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April 2009 Calendar
April 3 - Chamber of Commerce - 7:00am - Feeding Station
April 6 - City Council Mtg - 7:00pm - Council Chambers
April 7 - Ambulance Mtg- 6:00pm - Ambulance Building
April 8 - Caregiver Coffee - 10:00am - Retirement Apts. Comm Rm
April 9 - Chamber of Comm. - Noon - Cafe Artisan
April 13 - Jaycee Club Mtg - JC Club
April 14 - Park/Rec Mtg - 7:00pm - Council Chambers
April 14 - Senior Pinochle - Tekoa Comm Church
April 20 - City Council Mtg - 7:00pm - Council Chambers
April 23 - Dist Commodities - 10am to 2 pm - City Hall
April 27 - Ambulance Bd Mtg - 7:00pm - Ambulance Bldg
April 28 - Senior Pinochle - Tekoa Comm Church
April 28 - School Bd Mtg - 7:00pm - District Bd Rm
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METER READING AND UTILITY BILLING
INFORMATION… BECAUSE OF THE SNOW, WATER METERS
WILL BE READ FOR THE FIRST TIME IN APRIL. PLEASE MAKE SURE
TO TAKE THE INSULATION OUT OF YOUR METER BOX BEFORE THE
MIDDLE OF APRIL, SO THE METER CAN BE READ EASILY.
As mentioned last month, we have changed the date that we will be sending
out the monthly utility bill. We will be sending the bill after the 1st of the month
now, because Empire Disposal changed the date they bill us for garbage. Our
water ordinance has been changed to read: water payments are now due by the
15th of the month and if not received by 4:00 p.m. on the 25th, they will be
considered past due and a late fee of $5.00 each for water, sewer and garbage
will be levied. If the bill is not paid by the end of the second month after the
bill is due, a shut off notice will be sent and you will have 10 days to pay the
bill in full, or make payment arrangements with the Mayor to pay the bill. If it
is not paid, the water will be shut off for non-payment. Please contact us if you
have questions concerning this change.
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Mosquito Fogging…..As most of you know, the City of Tekoa fogs for
mosquitoes during the spring and summer. Fogging is done on Wednesday
nights at dark or around 9:00 p.m. We will begin fogging in April or possibly
May, depending on when the mosquitoes come out. We will post a notice on
the post office bulletin board and on the reader board at the Hardware Store
before we begin for the year. If you do not want your property fogged, you
will need to notify the city in writing by the 15th of April. Please contact city
hall if you want more information about the fogging.
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LIBRARY HIRING!
Friendly, service oriented manager needed in the Tekoa Library. A fun and
fulfilling career, with duties that include children’s programming, computer
assistance, publicity and community outreach. Work an average of 77 hours
per month; starting wage is $9+ dependent upon experience with a monthly
visit to Colfax required. For more information and application, contact the
Tekoa Library, Tekoa City Hall or Whitman County Library System,
1-877-733-3375 or 397-4366. Applications due Friday, April 10, 2009.
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TEKOA EMPIRE THEATRE NEWS
'Wylie and the Wild West’ coming to Tekoa Empire Theatre Saturday, April 25,
at 7p.m. Tickets: $15 at the gate or $12 if purchased before the 25th at American
West Bank starting Monday April 6th. Tickets will be for sale at the Tekoa Empire
Theatre Box Office from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. April 13th through the 24th. Also, you
can send checks to Tekoa Empire Theatre, PO Box 574 Tekoa, WA 99033. We
will hold your tickets at the window. The music of Wylie and the Wild West
is a beacon of truth and honest beauty. As one critic says, “Wylie Gustafson
is the coolest cowpoke around. Forget everything you hate about modern
country, this guy is old-school cool without being a tired period piece.”
2009 Empire Theatre membership is growing! Our members are:
Angie & Kim Rambo, Marilyn & Jim Weatherly, Virginia Sieveke, Sharon &
Dan Redfern, Betty Brandon, Norma & Chuck Brownfield, Bunny Lawhead,
Karen & Tom Rambo, Eileen Soldwedel, Marianne & Jim Gordon, Grace
Doneen, Jim Thompson, Lou St. John, Peggy Sieveke, Micki & Jerry Linehan,
Monica & Don Peters, Cheryl & Monte Morgan, Mary Sue Thompson,
Sandy Dehan & Gene Pavlenko, Sene & Stan Shope, Kay Engel, Claudia &
Jim Heaton, Chris & Pat Allen, Ann & Floyd Cavender, Gail & Phil Gumm,
Craig Catlett, Dorothy Hansen, Bonnie Smith, Greg & Jennifer Kalmes,
Marian Gossett, Stateline Processors, Inc., Tekoa Medical Clinic, Prairie
Grain Company, BNP Lentil Company, and Tekoa Pharmacy.
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PROJECT ACCESS
Are you caring for a loved one and do you sometimes feel stressed and/or
overwhelmed by it? If so, come join us for Caregiver Coffee in your community!
Project ACCESS has started a Caregiver Coffee on the 2nd Wednesday of every
month from 10am to 11:30am in the community room at the Tekoa Retirement
Apartments at 540 N Madison Tekoa, WA. If you have any questions please
contact Jenny Schwartz or Sarah Rial with Project ACCESS at 208-883-6483 or
email Jenny Schwartz at accessonthepalouse5@gmail.com.
Caregiver Coffee is FREE and open to the public. All are welcome!
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DOGS…………
Now that it’s spring – it’s time to repair those fences! Our dog ordinance says
that your dog must be on your property at all times, unless it is on a leash. The
animal control officer has been out and has seen a lot of dogs that are running.
If you haven’t purchased a dog license for 2009 yet, make sure you do. If your
dog is picked up, we know who to return it to.
We have also had complaints of barking dogs. Tekoa Municipal Code 8.08.011
says that a dog is a public nuisance if it continuously barks, whines or howls
in such a manner as to disturb or annoy neighbors or the public. Call City Hall
when you hear on-going barking so we can investigate it and to take the
appropriate measures. Please have consideration for your neighbors and
keep from getting fined for letting your dog bark. Thank you for your help.
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Whitman County Spring Clean Up Week! April 13th to 25th
$35.00 per Ton! ($15.00 Minimum) Residential Waste
only to - Whitman County Landfill & Transfer Station.
Tekoa will hold their clean up day on Saturday, April 18. A
large dumpster will be available to put your “clean up” items in at the old
gymkhana grounds from 9 a.m. until it is full. Batteries, refrigerators, freezers
and tires cannot be put in the dumpster. We are asking for donations to offset
the costs of the tipping fees. If you have no way to get your unwanted items
to the dumpster, call city hall by Thursday, April 16 to request help. A
donation will be required if items are picked up.
Let’s all pitch in and keep our city looking nice!
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~Messages from the Mayor~
~ Well, no doubt all of you have now received your property tax………….
and probably had to gasp for air!!! So, why are property taxes so high this
year? Two levies, the Parks and Recreation levy and street levy were not on
your 2008 tax statement. Consequently, taxes last year were considerably
lower. This year, both are on your tax statement. The Park and Recreation
levy amount is double and the street levy amount could have been doubled,
but the City Council decided to request only half of the $50,000 street levy
passed last fall.
In other words, we paid $12.06/$1,000 of assessed value of your property in
2008 and in 2009, we are to pay $18.69/$1,000. If my math is accurate, that is
about a 55% increase.
The good news is that in 2010, property tax should decline, hopefully close
to the 2007 figure, which was $15.09/$1,000. If you look on your tax statement
where Distribution of Taxed Levied is explained, figure that the amount you paid
for Tekoa Spec. (Street levy) and Parks and Rec. #6 Spec. should decrease by at
least 1/3.
I hope this explanation helps!
~ On to my monthly update on our Slippery Gulch Celebration. As has been the
case in past years, Angie Rambo has taken charge of the fireworks that has been
a Tekoa tradition. This year, Angie has decided to forgo the item auction, in favor
of a dessert auction to raise money. I will let you know the date and location of the
auction in future newsletters.
One of the special events of our celebration, especially since I am a grandparent,
is the kids games held at the gymkhana grounds. Sam Perrins leases his home on
Badger Lake and organizes the various games that includes sack races, and three
legged races for various age groups.
Last year, our celebration t-shirt showed a picture/drawing of Crosby Street/Henkle
Street looking south featuring the old sweet shop and theatre. This year, we want
to show the buildings on Crosby and Warren looking north. We have a great picture
of the old Hoare Hardware which was located on the east side of Crosby Street. We
are still in need a picture of what is now the Feeding Station. If anyone has one, please
let me know.
~ I probably should update all on what has been going on at Council Meetings. We
have been updating lease agreements with those that lease city property, updating
our mobile home ordinance for homes both on city lots and at mobile home parks,
addressing several issues with city water meter, making changes to the water ordinance
and changing the personnel manual. All these issues are important but not necessarily
what one might call exciting!!
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