Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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Wahkiakum County officials discussed further response to flood damage in East Valley and addressed other topics when the board of commissioners met Tuesday. In early January, heavy rain and melting snow sent a deluge down a Wilson Creek tributary, with logs and woody debris forming a jam that diverted the creek along, over and through the road and cutting a new channel very close to the residence of Marshall and Martin Snow. Since then, the county and a contractor have restored the stream to its original channel, but the streambed created by...
By Rick Nelson "Water, water, everywhere," says the old poem, and it could well have been describing Wahkiakum County's January. December's snow and January's rain pushed streams out of the banks, flooded roads and properties, and sent local agencies looking for answers to the challenge of maintaining infrastructure. Three local agencies shared their challenges at Tuesday's meeting of the board of county commissioners. Poul Toftemark of the Grays River Habitat Enhancement District described a...
This week, I received a ballot in the mail to vote on a tax levy for the Wahkiakum School District. I marked the box to support the levy. They call it an enrichment levy. The state legislature has determined that the state is paying for the cost of basic education, and voters in local school districts can use these special levies to enrich their programs. For the Wahkiakum School District, enrichment means future technology needs; music instruments; transportation to band competitions and athletic events; safety equipment; for grass and water...
Residents of Skamokawa's East and Middle valleys on Tuesday asked Wahkiakum County officials to take steps to end threats to their properties resulting from flooding earlier this month. Marshall and Martina Snow said an emergency culvert repair redirected the course of a Middle Valley creek toward their house, which is now threatened by erosion. "It is a very severe situation," Marshall Snow said. They asked that the road department address the situation and return the creek to its previous...
Members of the Cathlamet Town Council on Tuesday approved the expense of extra engineering services for two construction projects and took care of some housekeeping business. The council approved contract amendments with the firm Gray & Osborne to include project management services for the projects--constructing sidewalks along South Third Street and the Butler Street Parking Lot upgrade. Clerk/Treasurer Sarah Clark said because of the complex reporting for the projects funding grants, it is essential for the town to have project management....
A day of heavy rainfall last week has left Wahkiakum County residents dealing with flooding and other storm related incidents. Heavy rain arrived last Wednesday and kept coming into Thursday, melting the previous snowfall to send streams out of their banks and hillsides sliding down onto roads. Wahkiakum County Public Works Director Chuck Beyer submitted this report on Tuesday: "Wahkiakum County Roads had significant snow damage from trees and limbs falling. Elochoman Valley Road is still not...
Wahkiakum County commissioners approved a short plat for a 33-residential lot development outside Cathlamet and heard a variety of concerns about a proposal to hire an epidemiologist when they met Tuesday. The development will lie on pasture land along Greenwood Road, just outside the Cathlamet town limits. It will include 27 single family lots and six duplex lots, with a planned density of 39 homes. Four streets will serve the area and meet standards to be county roads; a fifth will be a gravel, private road reaching some of the residences....
Wahkiakum County commissioners gave tentative approval of adding an epidemiologist to the county health department staff and discussed hunting seasons and wildlife herd issues with regional state fish and wildlife officials when they met Tuesday. Commissioners and Health and Human Services Department Director Chris Bischoff said they've been surprised by reaction to the potential arrival of an epidemiologist. The position, Bischoff said, will involve research and project development and won't have any mandatory authority. In discussions with...
Members of the Cathlamet Town Council took a first look at the possible development of a waterfront park at the mouth of Birnie Creek when they met Monday. The council also gave initial approval to amending the town's speed limit ordinance to accommodate a reduction of speed on SR 4. New Mayor David Olson presided at the meeting and announced the resignation of Council Member Bill Wainwright, which leaves a vacancy on the five-person board. "[The year] 2022 starts with a new mayor and council me...
Commissioners of Port District 2 may alter their commissioner district boundaries when they meet in January. Local governmental entities have been considering changing their boundaries based on population shifts shown in the 2020 US Census. The principle is to have districts with nearly even population numbers so that each person's vote carries the same weight. Commissioners of Port District 1 have voted to change their district boundaries (see story in Dec. 16 edition of The Eagle). Governing...
Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday wrapped up their 2021 year by updating some contracts for the Health & Human Services Department, signing an interlocal agreement with the Town of Cathlamet for law enforcement services and amending the structure of the county Health & Human Services advisory board. They finished their meeting by voting to keep the same offices they'd held in 2021 with Gene Strong continuing as chair of the board and Lee Tischer as vice-chair. The Cathlamet Town Council approved the law enforcement agreement at their...
The Cathlamet town council adopted its 2022 budget, approved measures for park and sidewalk improvement projects and addressed other issues when it met Monday. Council members rejected a bid for exterior improvements to the town hall. The bid came in two parts, one for $88,000 that included installation of a decorative mural and a second for $74,000 without the mural. The town’s architect estimated the cost at $56,000. The council may call for bids again in 2022. Planned work included improvements to siding and installation of lighting and a...
Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday headed into the Christmas holiday on a happy note. Thanks to Treasurer Tammy Peterson, the county will save around $186,000 in interest payments on a $1 million loan used to finance recent renovation of the courthouse HVAC system. Peterson told the board of commissioners that when she reviewed terms of the loan, she wondered if it could be paid off early. When she investigated, she learned of the potential savings on interest payments. The county has the funds to pay off the loan, she said, so she...
Wahkiakum County commissioners approved 2022 budgets, raised tax levies, modified labor contracts and discussed concerns over hunting seasons when they met Tuesday. The board had conducted public hearings on the budget Dec. 6 and concluded the budgeting process this week. Part of the process included increasing the General Fund and County Road levies 1 percent, the maximum allowed by law without a public election. The increase for the General Fund is $8,783.19; and for the County Road Fund, $6,008.05. The total County Road levy will be...
Operation of the community center in Cathlamet is up in the air after the Cathlamet Town Council and Wahkiakum County Board of Commissioners voted to cancel their lease for center usage. The town owns the building housing the center, and the county in the past few years has provided a manager. The County Health and Human Services Department has covered the manager's wage through a variety of grants and outside entities without using county-sourced funds. Those funds, however, have disappeared, and without money in the budget for the position,...
It wasn't easy, but the Cathlamet Town Council ploughed through a variety of business Monday evening, ranging from Butler Street parking lot redesign to initial approval of the 2021 town budgets. Council members received a report from John Hinton of Gray and Osborne Engineers outlining potential areas for sewer system expansion. They include: --The vicinity of the intersection of SR 4 and the Elochoman Valley Road, --Greenwood Hill, --Up North Jacobson Road, --Olive Drive off of Columbia Street, --The Rosedale Height area up Boege Road, and...
The Oneida Road boat ramp has closed to the public in an initial step to remove an old barge leaking oil into Deep River. The state Department of Ecology learned Nov. 4 that oil was covering vegetation along Deep River and determined it originated from a small abandoned barge. Further investigation revealed that the barge contains about 1,600 gallons of heavy black oil, some of which has sunk into sediment below the barge, which has holes in the hull. David Prater, Ecology project liaison, said Tuesday that divers have attempted to patch holes...
Wahkiakum County commissioners discussed future management of the Community Center in Cathlamet at their Nov. 23 meeting and adjourned to 9:30 a.m. next Monday to hold a public hearing on 2022 county budgets. During public comment, a visitor suggested the county install RV hookups at the fairgrounds in Skamokawa to open the area for more recreational use. "I do know it's in the long range plan," said commission Chair Gene Strong, who represents the commission on the county fair board. Two issues to address, he said, are having an adequate...
Cathlamet Town Council Members on Monday reviewed proposed plans for development of two parks and sent their architects back to the drawing board. First, the council studied concepts for development of Queen Sally Park and decided to seek a geotechnical evaluation of the soils and the water table in the park site before choosing a plan for development. Second, council members asked for a redesign of the Butler Street park site to increase the number of parking spaces. The Butler Street lot is undeveloped and is used as a parking lot. Through a...
The Cathlamet Town Council voted Monday to cease operations at the Community Center in Cathlamet as soon as possible and form a committee to determine future operation. The center is a town facility operated on a contract with Wahkiakum County. The county has used grants and contracts with outside service agencies to fund center operations, but the funding has disappeared, and the center has been operated by volunteers. Council Member Bill Wainwright reported meeting with county officials and interested parties to analyze center operations....
The Cathlamet Town Council had no comments from citizens when it held a public hearing on the proposed 2022 budget Monday, but council members had plenty to say. Council Member Robert Stowe objected to a possible appropriation of $5,000 to the Wahkiakum County Historical Society for support of the historical museum. The society sought and received a similar appropriation in the 2021 budget, saying it would be a one time request. "Now they're here again," he said. "I'm very uncomfortable with them asking for another $5,000." The society and...
Wahkiakum County commissioners said no to declaring a county owned island surplus property and quickly handled other items of business when they met Tuesday. A private citizen approached county officials, wanting to purchase a 4.5 acre island owned by the county at the upper end of Birnie Slough, Puget Island. To sell the islet, commissioners would have to declare the land surplus to county needs and offer it in a public sale. Commissioners felt selling the island wouldn't be in the public interest and that it should be available for...
Besides approving their agenda and standard resolutions, Wahkiakum County commissioners had only one item of business when they met Tuesday. Commissioners approved a shoreline management conditional development permit from Paul Bakkom and Holly E. Guntermann to install a dock at in the Columbia River at their West Sunny Sands residence. The dock would be 8' x 40' and be accessed via a 105' ramp and walkway supported by four steel pilings. The county planning commission reviewed the permit application and approved it, finding that it met...
The Wahkiakum Mule football season came to an end Saturday as the Mules fell to the Forks Spartans 40-14. The game was close for three quarters, but the Spartans' hurry-up offense wore down the Mules as the game progressed. "The young guys pulled through and worked hard all year," said Mule Coach Ryan Lorenzo. "The kids left everything on the field at Forks, and I couldn't ask for anything more. "It's tough being a small team with 21 players, including two foreign exchange students, and trying...
Wahkiakum County voters made their choices Tuesday in elections for school boards, port districts and Cathlamet mayor and council members. And in advisory votes, they also overwhelmingly supported repealing tax and financial measures passed by the state legislature. Council Member David Olson overwhelmed opponents in winning the election as Cathlamet's new mayor. In Tuesday's count, he drew 129 votes, 74 percent, while write-in candidate Ashlenn Coleman had 26 and Council Member Robert Stowe 19. Elected to council positions in uncontested...
