PHOTO BY JENNIFER COLTON
Dark and stormy nights may be good for mystery novels, but it’s not good for the hotel business.
The owners of the former Desert River Inn have said the darkness on Willamette Avenue in McNary has made guests – and potential guests – uncomfortable, and the city of Umatilla has agreed to help brighten their way.
The city, Pacific Power and the hotel owners will split the cost for three streetlights on the east side of Willamette Avenue.
The three lights will cost about $7,300.Pacific Power has agreed to contribute $2,300 of the cost, and the hotel owners will split the remainder 50/50 with the city of Umatilla. Once installed, the streetlights will become the city’s responsibility.
The Umatilla City Council agreed to fund the lights during their January meeting.
“I could see how that would be a welcome improvement to McNary, so I’d be for it,” Councilman Roak TenEyck said.
Council members did question the need for lights now, when the hotel has operated for years without it. The Desert River Inn closed for financial reasons about a year ago. The new owners recently re-opened the hotel with plans to take on a Quality Inn franchise.
“My one concern is if we put up the money and they go bankrupt again, now we have lights in front of a vacant property,” Smith said. “I think we have to do what we can to make it succeed.”
Council members did question setting a precedent for providing streetlights to businesses. Smith said the council would consider requests from other businesses if they were willing to split the cost and could display a need.
After the meeting, Umatilla City Manager Bob Ward met with representatives from Pacific Power at the hotel. He said a final proposal for the project should be completed by the end of this month
In other business, the council:
• Appointed Jaime Olvera to the Parks & Recreation Committee; Alice Stoneman to the Planning Commission; and re-appointed Jack McWhinnie to the Code Improvement Board.
• Approved a new liquor license for the McNary Market & Deli.
• Renewed a lease with the Benton County PUD for a former CSEPP tower still used by emergency services.
• Agreed to purchase an undeveloped property on Fifth Street for $18,000. According to Ward, the purchase will protect access to the Old Town site and allow for an unbroken Lewis and Clark trail route and a bike path on the East Side of the Umatilla River.
• Selected Hawkins, Delafield and Wood, LLP to serve as bond counsel for the sewer bond. The firm has previously worked with Umatilla bonds.
• Authorized a two-year agreement with the city of Boardman for building inspection permit fees. Umatilla has contracted with the city of Boardman to use their building inspector, and a portion of the fees received are divided between the two cities. The new agreement increases Umatilla’s portion for buildings inspected in Umatilla from 25 percent to 35 percent.
