February 2012 Newsletter
Calendar of Events…
February 3 - Chamber Meeting Noon - C & D's Bar and Grill
February 6 - City Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. - Council Chambers
February 7 - Ambulance Meeting 6:00 p.m. - Ambulance Meeting
February 8 - Tekoa Fair Association
February 14 - Senior Pinochle - Tekoa Community Church
February 14 - Park and Rec Meeting 7:00 p.m. - City Hall Council Chambers
February 20 - City Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. - City Council Chambers
February 23 - Distribute Commodities 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - City Hall
February 27 - Ambulance Board Meeting 7:00 p.m.- Ambulance Building
February 28 - Senior Pinochle - Tekoa Community Church
February 28 - School Board Meeting 7:00 p.m. - District Board room
City Notices
~~ City Hall will be closed February 20, for Presidents’ Day.
~~Whitman County is raising their tipping fee for garbage disposal. Empire Disposal has
requested a rate increase up to 2 % for garbage service. If approved, these new rates will
take effect on February 1st. At the end of February for the March billing there will be two
charges for this increase for February and March.
Tekoa Library News~ Tekoa Library is excited to welcome WCL teen librarian Chelsea
Leachman to present a Messy Science project for the 3rd Tuesday Kids Craft Club on
February 16, at 4:00 p.m. Bring in your friends and join Tekoa Library for a fun time. Story
time is every Thursday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. for ages 0 to 6. Come in and relax with your
little ones while they have fun practicing early learning skills. Stories, music and refrigerator art
is all part of what we offer. Tekoa Library now has four computer stations and two wireless
stations available for residents and visitors. Come in and see the changes happening here in the
library. You can also see us on Facebook. Click ‘like’ and you will get regular updates about
what’s happening at the library.
Tekoa Park and Rec. News: Tekoa Park and Recreation District announces the Holiday Lights
Contest Winners: 1st place is Bob and Dorothy Lindgen, 2nd place is Tiburcio and Kenzie
Ramirez, and 3rd place goes to Pastor and Katie Sanchez. Thanks to all for lighting up our city.
There were so many beautifully lit homes. We would also like to say thank you for passing the
Park and Recreation District Levy for 2012. We wish you a great New Year! Join us at our
board meeting in February and welcome new board members Sara Chase and Chanda Heer.
CORRECTION** A name was incorrect in the newsletter for the holiday light winners, the correct name is Katie Sanchez.
Volunteer In Focus
This is going to be a very risky article to write. I know I will leave someone out, so please
accept my apologies up front. I choose to live in this area because I love and appreciate the
four seasons. However, when those seasons hit us hard like the snowfall we have had in the
past weeks, I appreciate the volunteers who help clean up the snow from our streets and
sidewalks. Our small town has a small town budget and our city employees are worked to
their limits trying to keep our roads safe during heavy snow falls. There are several individuals
who volunteer their time to help move snow so the rest of us can continue to get to work,
school, etc. Some of the people that help to clean up the downtown area and city streets
include George Dean, Harold Huff, Randy Wise, Larry Heaton, Adam Smith, Dave Tysz and
Kelly Rambo. These people use their snow removal equipment to help those who are
otherwise equipped with a shovel and a bad back. There are also many “Snow Angels” who
help their neighbors dig out after a big snow storm. If you have a “Snow Angel,” don’t forget
to show your appreciation.
PLEASE GIVE THEM THANKS!
~Tekoa Empire Theatre News~
Moscow Community Theater will present the delightful play, Bus Stop at the Tekoa Empire
Theatre on Saturday, February 25, at 7:30 p.m. In this play we have tried to capture a place
and moment in time: a small-town café in 1955 when life was simpler and ordinary people
were able to focus on the important things in life –love and the avoidance of loneliness. This is
the second time that director Dick Domey has brought a play to Tekoa. As before, he hopes
the cast and the people of Tekoa will enjoy the experience of being and seeing a ‘traveling
road show.’
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With the New Year, I thought I would remind everyone that it is time to renew your dog’s
license. The license is valid from January 1st through December 31st. If I pick up your dog
and it’s not licensed, it will be taken to the city pound. You could be fined for the license
violation, running loose and the time the dog is in the pound. Please remember, if you keep
your dog outside at night, bring it in if it is barking. We had more complaints this past summer
for barking dogs. If a barking dog is keeping you up at night, please call me, even if it is in the
middle of the night. I will be happy to go and talk with the owners and cite them. Another
common complaint I get is people allowing their dog to defecate on someone else’s property.
That is just rude!! I saw piles on the sidewalks down town and in the rest area. Please clean
up your dog’s mess. If you see someone walking their dog and not picking up after it, please
call me and make a complaint.
Another issue that comes up is Junk and Junk vehicles. If you have a vehicle parked on the
street and it doesn’t run or is not licensed, you could be fined. If your property is in violation
of our junk code and the city has to clean it, you could be looking at fines or liens on your
property. The people in violation of this ordinance know who they are, and they should take it
upon themselves to clean up their property.
I hear people in the city complaining about different issues and want to know why nothing is
done, yet no one calls me. In order for me to go and cite someone for a violation, I must have
a complaint. My phone number is 284-2099, and my e-mail mikebogie@hotmail.com.
Mike Bogenreif
Code Enforcement Officer
~Messages from the Mayor~
Well, we finally got our snow!! What a mess, and we didn’t have total use of our snow plow
for a good part of the day with the heavy snow!! It’s fixed now, and we are waiting for the
next storm.
I visited with Dennis Bird about closing the Day Care Center. The reason for the closure was
simply the lack of kids, as opposed to closure by a state agency. I hate to see any businesses
close in Tekoa, but this is a trend of day care centers closing in Whitman County and in the
Spokane area.
We are still looking for patrons to apply for the vacant city council position. Please note that
my first application to the city council was turned down. That was a real confidence killer!
Going back to our first real snow storm, I have to thank some people who helped move snow
that day and next. I saw Larry Heaton, Kelly Rambo, George Dean, Adam Smith, Randy Wise
and Dave Tysz volunteering their time.
We are going to try a new plan for removing snow beginning in February. On the first day of
heavy snow fall, the business district would be plowed (usually early morning hours) and roads
running north and south. Then on the next day, roads running east and west would be plowed.
We would expect all vehicles to be moved so the entire street could be plowed. Keep in mind,
Municipal Code 3.04.070 states that campers, mobile trailers, boats/trailers, or any other unit
incapable of being independently driven on its own power cannot be parked on public streets
for more than 48 hours. What we hope to accomplish is to plow all city streets including the
parking areas over a 2-day period. Comments are welcome!!
This ends my monthly newsletter which isn’t one of my most desired ways to spend my day
except it does serve as a means of communicating with patrons, at least those who read it!!!
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