Plan in the works to fill old sewer lagoons

The Town of Cathlamet and Port District 1 have tentatively agreed to use the town's old sewer lagoons as a site for disposing of dredge spoils from the Elochoman Marina and Elochoman Slough.

The town has switched its sewer disposal system to its new plant, and the sediment has been cleaned out of the three lagoons.

Jim Maul and Josh Elliott, consulting engineers working with Port 1 to plan the dredging program, estimate there's enough material to completely fill one of the lagoons and much of the second.

The US Army Corps of Engineers has already analyzed the material and determined it meets cleanliness standards.

Port 1 Commissioner Scott Anderson said the port would like to have a formal agreement completed with the town soon so that the permitting process can proceed on track for dredging in 2016.

Town officials would like to have the lagoons filled for development of a waterfront park. Mayor Dale Jacobson and council members said the agreement could be signed at their January meeting.

In other business:

--The mayor and council presented awards of appreciation to retiring Council Members Wally Wright and Hannah Booth Watts. They also presented a posthumous award honoring the late Council Member David Goodroe to his widow, Bernadette Goodroe.

--Town Attorney Heidi Heywood issued the oath of office to newly elected Council Member Richard Swart and Ryan Smith.

--The council gave final approval to its 2016 budget. Clerk/Treasurer Tina Schubert said Public Works Director Duncan Cruickshank had made adjustments in the sewer funds to nullify a $71,000 deficit and balance the budget, which totals $4.8 million.

--Fire Chief Fred Johnson reported the department has added a paramedic and a member who is qualified in water rescue. Also, a member has graduated from emergency medical technician training.

"We have met with the mayor and gone over plans we've put together to address our response times," he said.

"There are no public safety issues here," Jacobson said. "The public is safe."

--The council discussed a recommendation from the town forester to remove some tall trees at Erickson Park. In the recent storm, a large limb from one had been blown 75 feet and nearly damaged a home near the park.

"What we have here is a safety issue," Jacobson said. "We're liable as a city. Unfortunately, the safest way to handle it is to cut them down.

"Yes, we will be hassled (by people wanting to preserve the trees); no, we don't want to get sued."

After discussion, the council, by consensus, authorized the mayor to proceed after consultations with the forester and the legal section of the Association of Washington Cities.