Brewster council moves forward with Vista Park Homes transfer

BREWSTER – The city council said good-bye to its long-term fire chief, held four public hearings, and moved forward with the ownership transfer of the Vista Park Homes complex to the Okanogan County Housing Authority.
After 41 years with the Brewster Fire Department, many of those as chief, Fire Chief Mike Webster tendered his official notice of retirement to the council with said departure effective at the end of the year.
Webster leaves the department after 41 years of service to the community. Dylan Gamble has been named as Webster’s replacement.
During public comment Manny Hurtado proposed a Christmas caroling group performing around town in conjunction with the Holiday Shop being held at the Brewster Boys and Girls Club on Dec. 16. Hurtado inquired if a city permit would be required to hold such a gathering.
Council advised Hurtado that provided the caroling group was small and manageable, no permit is required.
“But if you all of a sudden find out that you’re going to have large numbers, let us know,” Mayor Art Smyth said.
Smyth recapped city representatives’ attendance at the annual Infrastructure Assistance Coordination Council (IACC) in Wenatchee late last month where Brewster received the organization’s Drinking Water Award for its renovation of a 500,000-gallon storage reservoir.
The award was passed around to council members and spent the remainder of the meeting  on the council table.
Council held public hearings on the EMS Tax Levy, Property Tax levy, 2018 Preliminary Budget, and Mac & Cass Partnership Development Agreement but received no public input.
Following the hearings, council members approved Ordinance 896 amending the Mac & Cass Partnership Development Agreement to allow construction of an additional building.
Council members also approved Ordinance 898, authorizing purchase of the Manganese Project Bond and related Ordinance 899 authorizing the mayor to execute the bond.
City legal counsel Chuck Zimmerman recapped the city’s process to transfer ownership of the 25-unit Vista Park Homes complex, the sole property in the Brewster Housing Authority, to the Okanogan County Housing Authority that manages multiple properties.
“It’s very inefficient,” said Zimmerman of Brewster’s management of the singular project citing the time required by the city clerk to administer it properly.
The city was moving forward with the transfer when a fire at the complex last July damaged six units and delayed further progress. Zimmerman reported that the process is back on track and hopes to complete the process before year’s end. Zimmerman requested, and council approved a five-member Housing Authority Board to conduct the requisite board meetings that will facilitate the transfer.
Public Works Director Lee Webster reported that the arborists hired by the city to prune 16 problem trees are already at work in Columbia Cove Park.
Webster said the hydrogeologist from J-U-B Engineers and representatives from the State Department of Health have approved the locations of the city’s proposed new well sites, allowing that project to move forward.
Work is also underway on airport signage and runway lighting at Anderson Field. Webster said the airport is currently open, but the runway is closed until about Dec. 7.