PHOTO BY JENNIFER COLTON
[quote style=”2″]Council Lowers Noise Restrictions for Riverside’s Anniversary[/quote]
Mel Ray is the newest member of the Umatilla City Council.
Council members interviewed both Ray and fellow applicant Keith Harding on Tuesday night for the position opened by longtime councilman Bill Meade’s recent resignation.
During the interview, Ray, who sits on the city’s Code Improvement Board, said the most pressing needs for the city are training police officers to speak Spanish and continuing efforts to clean up the town.
Council members cast ballots for the two contenders, and City Manager Bob Ward counted the votes in favor of Ray.
Ray’s appointment will last through the end of Meade’s term, which ends this year. Ray said he will file as a candidate to retain the seat in the fall election.
During the meeting, the council also approved a noise ordinance abeyance for a 20th anniversary celebration at Riverside Sports Bar and Lounge. Business owners Daren and Paulette Dufloth attended the meeting and said the abeyance will cover the live band they have scheduled for May 3.
Daren Dufloth said the event will run until 10 p.m., and the stage will face the Tillicum Motel, not the nearby neighborhood. He said he had spoken with individuals at the hotel in preparation for the event.
“We’re very conscientious about our neighbors,” Dufloth said. “I definitely don’t want to annoy too many people.”
Ward said the abeyance is similar to a special events permit but applies to a private event. The abeyance will cover the outdoor event if it goes past 10 p.m., the cutoff for the city’s noise ordinance.
The council unanimously approved the abeyance.
“The Riverside is one of our largest and longest businesses,” Councilman Lyle Smith said. “If they want to have a 20th anniversary, I think we should support that and let them have a live band.”
The council also appointed Cheryl Vermillion to the Code Improvement Board and accepted Alice Stoneman’s resignation from the Umatilla Planning Commission.
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