Council approves water plant work

Cathlamet's town council approved a call for bids for expansion of the water plant intakes and acted on other business at their monthly meeting on Monday.

The goal of the water project is to locate an unused line under the Elochoman River which would increase the water plant capacity. The state Department of Health is threatening to restrict the number of new connections to the town and Puget Island water systems unless the town expands water intake capacity.

Consulting engineer John Hinton said the project should cost around $5,000 and is fairly simple--locating the old intake and connecting it to the existing plant. Because of the low cost, Hinton said, he can ask for bids from contractors on the town's small works roster, a process much faster than publishing the call for bids.

He hopes to have construction underway later this summer when contractors can work near or in the river.

John Collier, a member of the town planning commission, presented a proposed schedule for updating the town's 2002 comprehensive plan. Work will start soon with the formation of a steering committee, which will review the present plan, evaluate changes in law and the physical layout of the town, and work to update the plan.

Collier said the planning will include areas outside the city limits but in close proximity to the town, such as areas served by the town's sewer system.

Public Works Director Duncan Cruickshank said the municipal pool had opened after a lot of hard work by department staff. Besides lining the pool, they had to repair or replace an auger, shower heating systems, a chlorinator stop valve and gaskets in the solar heating system. They also replaced flooring and installed new floor drains.

"This is a partial list," he said.

Council Member Dick Swart recommended the council approve a draft interlocal agreement with Wahkiakum County for use of county funds. The county has changed the agreement from previous terms; there is a $50,000 allocation instead of $70,000, and the town must match the county funds.

Council members agreed to table action on the agreement until July when they'd have a finished copy of the agreement.

The council declined to approve a request from Don Wages to vacate an undeveloped street by his house. He has started construction on an expansion and learned that the construction was on the town right-of-way and requested the undeveloped street be vacated.

Council members, however, were unwilling to vacate a street. They suggested consideration of a variance, and Fire Chief Fred Johnson, a former town attorney, said the town could issue an encroachment permit.

Council members will study their options and act at a future meeting.

Sheriff Mark Howie presented a report of department call for service statistics.

Calls for service total around 3,000 a year, 3,255 in 2015, 3,470 in 2014, 2,940 in 2013 and 2,761 in 2012.

The department lost data in a computer server error in 2015, Howie said, so the actual number of calls was higher than listed in the report.

The average number of calls for service from Cathlamet is 22 percent

Calls for service from inside Cathlamet average 22 percent of the total calls over the past five years, Howie said.

Calls for Cathlamet Fire Department ambulance service have declined from a high of 263 in 2013 to 198 in 2015. Fire service calls declined from a high of 217 in 2013 to 173 in 2015.

The number of calls for response to mental health issues or potential suicides has been increasing since 2008. They totalled 56 in 2015.

"With 38 calls so far in 2016, we're on track to top 2015's total," Howie said.

The department handles about 40 domestic assaults per year, and 20-25 other assaults per year, but the 2015 total was just 16.

Howie commented that funding for programs to treat DV perpetrators has dried up and those programs are necessary to keep perpetrators from offending again.

The numbers of burglaries and thefts have declined since 2012 to 49 burglaries and 75 thefts in 2015, down from 51 burglaries and 113 thefts in 2012.

"The numbers are down because we put away four heavy duty juvenile burglars," Howie said.

The council voted to contract with a Spokane company for bookkeeping software at a total cost of $17,200 for the year.

The service will provide a broad scope of financial services, including assistance during audits. The town already contracts for a payroll program.

Officials expressed resignation about town finances for account balances had become muddled during the past year.

Kerrie McNally has been promoted to interim clerk/treasurer; she said she is working hard to reconcile accounts so that the different departments have accurate budget positions.