Commissioners OK capital improvement projects

Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday approved funding for just over $100,000 in capital improvement projects for 10 public entities serving the county.

Money for the projects comes from a 0.25 percent tax on real estate sales, with sales of large timber parcels providing most of the funds. By state law, the funds can only be used on capital projects.

Last year, county commissioners formed a committee to collect and evaluate applications for capital projects. Members included citizens Bob Hake, Lori Scott and Tony Aegerter and three county officials, Treasurer Paula Holloway, Commissioner Lisa Marsyla, and Public Works Director Pete Ringen.

The committee received 14 applications requesting roughly $345,000. After studying the applications, the committee recommended approval of eight, with a target total appropriation of $100,000. On Tuesday, the board of commissioners approved the following:

1. Wahkiakum Fire District No. 4, $9,000 for the water tender which would have wide public safety benefit to the community.

2. Town of Cathlamet, a 50 percent matching grant not to exceed $30,000 for construction costs of a front entry and porch for the town hall, including façade and ADA accessible restrooms, to be completed in 2011.

3. Port District 2 of Wahkiakum County, $15,500 for restroom renovations at Skamokawa Vista Park.

4. Fire District No. 1, $8,000 for upgrading the meeting room with an equal amount of funding.

5. Fire District 2, $10,000 for reflective address numbers, with a stipulation that the full amount shall not be released without further reporting on the scope of the project.

6. Johnson Park Advisory Board, $5,000 for a kitchen certification upgrade, providing all inspections and approvals for the commercial kitchen are to be implemented in 2011.

7. Wahkiakum County Fair, $21,000 for a new entertainment stage.

8. Cemetery District 2, $3,232 for lighting and electrical service improvements for safety at the cemetery.

Projects which weren't approved were:

a. Johnson Park Advisory Board, park maintenance storage building for $1,600. In its evaluation, the committee felt it should focus on the advisory board's highest priority considering the limited amount of funds that would be available. The storage building was not the highest priority.

b. Johnson Park ADA restroom retrofit, $15,000. The committee felt this request should be deferred as this wasn't the highest priority, and other County funds may be available to address this.

c. Johnson Park Advisory Board,$16,000 for wall repair and gutter replacement. The committee felt this request should be deferred as this wasn't the highest priority, and other County funds may be available to address this.

d. Wahkiakum County Fair, $28,573 for a pole building; this request was passed over in favor of the fair’s higher priority due to the limited amount of funding available.

e. Diking District No. 1, $100,000 for Grove’s Slough dredging. This request was passed over because it was so costly and would eliminate funding opportunity for other projects.

f. Wahkiakum Port District 1, $52,000 to expand dock and accommodations; this project was passed over due to the high cost and a sense of other more urgent priorities among the requests submitted.