WARDEN — Warden City Council passed a kratom ban and special event permit Tuesday night. It also discussed its comprehensive plan update and an ordinance for parking regulations.

Around 17 residents were in attendance, a fairly large showing for a Warden council meeting.

“First of all, before we start, I want to say thank you to all those that came to the meeting tonight,” Mayor Rosaelia Martinez said. “I know we are all busy people, and I really appreciate your input because it really validates what a lot of people are hoping to achieve in the city. Thank you. Your time is valuable and we appreciate you being here.”

Kratom ban

Othello Mayor Ken Johnson spoke during public comment, saying the Othello City Council had just passed a unanimous full ban on Kratom and 7-OH Monday.

“This is an up-and-coming new drug that is being sold in our convenience stores, easy to grab, right in front of the counter and the thing about it is, there is no age limit on it,” Johnson said. “Your 14-year-old could go buy this and it has the same effects as opioids. It’s used as a painkiller.”

Warden City Council unanimously passed the ban; Omar Pruneda was excused from the meeting.

Council member Emily Campos said she didn’t know anything about it until a resident brought it to her attention. She said she did some initial research on it, and the lack of restrictions on it concerned her.

“We try to get things done and try to be ahead of them,” she said. “We do realize that when surrounding cities like Spokane or Othello are dealing with an issue, it trickles down to us. It’s very important for us to be aware of this stuff.”

Campos said she spoke with Police Chief Jeff Gann, and he also had concerns about kratom. Afterward, she asked for an ordinance to be drafted for a ban.

Gann, who worked with Castle Rock PD prior to leading Warden PD, said he has been dealing with kratom for the last 10 years.

“I have seen people under the influence of it,” Gann said. “Generally, the issue is, taken in small doses, it’s not a problem. The problem is when people take large doses because it’s not regulated. It’s not illegal. So, they go out and buy a big bag of it and pretty soon they are addicted to it. Then they are using so much of it, it causes mental and physical problems.”

Gann said he isn’t aware of any stores in Warden that currently sell the product. He also said he has not dealt with a kratom overdose in Warden.

The ban goes into effect 90 days after passage. Warden is the first city in Grant County to ban kratom.

Comp plan

The City of Warden is working on its Comprehensive Plan. Prior to the council meeting, there was a workshop to begin getting community feedback on housing, development and priorities for the next 20 years in Warden.

There is also a survey open to the public which can be accessed at Bit.ly/WardenCompPlan.

Special event

The council unanimously approved a special event application for a senior class graduation parade on June 5. The Warden School District will have seniors’ loop around town prior to the graduation ceremony, with one road needing to be closed for safety measures. The school district will be paying the cost to pay city staff to close the road.

Parking regulations

The council also continued discussion on setting up parking regulations around town. No motion was made on this matter.

However, there was discussion about restricting parking times in front of the Warden Public Library and the downtown corridor. The council is expected to continue discussion on the matter at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Transportation plan

At the May 12 Warden City Council meeting there will be a public hearing on the six-year Transportation Improvement Plan. The TIB plan sets out what transportation projects the City of Warden will be focused on over the next six years.

City Administrator Kriss Schuler explained the plan is a “living document” and can be adjusted as funding opportunities arise.