Washington’s City Council, during its meeting Monday, gave its approval for the city to lease city properties not being used by the city.

One of those leases is a one-year lease with Sound Rivers, formerly know as the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation, which works to protect and improve the water quality in area rivers and their tributaries.

Sound Rivers has been leasing office space on the second floor of the building that houses the Washington Tourism Development Authority (the former railroad depot at 108 N. Gladden St.) for several years. Because of the benefits Sound Rivers provides to the city, Beaufort County, their residents and the public at large related to protecting the Pamlico-Tar River and its basin, the city forgoes charging fees for the use of the property.

Councilman Doug Mercer suggested listing the free rent for Sound Rivers as an in-kind contribution by the city to Sound Rivers in the city’s budget. City Manager Bobby Roberson said that would happen. The new city budget takes effect Saturday.

B.E. Singleton & Sons will lease city property near the city’s wastewater treatment plant near National Spinning to store equipment and materials. In exchange for use of the property, the company will maintain the property and keep the drainage way on the property clean.

Mark Gray, who owns the property where Ribeyes steak house is located, will lease city property for outdoor dining and access to Ribeyes restaurant by handicapped people. The restaurant opened about a month ago. “We’re about 30 days late on this, aren’t we,” Councilman Doug Mercer said.

In other business, the council awarded a $56,450 contract to Dudley Landscaping to replace storm-drainage pipes in Oakdale Cemetery.

There have been several pipeline cave-ins at the cemetery during recent years, according to another memorandum from Buck to the mayor and council members. The 30-inch concrete pipeline is about 45 years old. The cave-ins are a hazard to vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the cemetery, according to the memorandum.