Huge Demand for Tieton Public Works
TIETON -- Keeping a city clean and maintained is a daunting job, especially for workers in Tieton.
In between grass that needs mowing, leaves that need clearing, and water fountains that need repairs, Rich Olson, of Tieton's Public Works Department, is faced with an overwhelming mission.
"The wind blows up here, and blows a lot of garbage on the fence, and we need to stay on top of it," he says.
But with budget cuts hitting the city of Tieton, Olson can't stay on top on his job as much as he wants. He is one of only two employees at Public Works. A third employee was laid off earlier this year, and Olson is now in charge of maintaining a town of more than a thousand people.
Tieton's mayor admits it's a huge burden to throw onto one person, but in a financial pinch, everyone gets squeezed.
"If the economy turns around next year, we can afford to spend the money to buy things we didn't do this year," says Mayor Stanley Hall.
In between grass that needs mowing, leaves that need clearing, and water fountains that need repairs, Rich Olson, of Tieton's Public Works Department, is faced with an overwhelming mission.
"The wind blows up here, and blows a lot of garbage on the fence, and we need to stay on top of it," he says.
But with budget cuts hitting the city of Tieton, Olson can't stay on top on his job as much as he wants. He is one of only two employees at Public Works. A third employee was laid off earlier this year, and Olson is now in charge of maintaining a town of more than a thousand people.
Tieton's mayor admits it's a huge burden to throw onto one person, but in a financial pinch, everyone gets squeezed.
"If the economy turns around next year, we can afford to spend the money to buy things we didn't do this year," says Mayor Stanley Hall.
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