The meeting began with a public safety report from Chief Dave Nalle of Fire District #3. He discussed the upcoming presentation from the Rocky Mountain Research station on people living on the Chumstick and the fire safety precautions that come with that area. They assessed the houses and residents in that general area for fire safety and have created a presentation to convey the importance of being aware during the upcoming fire season. Following the public safety report, Mike Worden of the Leavenworth Rotary Club led a discussion for the upcoming Rotary conference in May. The conference will have over 57 clubs and around 2,000 members all from British Columbia and Washington. Worden conveyed the importance of bringing people together during this time and gave an overall insight as to what a Rotary Club can do for people and the community. The City Council declared the week of May 14, 2023, to be Rotary week in Leavenworth. From May 17 through May 19, there will be various games and activities for the community to engage in. Some of these activities include a putting tournament, geo hunt, and a guided bike tour around Leavenworth. There will be plenty of people looking to come together within the community, which is something the Rotary Club largely prides themselves on. Being one of the world’s largest non-profit organizations, Leavenworth is honored to be hosting Rotary week, beginning on May 14, 2023. 

Moving onto business-related items on the agenda, the City Council moved to pass the Professional Services Agreement which looks into the Front Street restrooms and stairway extension. There will be expansion of restrooms in the western portion, near where the existing stairway is located. The new stairway will be relocated, constructed with a covered section which will be accessible from the highway. The cost estimated from 2020 was $950,000, however, these costs may increase or differ upon a newer estimate to be completed. The cost is completely covered by lodging tax within the city and will provide for more accessibility along with bigger and more open restrooms for the public. Lastly, the Interlocal Agreement for Link Transit to construct the US Highway 2 and Icicle Road roundabout is anticipated to begin this summer. With approximately $100,000 in construction costs, this project is ramping up and preparing to commence in the coming months. The Leavenworth City Council will reconvene on March 28 for their second meeting of the month.