SeaTac City Council members agreed June 8 to a 21/2- year contract with King County to continue animal control services.

"We recognize that we are paying more for less but it is the only game in town," Councilman Tony Anderson grumbled.

Police Chief James Graddon said SeaTac will pay approximately $105,000 a year for animal control patrolling, sheltering in Kent and pet licensing services. SeaTac will receive some subsidies from the county.

Graddon said the city could receive some enhanced services by paying overtime for off-duty animal control officers. The program would be similar to paying off-duty police officers to occasionally patrol city parks, according to Graddon.

Program manager Soraya Lowry told lawmakers she realized the new animal control contract is financially costly, but city staffers could use the next few years to work with neighboring cities on a subregional plan.

County officials are ending the current contract and going with a new approach July 1.

The county will be split into four regions with officers working Monday through Friday.

Burien will handle its own animal control while Tukwila is part of the county plan. Des Moines and Normandy Park share an animal control officer.

Lawmakers also approved members for a new steering group formed to seek public input into a design for the old Riverton Heights school site.

SeaTac bought the eight-acre site at 3011 S. 148th Street for $2 million. A mosque next door pays for parking at the location on Friday afternoons and park pilots fly model planes there.

The city plans to use 11/2 acres for a new fire station.

The steering committee will hold four meetings to organize three public meetings that are supposed to determine what the community wants built on the site.

Councilman Rick Forschler complained that no residents who live near the site are on the steering group. Lowry said she hoped they would 'turn up a name' in the area, but didn't.

Council members decided to appoint the proposed group members and allow Mayor Terry Anderson to add additional nearby residents later.