Hannah resigns from council

The Cathlamet Town Council is looking for a new member.

Councilmember John Hannah turned in his letter of resignation Monday afternoon, just a few hours before the council met for its December meeting.

At the meeting Mayor Dick Swart announced the resignation, and Councilmembers Bill Talbott, David Goodroe and Bob Rendler voted to accept the resignation; Wally Wright voted against the motion to accept.

Swart said the position would be advertised this week, and if there are applicants, interviews will be scheduled as soon as possible to fill the vacancy.

The council acted on several other items of business Monday.

The council rejected an ordinance, which Hannah had originally proposed, to set rules for keeping poultry and similar birds in town.

The council did pass by a 4-0 vote an ordinance setting the procedure for removing a council member for lack of attendance. The ordinance allows the council excuse absences for a variety of reasons.

The council also passed an ordinance redirecting a portion of sewer fees to another account, with Wright, Rendler and Goodroe voting in favor and Talbott opposing.

The council authorized consulting engineers Gray and Osborne to develop preliminary engineering on water main replacement projects and replacing pumps at the water plant. Swart and Goodroe said federal and state economic stimulus money is planned for 2009 and will go to construction projects that are ready for construction this summer.

Swart reported that the town and Wahkiakum PUD still haven't reached agreement on figures for billing the PUD for water supplied to the Puget Island Water System from July, 2006, through June, 2007.

PUD Commissioner Larry Reese attended the meeting and commented that the questions seem directed toward very small details which get in the way of the overall agreements.

"It's counter productive," he said. "We need succinct terminology. There's too much time wasted."

Swart and the council agreed. They supported suggestions to develop a long-term agreement with language that doesn't tie up staff time.

Jim Reed, representing the town planning commission, reported that the commission had started comparing different proposals for a revised town zoning ordinance. The group will draft a proposal after going back through the town's ordinances to see if any might conflict with proposed zoning rules.