Commissioners hear drainage proposal, OK Clear Creek culvert agreements

Wahkiakum County commissioners acted on issues ranging from road repairs to personnel evaluations at their meeting Tuesday.

Commissioners approved two engineering agreements for replacing a failing culvert at Clear Creek on the Elochoman Valley Road. The agreements are for services with consultants, Sargent Engineers, with funds coming from different sources for the two parts of the project.

One part is the design of a bridge to replace the culvert. The second is to design the new road alignment to connect with the bridge.

With Commissioner Blair Brady unable to attend the meeting, Commissioners Dan Cothren and Mike Backman voted to approve the agreement for the bridge.

However, when it came to the road alignment, Backman balked. Public Works Director Pete Ringen had explained that the county will have to purchase road right-of-way from some land owners, and they had agreements to do that. However, he said, one land owner had said he didn't want to lose any more property.

"A vote today might be premature for me," Backman said. "I don't want to take away anyone's property rights. I'd like to see the property. I have real strong feelings on property rights."

Ringen pointed out that they have agreements with the property owners on what will be done. He added that this project has been developing for years, and the funding has just come together. The board could make changes, he said, but he pointed out that he is retiring very soon.

"There won't be any changes on my part," he said. "I've delivered to this county a viable project with a funding package."

He added that the funding needs to be expended in 2016.

With assurance that the property owners had agreed to the scope of the project, Backman voted with Cothren to approve the agreement.

In other business, Commissioners and staff of Consolidated Diking District No. 2 on Puget Island asked that the county tighten subdivision rules to address drainage issues.

In the past, the diking district created a system of ditches for drainage. The ditches went to large farms, said Diking Commissioner Phil Vik. Now, those farms are being subdivided, and some lots aren't adjacent to ditches, which has caused some drainage problems.

Bill Faubion, attorney for the diking district, said the subdivision ordinance already contains drainage provisions, and it could be tweaked to make sure that all lots would have access to ditches.

Backman and Cothren were supportive of the idea. "Let's do it," Cothren said.

Commissioners met in executive session with Public Works Director Chuck Beyer to review applicants for the county engineer position that will become vacant when Ringen retires.

No action was taken when the board reconvened.