Commission breezes through agenda

Wahkiakum County's board of commissioners had a light agenda and no public comment and so flew through their business meeting Tuesday, covering issues ranging from parks in Cathlamet to beach nourishment on Puget Island.

Commissioners voted to sign letters of support for Town of Cathlamet applications for grants to support development of a waterfront park and to add improvements to the skate park facilities at Erickson Park.

The board approved a call for bids to pave a portion of the Elochoman Valley Road roughly from the Crown Camp Road intersection eastward to milepost 6.3.

The board also voted to accept a grant of $84,000 from the Washington Department of Ecology to conduct a periodic review of the county's Shoreline Master Program.

The board approved amendments to professional service agreements with Community Integrated Health Services to provide counseling and supervisory staff for youth mental health services.

County Department of Health and Human Services staff member Duncan Cruickshank commented that the department would hire personnel for the positions, "but we can't find someone to hire."

Commissioner Dan Cothren reported he and some Puget Island residents met with US Army Corps of Engineers staff to discuss how to place dredge spoils along eroding shorelines just upstream from the ferry landing.

Corps staff said in an email to Cothren that " our team will be looking at the MOA [memorandum of understanding with the county--ed.] to determine what, if any, steps are necessary to modify and try to also anticipate any potential costs associated."

"There are some options out there," Cothren commented.

Another meeting is planned for May to continue discussion.