Council: Let's see how the wind blows

Can Bradley Mountain serve as a wind farm as well as a tree farm?

Members of the Cathlamet Town Council said they hope to answer that question sometime this year and decide whether or not to pursue construction of a wind farm on town property.

Councilmembers Wally Wright and Steve McNicholas have shown interest in the proposal, and at the council's monthly meeting on Monday , McNicholas reported his initial evaluation of the proposal.

In other business Monday, the council discussed a proposed update to the ordinance governing operation of the municipal library, and council members authorized administrators to continue steps leading to construction of new mains and sewer lines.

McNicholas said he had consulted with several parties including a manufacturer of wind generators.

If there is sufficient sustained wind on Bradley Mountain, the town and possible partners such as Wahkiakum PUD could construct a 20-unit wind farm that would initially produce electricity worth $1.38 million for an investment of around $10.2 million, McNicholas said.

Energy generated at the site would be fed into the PUD's Cathlamet substation and thus enter the Bonneville Power Administration grid.

The council authorized McNicholas to continue his research and contacts with interested parties.

A next step, he said, is to install an anemometer on the site to gather data about winds.

"I think we have something here that could make this town stand on its own," he said.

The council spent close to an hour discussing revisions to the ordinance regarding operation of the town library.

Councilmembers agreed that the library will be named the Cathlamet Blanche Bradley Public Library, or something quite similar, instead of the Blanche Bradley Memorial Library. That name will identify it as the town's library and also honor a citizen who made substantial contributions to the library in the past.

Councilmembers did, however, have concerns about the relationships and legal structure of organizations supporting and operating the library.

Councilmember Bob Rendler pointed out that there is a Blanche Bradley Library Foundation and a Blanche Bradley Library corporation. People can donate or otherwise send money to these organizations, and the council has no control over how the funds are used.

Councilmembers also agreed that a committee could be formed to recommend new language for the ordinance that would address the issue.