Wasco Council approves grant-writer contract, police-building planning, personnel changes and $1.3M for undergrounding

The Wasco City Council on April 15 voted unanimously to adopt a set of resolutions to expand the city’s grant-writing capacity, prepare formal site plans and renderings for a proposed police building, correct an employment agreement for a deputy public works director, promote a lieutenant to assistant police chief and pursue more than $1.3 million in power-line undergrounding funds.

City Manager Scott Horvath told the council the consultant arrangement with California Consulting, Inc., is structured so the firm will provide grant alerts at no cost and the city will engage the firm on individual grants on an hourly or fixed-fee basis if the city chooses to proceed. “This is a low-risk way for us to take advantage of their expertise,” Horvath said during his presentation. Council members asked whether consultant fees could be paid from awards and raised concerns about the city’s capacity to implement larger grants if funds are secured.

Council also authorized a professional services agreement with Teeter Architectural and Engineers to produce a site-plan/master plan and a 3D rendering package for the property acquired across from city hall for a new police facility. Staff said those initial tasks are budgeted at a not-to-exceed $45,000 to produce a two-dimensional…