Pateros council approves graduation in park

PATEROS – City council members held their regular monthly meeting by Zoom conference on April 20 and discussed issues from city project finances to high school graduation.

City Administrator Jord Wilson said in his report that city works projects are on hold while the effect of COVID-19 restrictions on city finances are reviewed after which they will be reevaluated.

Pateros School Superintendent Greg Goodnight asked the city to allow high school graduation ceremonies to be held in Memorial Park in a manner that would meet social distancing requirements and allow fireworks. Following discussions over street closures and crowd control, council member Christine Perry’s motion to allow the ceremony to proceed under current guidelines was approved.

Goodnight added that the school has delivered nearly 5,000 breakfast and lunch meals to students to date.

An EMS representative asked the city to consider holding a special council meeting to consider a resolution to put the EMS levy for Douglas-Okanogan Fire District 15 back on the ballot if the measure fails to pass on April 28. If the levy fails a limited two-hour window would remain to qualify the measure to reappear on the next ballot by the May 8 deadline.

Mayor Carlene Anders advised that she is advocating in support of opening residential construction during the coronavirus lockdown.