More may go up on Division Street

MOSES LAKE - The fate of additional power lines over Division Street lies with the vote of councilmember Brent Reese.

Council discussed the addition of more power lines along the avenue to accommodate service to the Herron Creek Apartment complex located on Ninth Avenue.

Council has the option to allow the lines to be above ground or to allow the lines to be buried below ground, across the street.

"You don't put ugly on ugly, you don't keep adding to the problem," councilmember James Liebrecht said.

Councilmember Richard Pearce motioned to deny the request.

He said adding more power lines to the street would not help the aesthetics of the street.

Mayor Ron Covey said he was in favor of putting the power lines above ground.

"I will vote against the motion because I don't think it will make a difference," Covey said.

Councilmember Bill Ecret said he was in favor of putting the power lines above ground because due to special circumstances including an extreme cost to install the underground system over the aboveground system, council can grant the request.

"We don't have to follow that if we don't want to," Pearce said.

He said although there are conditions to grant the construction, council is under no obligation to do so.

Councilmembers Pearce, Liebrecht and Dick Deane voted against the aboveground installation.

Councilmembers Ecret, Jon Lane and the mayor voted in favor of the aboveground installation.

"I always vote, I am a councilmember first," the mayor said about his vote to tie the issue.

All councilmembers and the mayor were present at the meeting with the exception of Reese, who could have been the tie-breaking vote.

The issue will be brought up at the next council meeting, April 24.