Bethel City Council convened for a regularly scheduled meeting on March 22. Here are the key decisions made by the body.
COVID-19
The City of Bethel no longer recognizes COVID-19 as a local emergency. The city’s COVID-19declaration of emergency expired during the meeting when the council chose not to extend the measure.
It ended when Vice Mayor Conrad “CJ” McCormick made a motion to adopt the ordinance and found no other council members to second his motion.
The declaration had been in effect for nearly two years, since March 24, 2020. The council had renewed the measure every 60 days since then. With the declaration over, public meetings can be held in person again. Virtual attendance through Zoom will remain an option.
ATVs
City laws regarding all-terrain vehicle, or ATV, use in Bethel remain unchanged after the meeting. The council unanimously voted to table a measure that would have limited the ATV speed limit to 15 miles per hour on all roadways and barred ATVs from driving on Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway.
The council unanimously voted to remove a section that would also have banned ATVs from Akakeek Street, which goes through Bethel’s Housing Subdivision and connects Ridgecrest Drive to Ptarmigan Street. McCormick pointed out that Bethel’s only laundromat is located on Akakeek Street and should remain accessible to ATV drivers.
Tabling the ATV item for a month until the April 19 meeting will allow the city to collect more data on ATV use in Bethel. The Public Safety and Transportation Commission’s recommendation had been to table the item for a year.
McCormick sits on the commission. He said that commission members are concerned that banning ATVs from the highway would cut off a primary roadway without providing alternative routes to entire areas of town, and that some people may be economically limited to ATVs for transportation.
A new state law took effect January 1, 2022 that allows ATVs to drive on state-owned roads with speed limits under 45 miles per hour. Before that, it was illegal to drive ATVs on the Bethel highway, but they were often seen driving on the shoulder. It raised safety concerns. McCormick said that the commission wonders if bringing ATVs onto the road and requiring regulations, like a valid driver’s license, proof of registration, and liability insurance, could ease those concerns.
“Perhaps having them on the highway, being required to drive in a responsible manner might very well be the solution to this issue,” McCormick said.
Council member Rose “Sugar” Henderson sponsored the legislation. She voted with the other council members to table the measure, but also voiced a commitment to continue to try to ban ATVs from the Bethel highway. Four-wheeler accidents have happened in the past.
“I don’t want to see that happen to anybody else, and if by law we can prevent that from happening, then I’ll be darned. I’m going to stand behind this ordinance,” Henderson said.
Marijuana Retail License and Alcohol License Applications
The council reviewed the applications for a marijuana retail license and an alcohol license. No council members protested either of them. The marijuana license is for a proposed store called Good Vibes, LLC. The alcohol license is to serve beer and wine at a proposed restaurant called Uncommon Pizza. The businesses would be located next to each other on Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway, across the street from the fire department.
New Bethel Finance Director
The council unanimously confirmed a new hire for Bethel Finance Director. The position has been empty since January 2021. New Bethel Finance Director Duane Wright’s first day in the job will be April 1. According to hisresume, he will come to Bethel from Liberty Lake, Washington, where he is working as an accounting manager for Credit Suite, an internet consulting company.
City Clerk Annual Evaluation
The council held its annual evaluation for Bethel City Clerk Lori Strickler. The council praised Strickler for her work and approved a 3% raise, the highest raise allowed. Strickler has worked for the city for 16 years; her new salary is $109,243.
