Council declares vacancy, adopts 2023 budget

Cathlamet town council members will be looking for an additional member to join their ranks in 2023.

At their December 19 meeting, the council declared a vacancy in Council Position #3, formerly held by CeCelia Raglin. The action was taken in accordance with municipal code after a council member misses three consecutive meetings without requesting excused absences. Council members present at the meeting expressed gratitude for Raglin’s service. Information about the process for filling of the vacancy is forthcoming.

In other business, the council adopted a 2023 budget, declared a finding of adequacy for the town’s Shoreline Management Plan and passed an ordinance adopting standards for subdividing land into short plats.

The short plat ordinance had been discussed at the December 5 council meeting but was tabled for review at that time. Adoption of a policy was spurred by pending applications. Wahkiakum County’s Building and Planning Department will administer the application process, which is nearly identical to the county ordinance.

State law requires a formal periodic review of Shoreline Management Plans. Town staff worked with Department of Ecology staff in the process, and council members discussed the plan during August, September, and November meetings. The town’s plan underwent a comprehensive update in 2019.

Council members voted to grant Wahkiakum West a right-of-way permit to expand their fiber-optic network along Messenger Hill Road. The work is tentatively scheduled to occur from January 23 to February 9.

The council discussed a draft inclement weather policy and will revisit it in January. The policy includes a list of priorities to guide the town public works department’s efforts during such events.

Mayor David Olson reported parking space striping is complete in the Butler Street parking lot, and people are welcome to use the lot. A second phase of the work will commence in the spring.

Recounting his recent travel to Sweden for his daughter’s wedding, Olson shared a tongue-in-cheek business idea with the council: a mobile sauna to operate out of Elochoman Slough Marina. He had observed such a vessel navigating Stockholm’s waters, with sauna-goers onboard.