Council fills vacancy, acts on varied business

The Cathlament Town Council appointed Steve McNicholas to fill a vacant council position and handled a large quantity of other business at its meeting Tuesday.

McNicholas was the only applicant to fill the vacancy created when John Hannah resigned in December.

He said he has lived in the town 6.5 years and is very interested in the community's well being. He has volunteered with the Wahkiakum Historical Society and helped refurbish the community street car. He is retired from a career in the machine tool industry.

Mayor Dick Swart told the council he will visit other communities to prepare a report on the ramifications of a town contracting with a private company to build and operate a wastewater treatment plant.

The council has heard proposals from two firms interested in a design/build/operate contract with the town.

The theory is that a private company can build and operate the plant cheaper than a municipality. The firms are seeking 20-year contracts.

The council and Deputy Fire Chief Fred Johnson spent 20 minutes discussing an interfund loan from the town budget to the Cathlamet Fire Department budget and approved an extension of the loan to July, 2009.

The loan helps firemen pay a variety of expenses, and the department seeks donations to repay the loan. Johnson and Clerk Treasurer Sylvia Costich said that donations over the past two years have cut the principle to $20,443.25.

Councilmember David Goodroe questioned whether the department will be able to find enough donations to repay the loan by August, 2010, which officials said was the limit state auditors would allow the loan.

Johnson, an attorney, said he knew of no regulation setting such a limit, and he commented the council shouldn't kowtow to state auditors.

"The state auditor shouldn't dictate policy to the council of the Town of Cathlamet," he said. "The state auditor encroaches on the good judgement and authority of the council, and they shouldn't do that."

The council adopted a resolution authorizing consulting engineers to undertake engineering work for three possible public works projects this summer.

The projects are replacing water main along SR 4, replacing water main along Columbia Street, and installing a new pump at the town water treatment plant.

State and federal officials have urged the city, county and other governmental entities to present whatever construction programs they can for economic stimulus funding.

Officials commented that the pump installation might not qualify for the economic stimulus package, which aims at jobs, not equipment, but Public Works Superintendent David Vik said the pump is important in the town's efforts to expand its water rights.