Commissioners fill diking district vacancy

In a meeting that lasted just over 10 minutes, Wahkiakum County commissioners appointed Puget Island resident Mark Hoover to fill a vacancy on the board of commissioners of Diking District No. 1.

Besides that, they approved previous meeting minutes, discussed legislation that could affect the county, and heard very brief reports from two departments.

Hoover joins Tony Aegerter and Kevin Vik as members of the three-person board responsible for maintaining the Island's dikes, pump stations and drainage ditches.

Aegerter reported the US Army Corps of Engineers had requested an inspection by camera of the culverts in the tidegates because of their age, which is around 45 years.

A collapsed culvert could not only impact drainage but also cause a roadway cave-in.

Commissioner Lee Tischer reported on two legislative issues. First, he said many amendments have been made to a bill that would use state managed timber trust land for carbon sequestration credits. County officials have been concerned that the program would decrease timber revenue from harvest on county trust land.

"I'm feeling a lot better about that," he said.

Second, a Senate committee would hear testimony about legislation that would increase funding for the county ferry later on Tuesday. Tischer said he had submitted written testimony but wouldn't phone in because he wasn't feeling well. Commissioner Gene Strong said he would call to give testimony.

In brief comments, Treasurer Tammy Peterson said property tax statements had been mailed last week and people were starting to call the department about them, and Undersheriff Gary Howell reported painters were finishing work in the Courthouse Annex basement, which will be new offices for the sheriff's department.