Recycling grant funds may end

Wahkiakum County Commissioners Blair Brady, Dan Cothren and Lisa Marsyla had a quick and easy meeting Tuesday as they worked through a light agenda. Business included:

--Public Works Director Pete Ringen reported that it appears grant funding from the state Department of Ecology for subsidation of the county's recycling program is going to end.

"There is an apparent lack of funding support available for the time period from January 1, 2011, until June 20, 2011, and possibly beyond," he told the board. "We may have some carry over until 2011 with this grant; however, with the current rate of expenditure, it is unlikely the grant will take us beyond the first quarter of 2011."

The board supported Ringen's suggestion to reactivate the Solid Waste Advisory Board, which includes haulers and others with interests in solid waste management, to "strategize about the 2011 budget for recycling."

--Ringen reported that contractors have taken 5,300 cubic yards of sand out of the sand pit the county and Consolidated Diking District No. 1 operate on Puget Island. He had calculated that 5,000 cubic yards would be the maximum that could be excavated without loss of the pit's potential to handle erosion and county road department needs.

"This is about as much as we felt comfortable with removing and still having an adequate reserve," he said. "At this point, we have to put a stop to that."

The board authorized Ringen to suspend sand sales; he will take steps to inform contractors and the public that the pit is closed.

--Rosburg resident Raven Webb queried the board on the developments after last week's presentation on biosolids by a farmer, plant operater and scientists.

Brady replied that the board has directed the prosecuting attorney to prepare an ordinance regulating the application in biosolids in the county.

Brady added that he believes the Department of Ecology will hold off on acting on an application to spread biosolids on a Grays River farm until after the board acts on its ordinance.

Also, the DOE's regional director will attend a meeting in the next few weeks to discuss issues such as watershed management and biosolids.

--The board authorized Sheriff Dan Bardsley to purchase two new patrol cards. Bardsley will replace two Ford Crown Victorias with 119,000 and 130,000 miles on them with two Dodge Chargers at a cost of $51,660.