Accountability report

The City of Mercer Island complied with state laws and regulations in most areas of the annual audit for Jan. 1, 2003 through Dec. 31, 2003, according to a report released April 19 from the Washington State Auditor’s Office.

The past six reports have found no areas of concern significant enough to report as audit findings, the report said.

Auditors do not examine every portion of the city’s financial activities during each audit. The areas examined are those determined to be at highest risk of noncompliance, misappropriation or misuse.

Areas examined in this audit include accountability for public resources, legal compliance and financial areas.

Covenant Shores laundry room fire

A fire in the laundry room at Covenant Shores health care facility April 30 resulted in no injuries, but enough smoke to cause staff to evacuate the building.

When firefighters arrived at about 11:30 a.m., they were directed to where the blaze, which maintenance personnel had already attempted to extinguish with a portable fire extinguisher, was contained to a dryer in the upstairs laundry area.

Firefighters put out the fire and used fans to clear smoke from the building. No residents experienced ill effects from the smoke or required medical treatment.

The fire was determined to have been caused by excessive lint buildup in the dryer, Battalion Chief Chris Tubbs said. Smoke and dryer damage was estimated at $2,000.

Unknown substance found at gas station

A container with a substance that emitted an ammonia-like smell found May 2 at the Sunset Highway Chevron is believed to have been illegally disposed of by a passerby, according to fire department personnel. No one seems to know exactly what was in the container.

The five-gallon gas can was discovered by Chevron employees next to the station’s dumpster, where it is believed to have been for several days, employees said. When the station manager opened the lid to see what was in the mysterious container, the odor almost overwhelmed him. That’s when staff called 9-1-1. Two Island fire engines and Battalion Chief Chris Tubbs responded and evacuated the area adjacent to the service station. They then called for backup from a Seattle Haz-Mat team. The Haz-Mat team included an engine, a ladder company, a Haz-Mat unit, two command officers, a medic unit, an aid unit and one air unit.

Tests on the substance were able to determine that the product was most likely a form of ammonia. The container was re-closed and secured. Chevron is required to dispose of it through a licensed company, according to information provided by the fire department.

Water quality report

Islanders can expect to find out just how safe their drinking water is within the next few weeks when the city sends out copies of the 2004 Water Quality Report. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires that any utility that supplies drinking water provide an annual water quality report to its customers. The report contains results of current water testing and contains information on how water quality can affect health. The report also can be found on the city’s Web site www.ci.mercer-island.wa.us/ or by calling the City of Mercer Island quality information line at 236-3566.