Council approves park plan; handles other business

Town of Cathlamet council members approved a proposed plan to rennovate Erickson Park and acted on other business at their February 19 meeting.

The plan had been presented at a workshop earlier this month. Mayor Dick Swart said it involved removing under brush and accumulated slash by August while preserving large standing trees. Wahkiakum High School environmental science students will inventory plants and work on a landscaping plan, he said.

Swart said the budget line item for park improvements contains enough funds to cover the estimated $8,380 cost. Council members voted to approve the expenditure.

In other business:

--Swart announced that following a request for proposals, the town would contract with Tom Doumit for legal services. Doumit and Bill Faubion, who has been town attorney for 17 years, were the only respondents, and Doumit's offer was lower than Faubion's.

Swart read a proclamation thanking Faubion for his tenure and recognizing his other community service activities, including the Cathlamet Fire Department.

--Wahkiakum County Undersheriff Jon Dearmore delivered a semi-annual report to the council as part of the contract between the town and county for law enforcement activities.

Dearmore said sheriff's department records don't distinguish between calls inside and outside the city limits, but the total number of calls has steadily increased over the past few years to 3,571 in 2007.

From those, officers made 22 arrests for drug law violations with 15 convictions and seven cases still pending. Three cases inside the city limits involved methamphetamine. In the county, there were eight meth cases, two pill cases, and 12 marijuana cases, he said.

Officers seized four vehicles, including a pickup that has replaced a worn out police cruiser, he said.

--Citizen Dean Snyder commented on three situations he felt were safety issues.

1. A drainage pond in the Glengate area has steep, slippery sides and needs fencing to protect children from entering, he said. Swart said he would refer the issue to the building department.

2. Provisions of any ordinance regulating heights of hedges should be enforced, Snyder said. A hedge at a Chester Street intersection is a traffic hazard.

3. Parking should be prohibited on the eastern (landward) side of Columbia Street between Alder and Maple streets, he said, to improve visibility for traffic in the area. Swart said he would refer the issue to the streets committee.

--The council had first readings on two proposed ordinances. One would update fees for permits and other planning department activities. The second would amend the budget ordinance to allow modification of the budget with only one meeting instead of two. This will allow the town to manage its expenses better, Swart said.