Council considers water pact, street vacation and more

Members of the Cathlamet Town Council covered a lot of ground when they met Tuesday.

Council members heard an update on water contract negotiations with Wahkiakum PUD; they acted on road and drainage issues; they tabled action on a pit bull ordinance, and they reviewed results of their 2014 logging program.

Negotiations for updates to the contract with Wahkiakum PUD to provide water for the Puget Island Water System are going well, Council Member David Goodroe said.

A final agreement is nearly ready for approval, Goodroe said. After discussing the issue with council members, Goodroe passed written documents to Town Attorney Heidi Heywood for review.

"We'll have an action item on the next agenda," he said.

Council members took no action on a request from representatives of Port District 1 to vacate a portion of Beal Street at the Elochoman Slough Marina.

The property in question lies between 2nd and 3rd streets. At one end it lies between a dental office and the residence of Mayor Dale Jacobson, and at the other end, it passes through port district land near the Drop Anchor Brewery. Under a vacation, the property would be split among the neighboring property owners.

Port Commissioner Bob Kizzar said the port district would use the land for economic development purposes. Utility lines run through it, and Drop Anchor could expand its patio area.

"It would be good for the community," Kizziar said.

Council members asked questions about use of the property.

"We need to ponder this," Goodroe said. "I think at this point, we need to step back and look at this."

The council discussed the town ordinance banning pit bull dogs from inside the city limits and decided to study other town and county animal control ordinances to see how they could be updated.

Heywood said there had been some requests for enforcement, and the ordinance left questions about what could be done.

The ordinance was written in 1990 following a pit bull attack on a woman in town, Goodroe said. It was directed specifically against pit bulls. He and other council members said they were uncomfortable with an ordinance that focused on one breed.

Heywood discussed the county's dangerous dog ordinance, which was written after the pit bull ordinance. She also pointed out that the town's ordinance calls for enforcement by the town marshal, a position that no longer exists.

Council members agreed they wanted to compare ordinances and see what should be updated.

In the report of the financial committee, Goodroe and Clerk/Treasurer Tina Schubert said the season of logging town timber had gone well and boosted town reserves.

A final report isn't ready, they said, but, with a favorable market, the logging of 85 acres yielded $831,000, well over the original estimate of $739,000.

With that addition to the reserves, the council could hold off on logging planned for this year, Goodroe said.

"We're in real good shape," he said.

Council Member Wally Wright stepped away from the council and asked that something be done to control water running off South Second Street.

In heavy rainfall events, the water is coming off the street, undermining the sidewalk and saturating the ground and causing leaks in basements of rental houses he owns there.

He said he could spend $2,000 to control the runoff, but perhaps the council would include it in street projects.

Public Works Director Duncan Cruickshank said South Second isn't on the town's Six Year Street Improvement Program. However, he added that the public works crew is planning some repairs on other streets, and this could be added to the list for a temporary fix.

However, he warned the council, the move could open a Pandora's Box of other requests.

The council discussed the issue further, and with Wright abstaining, voted to include the project in the planned repairs.