TOWN OF CATHLAMET, WASHINGTON

P.O. BOX 68

CATHLAMET, WA 98612

January  2008

 

 

To the Honorable Council and People of the Town of Cathlamet

 

I herewith present my January 2008 State of the Town Report, summarizing accomplishments in 2007 and issues facing the Town in 2008 and beyond.  This Report will be presented to the Council and the media on Tuesday, January 22, 2008, and posted on the Town’s web site (www.townofcathlamet.com) thereafter.  Paper copies may be viewed free or purchased at the Town Hall office during normal business hours.

 

I.          2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

 

Much of the work accomplished in 2007 reflected plans, dreams, and hopes of current and prior leaders and community groups going back from present times.  The glacial pace of finding money for projects, obtaining public acceptance, and getting tasks done has been a reality elected officials face – despite the accelerating meltdown of real-world glaciers.  Citizens and visitors have often asked me what the Town has done lately.  I tell them two things.  We have made improvements to our infrastructure and processes that will support the Town’s operations, and we have made investments that will support managed economic development.   We ended the year with a modest ending balance. These accomplishments will help maintain our enviable quality of life.  There’s quite a list.  The highlights are contained in Attachment 1 to this Report.

 

II.        GOALS FOR 2008

 

It is time for straight financial talk.  Most economic indicators point to challenging times ahead.  Rising interest rates and inflation are driving up the costs of the Town’s ongoing operations and improvement projects.  The popular 1% cap on property tax increases has already been overtaken.  Some residential growth in Town limits is positive, but - unlike business and industrial expansion - residential expansion does not provide a long-term net revenue gain over increased utility operations and replacement costs.  Annexing adjacent territory has some potential to grow the Town’s financial base, depending on how it is done.   But, it has been a zero-sum political football that has proved unfruitful to date.  The Town’s financial revenue base is essentially flat, except for the Business and Occupations tax.  That has been the Town’s salvation recently, so we need to do what we can to support business and economic development. 

 

The Town faces multi-million-dollar costs over the next eight years.  Financing must be found to design and build a new waste water treatment plant, and make necessary repairs and improvements to our drinking water system.  There isn’t enough tax revenue in the county - let alone the Town - to pay for it all.  “Outside” money has to be obtained.

 

 

The Town has leveraged state and federal grants to upgrade our infrastructure in the past three years.  The Town’s leverage mainly came from its timber reserve funds.  The Town cannot prudently continue spending from reserves.  We need to find ways to build up our reserves.  There will be plenty of temptation to keep spending down when we should be saving.  Federal block grants,  Clean Water Act, and other federal dollars have dwindled in the face of natural disasters and the war effort.  The State of Washington’s grants have

tightened amid bipartisan pressure to conserve for the coming rainy days.  Financial support from Wahkiakum County has flown away with the spotted owls as costs rise, timber revenues decline, and taxpayers expect more from less. 

 

If business development is the key to the Town’s long-term financial success, then the private sector must be encouraged to develop and benefit from the Town’s public investment.  Strategically, that means that the Town and the private sector should work together to build a plan that will survive the impending down side of the economic cycle.  That plan must assure that developers pay a fair share of the costs that their developments impose on the community.

 

Our efforts will have to be acceptable to the people, make sense to businesspeople, and comply with the law.   For 2008, I am recommending that the Council pursue the goals listed in Attachment 2 of this Report.

 

Cathlamet faces a year of transition and adjustment on many fronts.  I call upon the people and leaders of our Town, and of the larger community, to keep informed, come to meetings, and share their thoughts on how to cherish what’s right and move forward.

 

                       

   

Respectfully Submitted,

 

_____________________________

Richard A. Swart, Mayor

 

Attachments: 1 - 2007 Accomplishments

                        2 - 2008 Goals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

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ATTACHMENT 1            

 

 MAYOR’S 2008 STATE OF THE TOWN OF CATHLAMET REPORT

 

            A.  Public Works

 

1.   Broadway Improvement Project::  We transformed a primitive street to a paved, curbed, sidewalked, well-lighted pedestrian and vehicle link between Downtown and the Town’s Dock on the Columbia River.  New water lines, fire mains, storm and sewer lines, were built and upgraded to meet expected future business development.  In partnership with the PUD and other utility districts, power lines and communications cables were upgraded and routed underground to meet future growth and greatly improve aesthetics.  A new street light model was selected that will provide a unifying pattern for Downtown.

 

2.   New Waste Water Treatment Site Procurement ($184,500 Town        reserves):  We partnered with the Wahkiakum School District to select and purchase a 4.7 acre parcel for the Town’s future sewer plant that will meet current needs and provide for future expansion to meet future anticipated needs.  The Town can now look ahead to obtain grants and other funds to do preliminary engineering design work and begin the Town’s WWTP Facility Plan Amendment and permit applications to the state.

 

3.   Repairs to the Existing Waste Water Treatment Plant:  We completed planned repairs, equipment upgrades, lift station rebuilds, sewer line upgrades, and mandated safety improvements designed to keep the Town’s treatment facility in compliance for the coming years needed to design, finance and build the New WWTP.

 

4.   Repair and Rehabilitation of the Greenwood Water Tank: We addressed decades of deferred maintenance by thoroughly cleaning, inspecting, rebuilding, testing, and resurfacing the interior and exterior of this key water storage and pumping facility.  Modern paints were applied and procedures adopted that will facilitate timely preventive maintenance work.  We also developed and implemented procedures to maintain fire fighting water and customer water flow with half of the Town’s water storage capacity off-line for repairs.

 

5.   Application of modern technology to water and waste water planning and operations:  We overcame areas of weakness in capturing and analyzing data that are needed to measure flow, detect leaks, and anticipate needs for repairs, equipment replacement, and staff assignments.  With the partnership of  Evergreen Rural Water of Washington and other professional organizations, we purchased new computer gear and instrumentation, and trained staff to use it.

 

6.   Successful continuity of water and sewer treatment operations during the December 2-6, 2007 storm disaster event (costs still being calculated):  We used information learned from the 2005-2006 storms to be better prepared, work closely with the PUD’s Puget Island water program, and apply new techniques to keep the drinking water safe and (with voluntary conservation measures) available to drink and in readiness for fire fighting use.  Public Works staff met a new goal to participate in the county’s Incident Command System throughout the storm disaster event.  This experience allowed us to  start strengthening electronic communications when more severe, long-lasting disaster events occur.  We used that in the December 2007 windstorm disaster.

 

B.      Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services

 

           1.     The CFD’s new Fire Hall was completed and put into operation in

       September 2007 through the generosity of Chief Jerry DeBriae and Mrs. Linda DeBriae ($1 million, private gift).  USDA Grant funds paid for an SCBA air compressor, equipment storage and ready racks, and related gear.  Private donations funded furniture, appliances, training materials and equipment, first aid gear, and safety items.  This completes a major, long-range public safety goal of the Town of Cathlamet.  The building’s training and meeting facilities feature up to date audio-visual features.  The Council, by ordinance, adopted the Fire Hall meeting room as the new official site of future Council meetings.

 

              2.       A brand new EMS Ambulance was delivered and placed in service to

relieve an older unit.  Capable of providing on-board urgent treatment and life-sustaining care during patient transport, the new ambulance increases the EMS Division’s readiness to serve when called.

 

             3.        The decades-old emergency siren atop Town Hall was placed on a

modified operational protocol, following citizen petitions and considerable community controversy pro and con.  The siren now sounds 24-7 for any actual fire call sounded by the Sheriff’s Dispatch office, and on any second tone-out for an EMS call not responded to after the first tone-out.  This compromise partially addresses citizen objections about frequent loud siren sounds for administrative and non-emergency transport calls, and EMS volunteers’ concerns that response times to some actual emergency calls may be adversely affected.   A consultant has been engaged to look at county public safety electronic communications issues.  The results of that study will be made available to the Town later in 2008.  The Council will       take the study into account when reviewing the current compromise         protocol.

 

C.        Administrative Operations

 

1.    The Town has engaged an experienced governmental finance and accounting specialist to assist in achieving proper reviews and oversight of complex, state-mandated accounting processes.  Increased professional skills are necessary due to changes in the Town’s computerized  budgeting and utility management software, and to consolidation of certain reserved accounts recommended by the state in the 2004-2005 Audit.  This highly specialized work will continue into 2008.

 

2.    New computer hardware was purchased in 2007 to replace old and

       failing PCs, printers, and peripheral equipment.  An information technology specialist was engaged to train the staff in setting up custom files, transferring various applications to the new hardware, setting up and maintaining web sties, and other skills needed to adapt current operations to new equipment.

 

3.    A quiet fiscal work station was created by converting under-used kitchen and storage space.  The 2004-2005 Audit attributed some accounting concerns to the very crowded and noisy work space shared by two staff, the Mayor, and members of the public visiting the office on business.  The intended benefit is reduced interruptions and distractions to the Clerk-Treasurer in reviewing transactions and preparing reports. A number of other small towns with limited facilities  have found this     sort of improvement to be useful.

 

4.  The Town’s Web Site continues to develop.  An increasing number of “hits” – coupled with public feedback – indicate that the site is being used as a informative resource showing the Town’s goals, projects, potential, and people.

 

B.       Other Accomplishments

 

1.    Renovation of the Town Hall and Library building has become a priority now that the Cathlamet Fire Department and EMS Division have moved to the new Fire Hall.  An architect has been engaged to conduct an architectural and engineering assessment of the 1937 building to determine the technical and economic feasibility of renovating it.  A focus group identified key issues, desired features, concerns, and questions about renovations.  This was followed by a town-hall style meeting to solicit public input and wishes for services and facility features.   This input has been delivered to the architect, who is expected to conduct the study in Spring 2008.  The architect’s recommendations will be provided the Council, so they can  make decisions about how to proceed with and finance the project.

 

1.   Property adjacent to Town Hall has been purchased for future

construction of additional parking spaces and a small park feature commemorating Sally’s Spring and related Native American heritage.  Financed by a grant from the Wahkiakum Community Foundation, a loan from the USDA Rural Development Program, a private donation by Mrs. Effie Wright, and matching funds from Town reserves, this project will address parking concerns.  The 2005 Rural Counties Needs Assessment and the Town’s 2002 Comprehensive Plan (updated in 2007) have identified increased parking space as the top priority task to help increase downtown   shopping and business growth.

 

2.   A partnership was formed with local educators, foresters,

recreation advocates and citizens to renovate Erickson Park.

Storm damage to old trees in 2005, 2006, and 2007 has put the safety and viability of the park into question.  The team drafted a two-year plan to study the options, secure public input and acceptance, gain political support, and do the work.   Key decisions about going ahead and seeking funds will be made in the Spring of 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATTACHMENT 2

 

MAYOR’S 2008 STATE OF THE TOWN OF CATHLAMET REPORT

 

A.  Promote Managed Growth and Sustainable Economic Development

 

      1.    Work with the Lower Columbia Economic Development   Council to seek funding for a consultant to design a joint   public - private sector development process to promote business and help finance public improvement projects.   

 

2.   With Wahkiakum County and other stakeholders, create a policy requiring developers pay a fair share of the costs that their developments place on the community utilities, roads, schools, public safety, and other public services.

 

3.    Initiate efforts to involve the public in finding a widely   acceptable approach to developing the Cathlamet waterfront.

           

    4.     Removal of the structure and vegetation at 135 Columbia Street in building a parking lot and park feature in 2009 .

 

                            5.     Seek state assistance for paving projects in 2009 and beyond.

 

           B.         Promote Public Health and Safety

 

    1.     Seek funding for and State approval of the New WWTP preliminary design and permits..

 

    2.     Seek public input on final 2008-2014 Town Water Plan and submit the Plan to the State Department of Health.

 

    3.     Closely monitor the impact of changes at the Wahkiakum Family Practice Clinic on the Town’s EMS Division’s costs and staffing, and advise the County and the public if and when operational and budgetary changes are indicated.

 

    4.     Continue to implement Fire Department and EMS recruitment, training, and capital replacement objectives.

 

    5.     Increase emergency and disaster preparedness by cooperating

            with the County’s electronic communications study and participating in implementing improvements.           

 

           

 

C.        Improve and protect our quality of life:

 

1.         Implement the Town Hall/Library Renovation assessment    Process, and proceed with the public-acceptance and political support phases.  Seek grant funds to pay for this work.           

 

2.         Secure public support and financing for implementing a two-year plan to renovate Erickson Park

 

3.         Work on Public Works’ list of maintenance projects deferred by past storm events and fiscal constraints.

 

    D.    Improve Town Governmental Economy and Efficiency

 

1.         Complete all preparations for the 2006-2007 State Audit.

 

2.         Examine the decades-old accumulation of public documents and records in the Town Hall attic, and process them as required by the State Public Records Act.

 

3.         Analyze savings and economies achieved with the new water meter reading system.

 

4.         Develop a plan to meet new Water Use efficiency regulations.

 

5.         Identify policy changes, ordinances, or administrative procedures requiring attention in 2008.