Commissioners Report

After a week off due to the five Tuesdays in April, the Wahkiakum County Commissioners met to address several county issues. Duncan Cruckshank from Health and Human Services asked the commissioners to declare May mental health awareness month. The commissioners approved and chair, Dan Cothren, read the proclamation aloud to the audience and Zoom participants. Carrie Backman of the Marine Resources Council asked permission to spend an extra $1,400 for transportation costs, including personnel to assist with field trips for students to study the marine environment and industries that depend on its stewardship.

Granite Construction won the bid for work on the Clear Creek reconnection project which will include removal of a culvert and the installation of a bridge. The project will require a one day closure of Elochoman Valley Road. The project will replace the culvert with a fifty-three foot bridge and improvements to the bank to improve fish habitat and to prevent erosion.

Forrest Mora’s landscaping contract for maintenance of the courthouse grounds was renewed and Hartman Landcaping was granted the contract for maintenance of six other county properties. Bushwacker’s LLC was granted the contract for roadside mowing which will cost the county $66,089.46. Chuck Beyer of Public Works said that they had decided not to go ahead with road striping this summer. After examining the county roads, Public Works felt that striping could be put off a year saving the county around $100,000.

Adam Vogt informed the commissioners of their options for designing a new logo for the county. After presenting several options, the commissioners decided to authorize Henderson Graphics to design a new logo for $1,000. Henderson is a former resident of Wahkiakum county.