Commissioners hear clinic report, agree to advertise

Wahkiakum County commissioners handled a variety of business when they met Tuesday, including:

--Dian Cooper, executive director of the Cowlitz Family Health Center, reported that the center is recruiting for new providers for the Cathlamet clinic. Two nurse practitioners have left this year because of family reasons, and the clinic is now staffed by temporary practitioners while recruiting occurs. The clinic is running in the black, she added.

--Public Works Director Pete Ringen reported that a memorandum of understanding with the Corps of Engineers that would lead to a dredge spoils disposal on Puget Island as been in the office of the Corps attorney for nearly six weeks. Commissioners said they would seek aid from federal representatives for getting the document moving.

--Commissioners discussed job descriptions for personnel to replace Ringen who will retire this fall. The board agreed to advertise for an engineer and a building inspector, either full or part time, who would work under Building and Planning Director Chuck Beyer, who will become Public Works Director.

--Commissioner Dan Cothren, who had spent the morning in Olympia at the meeting of the state Board of Natural Resources, said the Department of Natural Resources has proposed raising the department's commission on the harvest of county trust timber from 25 to 30 percent.

"I was blindsided," Cothren said. "If they do, I'll contact our legislators for a bill to get us out of DNR management.

"It's unacceptable," Brady said of the 30 percent figure."