Council has concerns with PUD, county pacts

Members of the Cathlamet Town Council took a cautious approach to affirming agreements at their Monday meeting, acting on some issues and deferring others to next month in order to better understand the issues.

First, the council affirmed an agreement with Wahkiakum PUD on how to share the remaining number of connections allowed to the town and Puget Island Water Systems.

The state Department of Health (DOH) has limited the number of connections to 35, saying those connections would place maximum sustainable demand on the town water system.

After discussion of the issue at the council's June meeting, Mayor Dale Jacobson had consulted with PUD General Manager David Tramblie, and the two agreed new connections could be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.

That basis wasn't popular with the council. Given the town's past history with the PUD, Council Member Bernadette Goodroe said, how do they know they'll have timely information from the PUD?

Others agreed, and after discussion, they voted to approve the agreement with an additional provision stating that the parties would revisit it when the water plant expansion is completed.

Affirmation of the agreement was needed for the DOH to approve the plans and designs to expand the water intake at the town water plant.

The plant draws water from a perforated line running under the Elochoman River, and the existing single line can't supply water fast enough to maintain necessary supply.

The town is planning to access another, unused line under the river; that should allow the plant to draw enough water for DOH to remove or raise the number of allowable connections to the system.

The council decided to delay action on a proposed amendment to its interlocal agreement with Wahkiakum County for use of county funds to assist in operation of the town swimming pool.

The parties had signed the agreement in June, but they subsequently noticed a mistake in a date, and the proposed amended agreement would have made the correction.

The agreement calls for the county to provide $50,000 for pool operations, but the county is requiring the town to match the funds. This is a change from past contracts and concerned some council members, who said they were unsure of why the terms had changed.

"I feel like we're being railroaded into this," said Council Member Bernadette Goodroe.

After more discussion, they agreed to ask Town Attorney Heidi Heywood to look into the issue and report in August.

In other business, the council discussed who would open and close restrooms in the community center after the end of the contract for the Americorps volunteer who has been managing the center for the past year.

The council discussed the possibility of electronic locks, and, because center programs have been sponsored by Wahkiakum County, they wondered it county employees such as sheriff's deputies might take on the task.

The council also heard a report that utility rates must be raised to cover expenses; they discussed the need to clean out a settling tank at the water plant; they approved purchase of new pressure reducing valves for installation in the water system, and they discussed how to improve street and parking issues in the Glengate development.