Ferry shut down for engine work

Less than a week after returning from drydock, the ferry Wahkiakum was shut down Tuesday.

Public Works Director Pete Ringen told county commissioners on Tuesday that the ferry crew had discovered signs indicating a cracked head.

A private mechanic firm was hired to take the engine out of the vessel on Wednesday and replace it with a rebuilt engine which the county has had in storage.

The closure was during daylight hours. Ringen said the firm refused to undertake the work at night to reduce the impact on ferry traffic.

In other business at Tuesday's meeting

--Commission Chair George Trott signed a letter to the Seattle office of the US Army Corps of Engineers reacting to the Corps' criticism of an emergency road repair last fall. The Corps had looked at the project and concluded that it was done without proper permitting.

The letter noted that the public works director had applied for a permit two years before the work was done, and that the work was done because erosion was eating into the dike protecting the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge.

"The letter of March 5, 2008, mentions future referral to the Department of Justice," Trott's letter said. "Wahkiakum County does not intend to discontinue its service to the good of the citizenry and protection of the environment, based on threats of referral by your agency.

"We would like to meet with you and our elected federal representatives in the very near future to make sure that you understand this country is still governed by "We the People," and that as public servants we need to work together toward the greater good rather than to exercise power in a counter-productive manner."

--Commissioners consulted with Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow about vacancies on the Grays River Enhancement District board of commissioners. Members of that board have taken steps to fill vacancies, but when asked to research state law, Bigelow said the authority to fill vacancies lies with the county board. Commissioners said they would contact members of the enhancement district board to discuss the situation.

--County Probation Officer Bill Wiess announced that he is also heading Disaster Outreach Services for victims of last fall's storms. He is supervising four teams of two people who are available to talk with or counsel people who have been impacted by the storms.

Wahkiakum is part of the Pacific County outreach area, he said. The teams are targeting farmers; they offer a list of resources for dealing with losses of crops or livestock.