Clarkston official objects to state COVID-19 rules

A Clarkston city official said he’s received several complaints from residents who object to Gov. Jay Inslee’s “sweeping restrictions” on indoor gatherings for restaurants, bars, gyms, schools and homes.

At Monday night’s Clarkston City Council meeting, Councilor Russ Evans said he and others feel the pandemic rules on the Washington side of the Snake River are unfair.

“Some feel it’s ridiculous, and some feel it’s outright tyranny,” Evans told the council.

While the fast-food industry has hardly been touched, other businesses are suffering, he said. People are also questioning the online model of education and how it will affect schoolchildren.

“Some individuals feel that in Washington state, cities, counties and small businesses are being blackmailed into submission and loss of their livelihoods, if not in full compliance,” Evans said during council comments.

“With the vaccine already being distributed, I hope the governor chooses to lift the constraints as fast as he applied them. Having said this, I appreciate Police Chief Joel Hastings and Sheriff John Hilderbrand for taking their mandated obligation seriously but with prudence.”

Mayor Monika Lawrence said the city will continue to adhere to the governor’s orders on public gatherings, and council meetings will remain online until the current restrictions are lifted.

The remainder of the brief meeting was devoted to the first readings of ordinances amending the 2020 budget and adopting next year’s forecast. Action will be taken by the council at its Dec. 28 meeting.

The city’s overall budget in 2021 will be about $14.3 million, according to Clerk Steve Austin. The general fund, which is also called current expense, is forecast at nearly $4.7 million.

“The city is anticipating receiving $475,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding that will be used for housing rehabilitation,” Austin told the Lewiston Tribune. “Habitat for Humanity will be subcontracting with the city to provide grants to homeowners to make needed repairs and updates to their homes. This funding is not included in the 2021 budget, but will be added when we know the dates that we will be able to begin the projects.”

During the past year, the city of Clarkston was allocated $314,000 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding. Austin said $264,000 was used to reimburse costs approved by the Department of Commerce, such as public safety payroll expenses related to the pandemic, sanitizing and cleaning items and personal protective equipment.

In addition, the city created a grant program that provided $5,000 to 10 local nonprofit organizations for a total of $50,000.

All of the city’s union contracts are good through at least 2021, and employees will receive a 2.5 percent increase next year, Austin said. No other salary increases have been determined at this time.

“Due to conservative budgeting, and the reimbursement from the CARES Act, the city should be able to maintain its current level of services to the citizens of Clarkston,” Austin said in an email. “The majority of revenue that the city receives is from sales tax, and it has helped that Clarkston has been able to maintain a stable retail environment.”

Last month, the council passed 5 percent increases to the sewer and garbage rates inside city limits. Councilor Belinda Larsen objected to both increases, and Councilor Melyssa Andrews voted no on the garbage rate hike.

At the time, Larsen questioned whether the increases should be approved when so many in the community have been hit hard by the pandemic. After the decision was made, Larsen told the Tribune she is concerned about people who are struggling.

“2021 will be a year of recovery for most people,” she said, “not just economically, but mentally, physically and emotionally. We could’ve increased rates, we should’ve increased rates, but just enough to sustain where we currently are.”

Other councilors said the increase will help cover improvements identified in the wastewater treatment plant study. The mayor said the sewer plant is the city’s most valuable asset and needs the additional funding to continue operating around the clock.

In other city business, Mark Greene, owner of Lancer Lanes, recently sent an email asking the city to consider eliminating the 6 percent gambling tax. At this time, no changes have been made to the ordinance, Austin said.

More information about next year’s budget and the 2020 amendments is available by contacting the city clerk at saustin@clarkston-wa.com. Comments can be submitted before the next council meeting through email.

Sandaine may be contacted at kerris@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2264. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.