Council nearing end of 2020 budget work

A short-handed Cathlamet Town Council made their second vote of approval for their 2020 budgets in a special meeting Monday night.

Mayor Dale Jacobson was ill, so Council Member Ryan Smith presided as mayor pro tem. Also attending were Council Members Laurel Waller and David Olson.

According to a town ordinance, the council must vote three times on the budget; the council gave first approval Nov. 18.

The budget totals $6.2 million. Of that $2.3 goes to water system operations;$704,926 to sewer bond payment; $148,587 to water bond payment, $1.09 million for current expense, $147,300 for emergeny medical services and $678,210 for the current expense cumulative reserve.

The proposed budget includes a list of capital projects that would be funded through a combination of town funds and proceeds from the Real Estate Excise Tax (REET). These include the waterfront park town docks, Erickson Park, signs, and Strong Park. The funding totals $75,500 from REET, $32,000 from reserves and $5,166 from the general fund.

Council members elect Paige Lake and Bill Wainwright also attended the meeting and declined the offer from Town Attorney Fred Johnson to take their oaths of office. They'll do that at the council's regular monthly meeting Dec. 16 when the council will take final action on the budget.