Council authorizes fire sprinkler work, parking lot study

Members of the Cathlamet Town Council received a big check and handled a variety of business at the monthly meeting last Monday.

Kathy Murphy and Maureen Zacher Bockius of the Blanche Bradley Library Foundation presented a check for $50,000 as a contribution to improvements to the municipal library. The money had come from an anonymous donation and was dispersed now that the library has been refurbished.

In other business, council members authorized completion of two fire suppression sprinkler systems in two town buildings.

The first, for an estimated $3,500, will install sprinklers in the archive room of the refurbished town hall/library building.

Council Member Dick Swart said the installation somehow was omitted from the plans for the building and if not installed would leave the archive room the only room without sprinklers.

Fire Chief Fred Johnson said the project should be done, and the town should investigate the omission.

"I will try to be low key about what a big gap this is," Johnson said. "I strongly suggest you ask the architect why this was not put in."

"This isn't right; let's do a little bit of research about this," said Mayor Dale Jacobson.

Johnson said the job should be done and then the town could press for compensation, and the council agreed with that approach.

Council members also authorized talks with the Pioneer Community Association to complete the sprinkler system in the Pioneer Community Center, also known as the Pioneer Church.

The town owns the building and leases it to the association, which has been unable to meet its goal of financing the completion of the sprinkler system. Swart said he and Johnson would meet with the association to develop a specific proposal to bring the building into compliance.

"The town has a lot at stake; we're taking this seriously," he said.

He added that they have determined that the town could pay for the improvements because of its long term interest in maintaining the building.

Jennifer Johnson, president of the Pioneer association, thanked Swart and Council Member David Goodroe for their work on the issue.

"We're excited about the energy of the town and your willingness to do something," she said.

Council members also authorized a committee to investigate what would be needed to develop a vacant lot next to the Pioneer center into a parking lot.

Council Member Wally Wright reminded the council that his mother had donated money for the parking lot years ago. He suggested that it would be feasible to grade the lot, install drainage and cover it with gravel. If the lot isn't developed, Wright said he and his brother would ask for the return of the donated money.

The lot is subject to drainage from springs on the hill above it. Swart reminded the council that an estimate in 2006 totalled $350,000 for developing the lot and installing retaining walls to keep the hill stable.

In discussion, it was suggested that the lot not be lowered to the grade of the adjacent library parking lot but have a separate entrance and higher elevation that wouldn't require much excavation.

Jacobson, Wright and Public Works Supervisor Duncan Cruickshank were appointed to look into the possibilities.