Commissioners sign letter urging senators to oppose funding cut

When the Wahkiakum County commissioners met Tuesday, April 22, for their regular meeting, they were presented with requests to approve maintenance contracts for county properties. The landscape maintenance contract for the courthouse property with Forrest Mora Landscaping was approved for $5,405 annually. The landscaping contract for county properties with Zack’s Lawn and Property Maintenance was approved for $16,000 annually, a “good price,” according to commissioner Gene Strong. Building Inspector/Planner Dave Hicks presented the commissioners with a petition to name a private road off East Valley Road “Willow Drive.” The commissioners approved the petition. Commissioner Dan Cothren told his fellow commissioners that they need to broach the Junk Car Ordinance. “It's getting bad again,” Cothren said of the problems with vehicles being parked on county right-of-ways and left on the side of the road. The commissioners plan to schedule a workshop to discuss amending the ordinance. “Put some bite into it,” said Cothren.

During public comment, Jason Will of Puget Island brought to the commissioner’s attention the weed board manager had removed horsetail from the list of weeds needing to be controlled in the county. Describing some of the hazards of horsetail, Will said, “It affects the roadside, asphalt, our crop production, and it’s a noxious weed. It’s poisonous to cows; it eliminates vitamin E in their system, and it’s a silicate in their stomach.” The commissioners did not comment on Will’s concerns about the weed. In closing, Will left a gift of sorts. “I got two bits here (two quarters),” said Will, handing over the quarters. “I was hoping you could put that in the treasury for something.”

The Washington State Senate will soon vote on a proposal to cut $30 million from the Committed Salmon Recovery Funding statewide. $2 million of that amount would be cut from Wahkiakum County’s funding. The commissioners signed a letter drafted for Senators June Robinson, Chris Gildon, and Derek Stanford urging them to reconsider the proposal. The letter describes how the funding is currently “supporting projects that are either underway or scheduled to begin imminently.” The letter also highlights the negative impacts this cut would have on the county and that “canceling or suspending these projects midstream will not only jeopardize critical salmon habitat recovery efforts but also result in significant economic disruption throughout the region.”

Announcing an upcoming event, Delfine Criscenzo of Little Island Creamery said, “I want to remind and invite you, Saturday April 26 [from] 2 to 4 p.m.), [Little Island Creamery] is having a wonderful event where we are showing a film about the dangers of fires and then having a conversation with our fire departments in Cathlamet and Puget Island as well as the Emergency Preparedness Office.” Library Board Chair Dan Turner announced the Cathlamet Library’s first-ever Open Mic Night on Friday, April 25, at 6 p.m. at the Pioneer Community Center, and that the event is open to anyone and everyone. The Cathlamet Women’s Club will hold an emergency preparedness event in June, “to promote greater awareness of how to prepare for situations that may occur in our changing world,” according to their flyer. Rosalind Wilson asked the commissioners if it would be possible for the Women’s Club to receive some funding for help with advertising the event. The Commissioners approved up to $250 for the Women’s Club to use for advertising. Dan Turner pointed out that in 1931, the Cathlamet Women’s Club founded the first library and, in 1933, the Cathlamet Public Library was established thanks to the efforts of the Women’s Club.