CITY COUNCIL MINUTES May 21, 2025 City Council of the City of Ephrata, Grant County Washington met in regular session on May 21, 2025. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Mayor Bruce Reim. Members Present: Mayor Bruce Reim, Mayor Pro-Tem Matt Moore, Council members Phil Borck, Kathleen Harris, Sarah McDonnell, Valli Millard and Mike Warren. Staff Present: City Administrator Ray Towry, City Attorney Katherine Kenison, Finance Director Kristen McDonnell, City Engineer Shawn O'Brien, Police Captain Troy Froewiss, Recreation Supervisor Gunnar Blankenship, and City Clerk Katie Kapalo. Motion to excuse Council members Lamens. (m/s Millard/Warren) 7 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried. Pledge of Allegiance was said. This meeting is being recorded and live-streamed. Agenda: Removing the presentation, Process and Timelines' from section Ill.a. Addition of item Hl.c., a presentation from Engineering about the Nat Washington Way Update Addition of item IX.c., Water Tower Discussion Megan Diamond signed in to speak to the council. Consent Agenda: Motion was made to approve the consent agenda. (m/s Warren/Moore) 7 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried. Check #102055 through 102099 in the amount of $617,157.40 EFT B&O Taxes in the amount of $37,743.80 EFT CC Fees in the amount of $10,146.97 Council Minutes: i. May 7, 2025 Confirmation of Mayor's Appointment of Dr. Brian Jacobsen to Parks and Recreation Commission Engineering Presentation: Nat Washington Way Update City Engineer O'Brien presented the restriping plan for Nat Washington Way to the Council. Proposed changes include extending the bike lanes, slightly narrowing the vehicle lanes, and reducing the roadway from four lanes to three in the area behind Walmart. Finance Presentation: Reserved VS. Unreserved Funds Director McDonnell provided a presentation to the Council explaining the differences among fund balance classifications. She outlined the five alegones-monspendabe. restricted, committed, assigned, and nassgned-ngnigning the unique purpose and reasoning behind each. Resolution 25-35 Walmart Grant Police Captain Froewiss presented to the council an update regarding a grant from Walmart. The Police Department has worked with Walmart for years to support community events and engagement. This year, they applied for funding to support our community events and initially it was denied. The department reached out, re-applied at their recommendation, and received the award of $4,000.00. Motion to Adopt Resolution 25-35, accepting the 2025 Walmart grant. (m/s Warren/Millard) 7 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried Resolution 25-36 New Logo Adoption At the May 7, 2025, City Council meeting, the Council voted by majority to select a final logo design for the City of Ephrata. This follows several months of collaborative work involving local students, city staff, and the Council to develop a new logo as part of a broader Communications Plan. The existing City Seal, created in 2008, will be preserved for formal documents, while the new logo will be used for branding and communications. With the logo and color palette now finalized, the next step is for the Council to officially adopt the design at tonight's meeting. Motion to Adopt Resolution 25-36, adopting the new logo. (m/s Borck/Moore) 7 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried. Water Tower Discussion As construction of Ephrata's new water tower approaches completion, the City must finalize its exterior design elements by June 1, 2025, to meet the contractor's deadline. Although the tower will be painted white initially, Council has the opportunity to enhance its visual appeal by incorporating additional design features, such as a logo or emblem. With no regular Council meetings scheduled before the deadline, a decision on how to proceed is required. Design options include the new City logo, the City seal, and the Ephrata High School "E." Council may select one or two design elements in any combination--two of the same, two different, or just one. Discussion ensued. Motion to approve two Ephrata High School 'E's for the design elements for the water tower. (m/s McDonnel/Moore) 4 ayes, 3 nays, motion carried. Resolution 25-37 Administrative Policy Update Leslie Trachsler previously served as the City Clerk/Finance Director before her retirement. Her name is currently referenced in the City's Administrative Policy. To maintain consistency and avoid the need for future updates due to staffing changes, we recommend replacing her name with the appropriate job title. Using position titles instead of individual names ensures that the policy remains accurate and effective unless the job title itself changes. Motion to Adopt Resolution 25-37, updating the Administrative Policy. (m/s Warren/McDonnel, 7 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried. Resolution 25-38 Port of Ephrata Use Agreement The Ephrata Police Department has conducted emergency vehicle operations training at the Port of Ephrata for over 20 years. In 2023, the agreement was updated to its current form, providing a dedicated location for a range of essential training activities- not only high-speed pursuits, but also precision low-speed driving, reversing, and maneuvering. This training is critical to comply with RCW 10.116.060, which outlines the legal requirements for engaging in vehicle pursuits, including mandated training. The agreement ensures Ephrata officers have access to the necessary venue to meet these requirements and remain in compliance with state law. Motion to Adopt Resolution 25-38, approving the Port of Ephrata Use Agreement for the Ephrata Police Department. (m/s Harris/Borck) 7 ayes, 0 nays, motion carried. Mayor adjourned to executive session at 6:38 p.m. to discuss acquisition of real estate or site selection (RCW 42.30.110(1)0), for approximately 20 minutes. Ex session adjourned at 7:06pm, no decisions were made, or action taken. There being no further business, Mayor Reim adjourned the meeting at 7:06pm. Bruce Brcey Reim, Mayor ATTEST: Katie Kapalo, City Clerk