Commissioners take care of business

The Wahkiakum County commissioners discussed and approved several items in under an hour Tuesday. The District 1 (Puget Island) planning commission vacancy was filled by a unanimous vote with Ruby Wargnier.

They also approved drafting an ordinance to prohibit unlicensed, unregistered or uninsured vehicles from parking within 10 feet of the fog line on county roads.

The commissioners approved the closure of the Wahkiakum ferry July 26-27 for work on the ramp on the Oregon side and bumpers and lights on the Washington side.

A 2-year agreement for recycling and solid waste management was approved with the Washington State Department of Ecology.

Finally, the commissioners approved, with the abstension of Dan Cotheren, the installation of a fish trap near the Hunting Islands for commercial and research purposes. The approval will start a 3-year study of the impact of modern fish traps for harvesting hatchery raised salmon.

Sheriff Mark Howie briefed the commissioners on his department's struggle to retain employees when other local departments have higher salaries than Wahkiakum county. Sheriff Howie said that departments in some other Washington counties offer 40,000 dollars more than Wahkiakum county pays. Compounding this is the decision to allow deputies to live outside the jurisdiction where they work.