Water system leads list

PATEROS – Every January, City Administrator Jord Wilson updates members of the city council on community developments and public works from the previous year that fall under his responsibility. The 2018 calendar year was notable for city projects on a number of fronts: water system, sewer system, risk management, housing, emergency management, asset management, and more.

Water System

Once-in-a-generation improvements were made to the city water system with the completion of the new Cemetery Reservoir and Pump Station No. 3 on Pearl Street and Warren Avenue, Wilson wrote in his annual recap.

“We retired the two old reservoirs that served the community since 1929 and 1949 and Pump Station No. 1 since 1960,” Wilson wrote.

The city made the system switch on Dec. 18 that gave many residents increased pressure at faucets and shower heads and not a complaint was filed from users when the new system came online.

Pateros also hired Doug Kirk as its new Water Distribution Manager in 2018.

Sewer System
Under the direction of Mike Lambert, the city’s wastewater system received an Outstanding Performance Award from the Department of Ecology. The city received a $140,000 energy-saving grant to upgrade critical system equipment and has applied for an additional $28,000.

The engineering has been completed for sewer mainline repairs on Warren Avenue that can be pursued the next time the level is lowered in Lake Pateros.

Risk Management
Adopting the Association of Washington Cities’ motto: Every Employee Home Safe Every Night, the city was recognized last year by AWC’s Risk Management Service Agency for Most Improved Liability Claims Experience. Wilson was elected to Position 9 on the AWC’s RMSA Operating Committee and the city was awarded a $5,000 safety grant.

Housing
Last October the 17-unit Pateros Garden Apartments, the city’s only rent-subsidized residential complex, reverted to current market rental rates. Mayor Carlene Anders formed a housing task force and conferred with city staff and council members to explore options to increase housing opportunities in the city. A proposed zoning adjustment currently under consideration would allow accessory dwellings (mother-in-law cottages) and increased density in designated zones.

A planned development project at the Pateros Trailer Courts on Pederson Road may be ready for infrastructure upgrades this year.

Emergency Management
The city is encouraging residents to enroll in the Okanogan County Emergency Management Alert System at www.okanoganDEM.org to receive real-time information and alerts for their area.

“We used the OKEM Emergency Alert System for the water system transfer and as a way to test the emergency alert system,” wrote Wilson. “This was an excellent training and dry-run for staff, in the case of an actual emergency.”

Wilson also reported that the city now has backup power generation at its city wells.

“I know this has been a community priority in the case we had a power failure during the fire season,” Wilson wrote.

Wilson also serves as Secretary/Treasurer for the Pateros Brewster Long Term Recovery Organization (PBLTRO) that continues to work on Carlton Complex wildfire recovery issues and hazard preparation. PBLTRO is a sponsor of the Map Your Neighborhood program administered by the Pateros Brewster Community Resource Center.

Asset Management
The city purchased an Asset Management Tracking System in 2018 to allow inventory and management of its millions of dollars invested in infrastructure and equipment that will require some five years to log into the new database, wrote Wilson. In 2018 city staffers completed mapping manholes, water and sewer mains and gathered geographic information system (GIS) data on the water system meters, hydrants and valves.

Streets and Equipment
Some of the street-related projects completed in 2018 included:
• Transportation Benefit District formed.
• Complete Street Ordinance to be eligible for Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) grants.
• Six Year Street Plan adopted through 2025.
• American With Disabilities (ADA) plan adopted for public facilities access.
• TIB $62,906 award for Ives Street chip seal project.