Council okays salmon parking, technology grant

The Cathlamet Town Council worked on salmon fishing season parking problems and other issues when it held its February meeting on Tuesday.

The council, after considerable discussion about parking problems and enforcement, approved a request from Port District 1 to allow it to use two town lots near the Elochoman Slough Marina for parking during the approaching spring chinook fishing season.

Port Manager Jackie Lea said she and marina staff are planning ways to help the influx of anglers find parking that doesn't interfere with town residents. She also suggested that the sheriff's office show leniency in writing parking tickets. Anglers were upset to receive tickets last year, and that impacts their use of facilities in the town.

Sheriff Dan Bardsley, in attendance to present a report on services to the council, commented that anglers would be ticketed if they parked across parking spaces, as they did last year on River Street, instead of parking in the spaces, and if they blocked access to residents driveways.

Ken Alexander of Gray and Osborne Engineers reported that the contractor performing the water main installation on Columbia Street and SR 4 is nearly done.

Also, another contractor working on the foundation of the town hall building should be done around the end of this week.

Councilor David Goodroe questioned why the town hall contractor isn't pouring a slab in the lower level, and Mayor George Wehrfritz said it wasn't required in the contract. Goodroe insisted it was, and Wehrfitz said he would review the contract.

The council voted 4-1 to approve Councilor Bob Rendler's recommendation to contract with Wahkiakum Community Network to prepare a grant application for technology development in the town hall.

Goodroe noted that the grant application deadline is before the council's next meeting, and there are several unanswered policy questions about the proposal. The planned use required for the grant application determines the use of the downstairs of the town hall, Goodroe said, something that council hasn't yet decided. He voted against the proposal; Councilors Rendler, Ruth Doumit, Wally Wright and Stevan McNicholas voted for it.

Bardsley presented one copy of a service report to the council, saying the timing of his invitation to speak to the council hadn't had enough time to prepare a complete report.

There are no major trends that should give concern, he said.

Wehrfritz asked if the county would be able to lower its cost of service to the town if the county were to sign a security services contract with Bradwood Landing Natural Gas that would allow hiring of 5-8 extra sheriff's deputies.

No, Bardsley replied. The $62,000 contract gives the town services of officers, use of the jail, and dispatching and also covers the cost of equipping officers he said.

In other business, Chris Holmes and Kelly Guest of Wahkiakum Health and Human Services gave an update on their plans for a proposed community garden in Erickson Park.

A memorandum of understanding is still being prepared, they said, but Guest is developing plans for how the garden will be arranged and operated.

"I really want to get started in March," she said.