Bonney Lake employees who are called to active military duty will get help from the city.
The City Council approved an ordinance to cover the difference of the employee’s salary if military service deployment results in a decease in pay during active duty.
Councilman Dave King said it is important for all city employees, if they were going to render their service, that the city makes up the difference between their military salary and city salary.
“That’s a necessary thing to do for our valued employees and our valued service members,” King said.
Councilman Dave Bowen echoed King’s thoughts and said he supports the ordinance.
During the 28-minute meeting, the council also approved a resolution for design work for a trail and bridge for safe routes to school and awarded the bid on a sewer replacement project.
At the March 10 meeting, the council authorized Bruce Dees and Associates to design the trail for the Safe Routes to School project.
Last year, the city executed a grant agreement with the Washington State Department of Transportation to build pedestrian trails or sidewalks that would allow studentsto walk to school in the vicinity of Bonney Lake High, Mountain View Middle School and Victor Falls Elementary.
Dees, who completed the Fennel Creek Trail Master Plan in 2007, will design a one-mile trail and bridge over Fennel Creek. The project will reduce traffic congestion and transportation expenses incurred by the Sumner School District.
The design work will cost $107,101.
The total project will cost $2.5 million and the grant will cover $1.5 million. Depending on the completion of the design and permits, the project could go out for bid later this year.
Pape and Sons Construction was awarded the bid to replace a 16-inch sanitary sewer main along state Route 410, west of Myers Road.
The city received 24 bids and Pape and Son submitted the low bid of $432,463. Engineers had estimated it would cost $670,000 to replace the main.
The council delayed action an authorizing a contract with an engineering firm for the design work of the second phase of the Leaky Water Main Replacement Project.
The resolution was moved to this week’s workshop as an action item.
They also delayed action on an ordinance relating to permit and permit application extensions and amending the muncipal code.
Last month, the council amended the city code to extend the life of building permits under certain circumstances. But the language was not amended which would have prevented permits from expiring if the work was not commenced with 180 days for the date of permit.
It was moved to Tuesday’s workshop as an action item, also.
In other action, the council:
• Reappointed Randy McKibbin and Grant Sulham to the Planning Commission; David Colbert, Paul Webber and Raymond Bunk III to the Design Commission; and Brian Cebe and Richards Rawlings to the Park Board Commission.
• Did not reappoint Dennis Poulsen to the Planning Commision because it was discovered he resides outside the city limits. His term ends April 6 and the city will look for a replacement.
Reach Dannie Oliveaux at doliveaux@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald or 360-820-8209.
