Commission works on appointments

Wahkiakum County commissioners acted on two appointment issues when they met this week.

The board passed a resolution relinquishing the power to appoint the county fair manager and passing that authority to the county fair board.

The board also interviewed three citizens applying to fill a vacancy on the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board, a board which guides enhancement efforts for salmon and steelhead streams in Pacific, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Lewis, Clark and Skamania counties.

Commissioners said they passed the authority to appoint the fair manager to the fair board because the fair has been trying to become an indepent organization.

"It's prudent and long overdue," said commission Chair Blair Brady, the commission's representative to the fair board. "In the past, the appointment has been too politicized. It's beneficial for the people who are working to make the fair work without county funding."

"The last time we appointed a manager, the fair board did the interview, and we made appointment," said Commissioner Dan Cothren.

The fair is currently without a manager. Former Manager Sarah Lawrence resigned at the end of January; the fair board is holding a special meeting next week to work on filling the position.

Commissioners heard from three applicants for the fish recovery board and said they'd make their appointment next Tuesday.

The applicants were Irene Martin, Poul Toftemark and Olaf Thomason.

Thomason, a retired Puget Island resident, said he was a commercial fisherman as a young man and wants to see better efforts by state and other agencies to correct past mistakes.

"I'd like to see something done to enhance what stocks we have," he said.

Toftemark, a retired Rosburg resident, is a member of the Grays River Habitat Enhancement District. A former commercial fisherman, he said he has attended fish recovery board meetings for over two years and is familiar with its issues and operations.

Martin, a Skamokawa resident, owns and operates two commercial fishing boats with her husband, Kent. She has been active in salmon management issues for years and has served on state and federal boards, including the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board 2003-2006.

"A new salmon plan is coming out," she said. "I'm very interested to see how the new plan will fold in with the others."