County Commissioners Report

Wahkiakum County Commissioners held their last regular meeting before the Christmas break Tuesday. After weeks of work they approved the county budget for 2024 which included a one percent property tax increase. Increases in the county general fund levy, the county road levy, and the EMS levy would generate an estimated $15,604 for the county, not including new construction.

The Sheriff's Department put forth a resolution and the Commissioners approved a declaration of emergency due to the flooding in the Westend last week. If the state of Washington agrees, the county could get some assistance in repairing county property damaged in the flooding.

Carrie Backman, representing the Washington State Extension service, asked the commissioners to approve the contract with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to fund the Marine Resources Committee. The commissioners agreed that the program which provides money for infrastructure projects, community education and marine safety was a worthy investment.

Finally, a representative from charter communication asked for, and was granted a letter of recommendation for their project to bring high speed internet to the county by laying a cable from Oregon to the public beach access on East Sunny Sands road. Charter communications has been installing fibre optics in the county already but their current lines do not have the capacity to extend high speed internet to Puget Island, or to provide for future growth. The link from the Oregon side will give what the representative characterized as "top of the line" internet to the island and beyond.