Council OK's vacation as mayor makes vote

With Mayor Dale Jacobson providing the deciding vote, the Cathlamet Town Council adopted an ordinance to vacate a portion of Beal Street to Port District 1.

Port officials requested the vacation of the undeveloped street last winter, saying they would use the property for economic development purposes. The vacation involves half of the street right-of-way between 2nd and 3rd streets, specifically, the half next to the River Mile 38 Brewery.

In consideration, the port will allow the town to use a lot across from town hall on 2nd Street unless the lot was needed for activities at the Elochoman Slough Marina.

The proposal drew opposition from the town planning commission. Before resigning from the commission, Jim Reed wrote in a letter June 6 to the council, mayor and staff questioning the value of the consideration and adding that the vacation is being done "in the absence of a general plan for the Town's right-of-ways, property adjacent to the Port and the sewage lagoon." His letter also documented confusing negotiations between the port and town in 2001 and 2002 about property in the marina area.

"All of these issues strike me, as a private citizen, we should perhaps look more closely at a property exchange or vacation or similar undertakings in light of the misunderstandings that have arisen from other agreements with various instrumentalities in the past," Reed wrote.

Planning Commissioner Richard Swart cited Reed's letter in asking the council to hold off on a decision to vacate the land until the matter could have more consideration.

Councilmember Wally Wright opposed the vacation. The undeveloped street can still be used by emergency services or by people evacuating the marina in an emergency, he said.

"My personal belief is that the port and brewery won't benefit and our emergency services will suffer," Wright said. "I think this is a very integral part of the road system. I'm vehemently against it."

With the exception of Andy Lea, a partner in the brewery, other councilmembers supported the vacation. David Goodroe moved to give the ordinance approval in its third and final reading, adn Bill Talbott seconded the motion. In voting, Goodroe and Talbott voted in favor, and Wright and Hannah Booth Watts voted against it. With Lea abstaining, Mayor Dale Jacobson cast the deciding vote in favor of the motion.

Jacobson owns property along the Beal Street right-of-way, but it's on the other end and wasn't affected by the vacation.

In other business, Councilmember Talbott announced he has sold his residence and will be moving away in September, so he will resign his seat on the council.