Commission hears slide, Humvee issues

Wahkiakum County commissioners discussed options for addressing a landslide issue on Loop Road, the addition of Humvees to the sheriff's office budget, and a variety of other issues when they met Tuesday.

Public Works Director Pete Ringen said a consultant hired to analyze the unstable slope along Loop Road has suggested three possible solutions with costs ranging from $150,000 to $700,000 or more.

The simplest solution, Ringen said, would be to place a rock buttress along the slide prone slope. However, that option would be hard to get through the environmental permitting process, and there's no guarantee that the slope would hold.

A second option would involve drilling holes for steel beams which would provide the frame for a wooden retaining wall. Ringen said that idea has potential but would cost around $400,000.

A third option calls for moving the road away from the river. That could cost as much as $700,000, he said.

Ringen will use the consultant's report as a basis for searching for state and federal grant funds which would cover the bulk of the construction cost.

The board and Ringen agreed to follow up on a Middle Valley resident's plea for help in dealing with erosion.

José Castillo said Skamokawa Creek is eroding into his property above the Peterson Road Bridge and threatening his well. It is already taking a chicken house and fruit trees, he said.

Ringen said that although the county road right of way isn't threatened, county officials could consult with the Wahkiakum Conservation District, which is conducting streambank restoration projects in the valley.

"He (Castillo) is in a real predicament," Ringen said.

"We need to talk to the conservation district as soon as possible," said Commissioner Lisa Marsyla.

Commissioners, Sheriff Jon Dearmore and Undersheriff Mark Howie discussed the sheriff's department's recent acquisition of two surplus US Army Humvees and a trailer.

Commissioner Lisa Marsyla said she was surprised to hear of the acquisition. The county budget has no line items for the maintenance or operation of the vehicles, she said.

Dearmore said he acquired the vehicle from a surplus program for emergency services. The county paid nothing for the vehicles, he said, other than the $400 subscription to the surplus program list.

The vehicles can handle very rough terrain, he added, and will be useful in weather related emergencies or in operations in rough country.

"We've looked for Humvees for some time," he said. "The department's responsibility is public safety, and we need tools for that. These Humvees are one heck of a deal."

He added that he anticipates being able to finance their operation through state funds for marijuana eradication, from donations, and from the sale of a house seized from a drug dealer.

"It was very frustrating for me," said Commissioner Lisa Marsyla. She told of seeing the vehicles headed down the highway toward Cathlamet, and she wondered where they were going. She later found out the county was the owner.

"There was no open discussion before they were dropped on our plate," she said.

"There are lots of things I do that I don't have time to confer with you," Dearmore responded to the three commissioners. "I apologize if you're not in the loop."

"I would like to know about major things like this," Marsyla said. "This is a major acquisition."

The board and Cathlamet Mayor George Wehrfritz discussed steps to take to get people to connect to the unused Boege Road sewer main.

The county helped finance construction of the main six years ago. The county was to be paid $3,000 for each connection to help cover its $350,000 contribution, but no one has connected.

Wehrfritz said the town has lowered its connection fee from $5,000 to $100 in an effort to get people to connect to the line.

Commissioners were reluctant to cut their connection fee, however. Last week board Chair Dan Cothren suggested lowering the rate to $500, but colleagues Marsyla and Blair Brady balked at that.

After discussing the situation, commissioners and Wehrfrtiz agreed to hold a public meeting to discuss the formation and operation of a local improvement district to construct sewer lines up Boege Road.

"We need to find some way to lower the rate," Cothren said. "Expansion will be up there. The vision is good."

The group agreed to hold a public meeting on the issue. Wehrfritz said he would try to get rough estimates on the costs of sewer main extensions, and Marsyla said she would try to have a speaker familiar with local improvement districts on hand to explain how they work.

The board reviewed an executive summary of an analysis of the county Health and Human Services Department and agreed to a contract extension with interim Director Sherri McDonald.

McDonald agreed to work part time as the department's director through the end of 2012 or until the county hires a new full-time director.