Council acts on resignation, plans poultry ordinance

Cathlamet Councilmember Danielle Erickson has resigned effective July 29.

She and her husband are moving to Oklahoma City to take new jobs.

The council received Erickson's resignation last week and accepted it at their meeting on Monday.

Her husband, Ryan, will be employed in the city planning department, and she has found a teaching job. She has been a teacher in the Naselle-Grays River Valley School District.

It will be up to the council to appoint a replacement who will later have to stand for election to the unexpired term.

The council presented Erickson a certificate recognizing her service on the council.

In other business Monday, the council asked Town Attorney Tom Doumit to create a draft of an ordinance which will allow town residents to possess live chickens.

Mayor Pro Tem John Hannah led the request saying residents had suggested the ordinance and that he himself might like to raise chickens.

Councilmembers suggested limits such as two or three chickens per household, no roosters, and a requirement they always be penned.

The council accepted the final progress estimate and declared the completion of the Waste Water Improvement Project that was undertaken last year.

Town officials had noticied a discrepency in final cost accountings, and engineer Ken Alexander of Gray and Osborne Consulting Engineers explained that there had been a typographical error. He and Clerk/Treasurer Sylvia Costich said the figures were now accurate and the project could be declared finished so the contract could receive his final payment.

Hannah reported that town officials working on a law relating to hedge heights had made little progress and the matter would be continued to the August meeting.

Costich said the council should start budget preparations in August, tentatively at a special meeting for a workshop.

Attending were Councilmembers Erickson, Hannah, Wally Wright and William Talbot; absent were Councilmembers David Goodroe and Mayor Dick Swart.