The Odessa Record -

The Odessa Town Council met Monday night to hear public input from a local citizen. The question posed was whether the residency requirement for council members was currently being met. Initially, council members seemed unsure how to respond. Ultimately, however, Mayor Bill Crossley said that he was aware of the issue and that no action had been taken because the council member in question had been working on the resolution of personal issues. The council, the mayor said, was giving their fellow member ample time to organize living arrangements. Nevertheless, the issue was to be put on the agenda for discussion at the next council meeting.

Steve Nelson of Century West Engineering in Spokane reported that the largely FEMA-funded street repair project in Odessa is moving along nicely and is scheduled to be wrapped up by the end of the week except for some minor work restoring road shoulders. Nelson also said he has applied on the town’s behalf for a grant/loan option to develop a sewer system plan, a requirement for applying for financial assistance from government agencies to complete repairs and upgrades.

Apparently, some Odessa citizens have, from their own viewpoint, been unduly inconvenienced by the street work currently under way. Some have gone so far as to rail at the construction workers themselves or to call the town clerk’s office to vent their anger. Mayor Bill Crossley would like to remind all citizens that everyone has been equally inconvenienced by the road work, but that the town is also benefiting from it in numerous ways. The repairs to the streets were absolutely necessary, Crossley said, and the town was able to take advantage of available government programs to have the vast majority of the cost covered by those programs. Taking frustration out on people who are simply doing their jobs is unfair and not appreciated, he said.

For the second consecutive council meeting, there was lengthy discussion of a “nuisance ordinance” being developed for the town using an ordinance developed by the city of Moses Lake for a guide. Council members have met in committee to work out language that applies to the smaller municipality of Odessa, yet covers the many different issues that bring complaints to the desks of the mayor and council members.

Building permits were approved for two fences and a re-roof project. A resolution granting approval for three more yard cleanup efforts was also passed. Fire chief Don Strebeck lamented that yards which were identified earlier as needing cleanup and were dealt with either by the homeowner or by the town were now back on the list for cleanup again after rains helped the vegetation to grow again. Police chief Tom Clark suggested citing violators after due notification to see if that might bring better compliance. The discussion was tabled.

In the absence of public works director Rod Webster, town clerk Denise Snead read his report. The pool was inspected by the Lincoln County Health Dept. prior to opening and no issues were found. Two elm trees at the town park will have to be removed. The fluoride level in the town’s drinking water has fallen to the lowest point that it has been in several years.

A Word to Parents

Every summer we pass along to the reading public a safety request from the local police, Chamber of Commerce and town government. Parents, please talk to your children and remind them that they are not allowed to ride bikes on sidewalks in the downtown business district.

The doors of most downtown businesses open outward. A child riding down the sidewalk when someone in a hurry exits a downtown store could be very seriously injured if the door to that business suddenly opens. The child would have little or no time to react. Likewise, an elderly person making their way slowly out of a downtown business could be run down and seriously injured by kids on speeding bikes.

When your child bikes downtown, he or she must get off the bike and walk it through the downtown sidewalks along First Avenue from First Street at the east end to Birch Street at the west end or else ride in the street where all traffic laws must be obeyed, including signaling of turns, speed limits, etc.