Council considers lagoon upgradefor sewer system

Town of Cathlamet officials dealt with a number of issues relating to their wastewater treatment plant plans and a variety of other issues at the meeting Monday.

Councilmembers agreed they need more information before they can decide on a course of action to replace the present sewage lagoon treatment plant.

They have preferred a new plant on a site carved from the Wahkiakum School district Farm Forest, and the town has received a $500,000 grant and low interest loan offers for that project. But with projected costs hitting the $13 million mark, promising $100 monthly rates, they've started considering other less expensive options. One option is to refurbish the sewer lagoons, and officials are starting to explore whether funders and state officials would support the grant funds for that project.

Mayor Dick Swart said he had discussed the possible change in scope with state officials and was told to make applications. Town officials, he said, want consulting engineers Gray and Osborne to review the 2003 lagoon plans and consider upgrading them.

If the council agrees with the concepts, they can present the proposal to the state Department of Ecology.

"That way, you can get more connections to the system and help fund improvements to the plant," said G&O engineer Ken Alexander. "That's the big goal.

"If it were sold as an interim improvement, as a way to allow the town to move forward to replace the plant, it will be okay. The end point is a new treatment plant somewhere else.

Meanwhile, Gray and Osborne are working on plans and calls for bids for two water main replacement projects.

One will extend water main east along SR 4; the other will replace failing line along Columbia Street.

The council discussed but didn't act on Forester Bill Olsen's recommendation to hire a logging firm to pull stumps and burn slash on the logged over wastewater treatment site. The project could cost $14,000 to $20,000 or more, depending on the amount of work done to clean the site, he said.

Firemen would like to use the slash burning as a training site for their wild fire training, he said, so there is pressure to make a decision quickly.

Councilmembers, however, had questions. "Why are we doing this," asked Councilmember Bob Rendler.

"I was asked to give a price," Olsen said. "You will have to decide what to do. You could just replant. You don't have to burn the slash."

Clerk-treasurer Sylvia Costich pointed out that there is no line in the budget to cover the work; council members said they would have have to prepare a budget amendment to address that.

The council also took no action on a proposal from Councilmember Steven McNicholas that grounds around the city hall be named Library Park and turned over to the new library board for maintenance. The town public works crew has a hard time getting to the work because of other demands, he said.

After discussion, Swart noted the city hall is already named the Blanche Bradley Municipal Center. He said he would research the issues and make a report in July.

The council authorized members of the fire department to bid on equipment at an auction this week.

Assistant Chief Fred Johnson said there was an incomplete response to a call for bids for wildland fire fighting equipment; no bidders offered a vehicle. He added that a suitable vehicle is available at auction; councilmembers authorized fire department personnel to bid on the vehicle up to the amount in their budget.

The council recessed and continued their meeting to 7 p.m. next Monday in the fire hall to act on the bids for the other parts of the wildland fire equipment and to act on other matters that may arise.