Soap Lake council accepts Walmart grant, tables cleanups
R. HANS MILLER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 7 months AGO
Managing Editor Rob Miller is a 4-year U.S. Army veteran who grew up in Western Montana in a community about the size of Soap Lake. An honors graduate of Texas State University, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Brandee, and their three dogs, Draco, Pepper and Cinnamon. He has one son, William. During his free time, he enjoys photography, video games, reading and working on the house he and his wife bought in Ephrata. He is passionate about the First Amendment and educating communities. | May 4, 2023 4:00 PM
SOAP LAKE – During their regular meeting Wednesday, the Soap Lake City Council voted unanimously to accept a $1,250 grant from Walmart and tabled decisions on spring and fall cleanups for the city.
According to Soap Lake Police Chief Ryan Cox, the Walmart grant, for which the application was supported by the Moses Lake Walmart store, will be deposited into the police department’s benevolent fund to support community events like the upcoming Fourth of July event and the annual Shop with a Cop event this winter.
Councilmembers tabled plans for spring and fall cleanup events because it was unclear from the provided documentation where funding would come from to cover the cost of dumpsters and landfill fees. Total cost for both events is estimated at a little less than $2,700.
Mayor Michelle Agliano was absent from the meeting attending training, but all other members of the council were present.
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An experience I recently had with a school district, quite honestly, has left me gob-smacked a bit. I am in awe of the teachers and administrators at school districts throughout the region and what they have to deal with. Let me get back to the beginning, though. Journalists often cover a wide variety of topics and are constantly looking for ideas for stories that will matter to readers. As such, when we hear of events of interest, we sometimes ask to attend so we can either cover it, or, as in this case, learn how to cover a topic better.