Town of Cathlamet secures new offices

The Town of Cathlamet’s offices are moving to the Scarborough Building, possibly as early as the end of January.

The Cathlamet Town Council voted quickly and unanimously at their meeting on Monday night to authorize Mayor David Olson to sign a five year, $1,250/month lease agreement with David Nelson, who owns the property.

Town Clerk Sarah Clark and the new Clerk Assistant/Project Manager Annie Watters met with Nelson recently to discuss the lease. Nelson agreed to install HVAC before June, they said, and according to Watters, they also have license to make any improvements they want.

“Ironically, we won’t be paying our water and sewer,” Town Council Member Jeanne Hendrickson noted. The lease covers those two items as well as garbage.

Clark believes there will be room to hold council meetings.

“It would be enormously convenient to have all the administrative information available at your fingers’ ends,” Olson said. “I certainly would endorse it, if it is possible to accommodate it.”

Clark requested up to $75,000 to cover the relocation and renovation of the new space. They hope to add three interior walls, two interior doors, one interior window, install a secure dropbox, retrofit LED lights to replace outdated fixtures, repaint, and replace the carpet, tint windows for privacy and energy efficiency, and move all of the office furniture with the funds.

The council authorized the mayor to award the town hall renovation and relocation bid to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, not to exceed $75,000.

“This is very public spirited,” Olson said of Nelson.