Council hears survey update; staff says VA selected Richland site for veterans cemetery and Keene Road widening nears funding
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Summary
City staff reported robust survey participation, a state announcement moving a VA veterans cemetery to the Tri-Cities (Richland site) is advancing pending VA due diligence, and a roughly $15 million Keene Road widening project now has multiple funding sources assembled, city representatives said.
City staff and council members used the March 17 meeting to report on several items the council said will shape near-term budget and infrastructure work.
Mendel, speaking for city staff, said the community survey has been open "just over two weeks" and that meeting materials read '11 73 responses as of 09:03 this morning' (the meeting transcript presented the figure in that form). Mendel said staff will share detailed survey results with council next month to inform decisions including fireworks policy and budget priorities.
In a legislative update, Slade said the state and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs selected a Tri-Cities site — described in the meeting as the Richland site — for a veterans cemetery, but the VA is completing due diligence including soil sampling and has asked the city to keep the purchase-and-sale agreement in place until that work is complete. "They've selected the Richland site," Slade said, adding that the purchase agreement contains language that would void it if the VA selects another site.
Slade also said the Keene Road widening project is approximately a $15,000,000 effort with multiple funding sources pieced together, and that the city is working with the state Department of Transportation to identify remaining funding gaps. "About $15,000,000 project, and it's got about eight different funding sources pieced together," he said.
Councilmember Cole reported that Concealed Pistol License (CPL) counts reflected in the packet increased from 24 to 25 and that 2026 numbers are already about 25% of 2025 totals; he also walked through an illustrative property-tax distribution that showed the city's portion as one slice of a larger bill, to put local revenue and spending in context.
Councilmember Moran reported on regional transit activity, including a Ben Franklin Transit board meeting and upcoming regional meetings, and the council discussed prioritizing essential infrastructure before nonessential amenities.
No ordinances or new business were introduced during the meeting; staff said survey results and more detailed information will be provided to the council next month.
