Editor’s Note: This article has been edited to include a list of the city’s ten infrastructure priorities that Interim City Manager Jon Amundson provided.
Here’s a quick summary of expected and surprise items discussed at the March 23 Richland City Council Workshop. You can watch a video of the meeting at Richland CityView.
Richland police chief supports body and dashboard cameras for officers
Richland Police Chief John Bruce supports body and dashboard cameras for his officers.“They improve behavior of officers and citizens,” he said. He added that the cameras worked well for the department in Texas that he previously headed. According to Bruce, it could take a year to put the program in place in Richland. He estimated that for five years the program would cost $1,303,951.26.
Most of the city councilmembers agreed with Bruce except Councilmember Michael Alvarez who favored a public vote in November, a suggestion that was ridiculed by Councilmember Terry Christensen.
Guess who’s paying for American Cruise Line’s new dock
Surprise!! Mexico isn’t paying for the wall and American Cruise Line (ACL) isn’t paying for their new dock at Columbia Point. Your tax dollars will. Richland Parks and Public Facilities Director Joe Schiessl said that either the city or the Corps of Engineers would build the dock and lease it to ACL. I wonder which one it will be (-:
Council doubts promises made by developer of the Columbia River tract (promises, promises ^^^)
Councilmembers wonder whether Pacific Partners out of Eagle, Idaho will compete the project they promised on the D, E and Q tracts near the Columbia Point Golf Course or will they just build apartments and skip out of town without building the offices and retail promised for Phase 2. Remember, ACL promised to build a new dock.
Water wars
Councilmembers ponder whether the city should make a little extra from water rights assistance to Battelle and West Richland.
The state has a pot of money for trails
The city’s sudden interest in the Island View to Vista Field bicycle and pedestrian trail stems from the Washington state’s special funding pot for such projects. The trail also branches to Meadow Springs. A preliminary package will be submitted in cooperation with Kennewick for $16 million which will include the bridge over Highway 240.
Ten “secret” priority projects
Surprise!! The city has submitted 10 “secret” priority projects to Senator Patty Murray for potential federal funding. I say “secret” because Councilmember Bob Thompson said he didn’t know what they were and added, “They might not be my priorities.” After the meeting Interim City Manager Jon Amundson provided the list below:
R240 / Aaron Drive Interchange Modifications – This project will resolve a regionally significant traffic congestion issue and enable both the City’s downtown redevelopment vision and the regional industrial economic expansion. The total cost is $30,000,000
Fire Station 76 in Badger Mountain South – The project will enable achieving the City’s standard for response time in this rapidly growing area of the City. The total estimated cost is $6.5 million for facility and equipment.
Downtown Connectivity Improvements – This project will modify the main streets in downtown Richland to one-way streets so that improved bicycle, pedestrian, and parking options can be provided. This is the critical infrastructure investment the City plans to make to jump-start the remaking of central Richland into a vibrant downtown that leverages the nearby Columbia River shoreline and park system. The total cost is $16,600,000, with the possibility of implementing it in phases. The first phase is estimated to cost $5,000,000.
Island View to Vista Field Trail Bridge – This project will provide pedestrian and bicycle connectivity across SR240 near Columbia Center Boulevard between the Columbia River waterfront and residential and commercial development south of SR240. The lack of pedestrian and bicycle connectivity in this area has been identified as the highest priority obstacle in the Tri-Cities to overcome to enable non-motorized travel. The total cost is approximately $16,000,000.
1,341 Acre Transmission Line – This is a new pair of 115kV transmission lines connecting BPA’s regional transmission system to the newly annexed north Richland properties. The lines, three miles in length, are needed to support heavy industrial development in this area. The total cost estimate for this project is $3,000,000.
1,341 Acre Sewer Pipeline – The City and Port of Benton are developing this land transferred from the U.S. Department of Energy to local control several years ago. The development objective is to recruit large site industrial companies to locate in the Tri-Cities on this unique property. The sewer pipeline will provide City sewer service to the property, thus enabling it to be near shovel ready for the right industrial development client. The total cost is estimated at $4,000,000.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Aeration System Upgrade – The City’s 35-year-old wastewater treatment plant requires an upgrade to its aeration treatment process. The needed upgrade will position the City to continue to support residential, commercial, and industrial development for years to come. The total cost is estimated at $8,400,000.
Dallas Road Substation – This project will construct a new 25MVA substation on City-owned land in the Badger South area. The substation is needed to support the rapid growth of this area. The total estimated cost is $5,000,000
Water System Resiliency Improvements – Pursuant to the federal America’s Water Infrastructure Act, the City recently completed is required system assessment. The assessment identified facility improvements for site security and electrical energy supply resiliency that are recommended. The total cost of these improvements is estimated at $3,200,000.
Street Light Retrofit to LED technology – This project will retrofit approximately 5,400 existing old technology street lights to the most current energy-efficient LED technology. The total estimated cost is $3,000,000.
Rejected – developer Greg Markel’s plan for the old city hall site
Surprise!! Developer Greg Markel submitted an “urgent” offer and proposed plan to the Richland City Council for development on the old city hall site. Nobody knew why the offer was deemed urgent, but it was quickly panned and rejected. Thompson said it looked like a strip shopping center. Lukson pointed out that the so-called, mixed-use development had a total of 11 apartments. Parking seemed to be the focus, possibly to accommodate Markel’s failed Dupus Boomer’s restaurant building on the corner of Swift and George Washington Way.
Councilmembers pay a lobbyist to do their job
Surprise!! Since at least 2009, Richland has been paying lobbyist Dave Arbaugh a retainer of first $2700 a month and now $3000 a month to lobby Olympia. Why aren’t city councilmembers, state legislators and state senators doing their job? And, if they are, why are we paying Arbaugh?? This issue merits its own article….coming soon.
Good summary. It was a very long meeting.