Council OKs PUD water contract in principle

Members of the Cathlamet Town Council considered business ranging from a contract for water sales to formation of a library district when it met Tuesday.

Councilmember David Goodroe reported he and negotiators for Wahkiakum PUD had reached an agreement in principle to update their contract for water sales. The negotiations have been underway for 2.5 years.

The town had achieved some of its goals, he said. The PUD agreed to include depreciation costs, including system improvements made in 1999, in the rates, and they agreed to increase rates for 2015.

"We should receive $22,000 in new water system revenue," he said.

The parties also agreed that huge leaks should be acknowledged with adjustments in rates. The PUD had asked that the town rescind its motion to end the contract when it expired in 2037, which would have forced the PUD to find a new source of water for the Puget Island Water System.

Goodroe said he believes the council could rescind the motion now and renew it if severe disagreements arose in the future between the parties.

Goodroe said the Puget Island Water System consumes about 33 percent of the water produced in the town system, and it pays about 18 percent of the cost. With the new agreement, the Island system would pay 24-25 percent, he said.

By consensus, the council approved the agreement.

Librarian Carol Blix reported information she had learned about forming a small taxing district to support the Cathlamet library. Blix said county commissioners had made that suggestion last fall when they agreed to support the library. Commissioners have said their revenues are declining and they have no more funding for community programs.

There are several possibilities, Blix said:

--Form a large regional district with other counties;

--Form a district that combines with a small district in another county;

--Form a county wide district;

--Form a partial county wide district, and

--Join with the Timberlands Regional Library system.

All would require a new tax levy to finance them, and she hasn't yet gathered data on this issue, she said.

Former Prosecuting Attorney Fred Johnson recalled a similar effort years ago. At that time, county residents learned that joining Timberlands would also lead to a loss of local control; the Timberlands board would determine the level of service.

Blix said she would continue to research the issue and make further reports.

In other business, the council approved a contract with the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce. The town will pay the Chamber $1,500 for the year in return for the Chamber putting on community events and promoting Cathlamet businesses.

The town cut the funding from the 2014 budget, said Clerk/Treasurer Tina Schubert, and sent that money to the formation of the community center.

Councilmembers and Mayor Dale Jacobson said they felt the money should go to the Chamber this year.