Council okays water plan updates

Members of the Cathlamet Town Council on Monday approved updates to the town's comprehensive water plan.

The plan outlines improvements needed for the system which serves the town, surrounding neighborhoods, and the Puget Island Water System.

The updated plan will be submitted to the state departments of Ecology and Health for comments and possible revisions.

The plan calls for replacement of town water mains over a period of several years starting this year.

It also calls for securing at least one more water right, Mayor Dick Swart said. This year, geologists would conduct an investigation to try to identify a site for drilling a well, and a test well would be drilled next year.

Swart said engineers hope to find a well source near the existing water plant on the Elochoman River.

The plan also anticipates a future expansion of the system up the Elochoman Valley from the water plant.

Financing is expected to be completed by a combination of reserves, loans and rate increases to cover financing of projects and maintaining of an adequate reserve.

"Based on our review of the Town's water utility finances and planned capital improvements, the current rates are sufficient to fund operations and planned capital improvements over the 6-year planning period," the engineers say in the plan; "however reserves are decreasing substantially over the same period. A rate structure analysis will be needed to determine how best to increase revenue while impacting ratepayers the least."

In other business at Monday's monthly meeting of the town council:

--Joan Chester from the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce asked the council to help fund a person to water and care for plantings in the downtown area. A half dozen volunteers have cared for the plants, but they can't schedule enough time to meet summer watering needs.

Swart asked Chester to submit a budget proposal in writing so the council could act at its March meeting.

--A Rosedale man asked the council to consider changing the town ordinance banning pit bulls in the city limits to allow them under carefully controlled circumstances. Kurt Davis said he and his wife didn't know about the ordinance when they moved into town, and they would like to keep their dog. The council asked him to meet with Town Attorney Tom Doumit to prepare proposed changes for consideration in March.

--The council authorized appointment of Sylvia Costich as clerk/treasurer and Tina Schubert as deputy clerk. Costich has been deputy clerk and replaces Virginia Welker, who has retired.