TOWN OF CATHLAMET

October 15, 2007

COUNCIL MEETING

DRAFT

CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Pro-tem Danielle Erickson

The regular council meeting for the Town of Cathlamet was called to order by Mayor Pro Tem Danielle Erickson at 7:00 P.M. Monday October 15, 2007.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ROLL CALL – Clerk Treasurer Virginia Welker

Those Council members present were David Goodroe, John Hannah, William Talbott, Walter Wright and Danielle Erickson. Others present were Clerk/Treasurer Virginia Welker, Town Attorney William Faubion, Wahkiakum Eagle reporter Rick Nelson, and several citizens

PUBLIC HEARINGS

The Public Hearing on the Preliminary 2008 Budget was opened at 7:02 p.m. With no comments from the public the hearing was closed at 7:02 p.m. Council member Goodroe said that the budget does balance at this point but that there are several items that need to be added.

PROCLAMATIONS and PRESENTATIONS

ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA

Council Member John Hannah requested that there be a New Business item added as “Council Meeting location”.

Motion to approve the Agenda as amended was made by David Goodroe and seconded by John Hannah. Motion carried 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstentions.

CITIZEN’S PARTICIPATION

VOUCHER REVIEW COMMITTEE

Motion to approve the Vouchers was made by David Goodroe and seconded by Walter Wright. Motion carried 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstentions.

The Voucher Review Committee for the November 19, 2007 meeting consists of John Hannah and Danielle Erickson. Walter Wright will be the alternate.

CONSENT AGENDA

Council Member Walter Wright requested that the Minutes of the September 17, 2007 Council meeting be amended to reflect that the statement by Mr. Beau Renfro indicating that the Fire Dept. had agreed to spend $37,000.00 to do a study on the effectiveness of radios in the County should note that the $37,000.00 was a loan from the Fire Chiefs Association in cooperation with the Sheriff Department. Council Member Wright also said that on page 4 of the Minutes he was incorrectly identified as an Assistant Fire Chief rather than his correct title of Captain.

David Goodroe made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as amended, second by William Talbott. The consent agenda consists of the Minutes of September 17, 2007 regular Meeting, September 24, 2007 Special Meeting, Vouchers for September and Treasurer’s report for September 2007. Motion carried Yes 5, No 0, Abstentions 0.

ORDINANCES

RESOLUTIONS

PUBLIC COMMENT

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Fire Dept. Captain Mike Wright told the Council that due to other commitments, the committee formed to discuss possible compromises regarding the shut down of the Fire Dept. siren they did not meet. Committee member Gene Witham told the Council that he had spoken with Committee member Carl Backman who stills feels very strongly about the need to look for new technology to solve the siren problem. Mr. Witham said that he felt the letters to the Editor in the newspaper implied that the people who signed the original petition to shut off the siren are anti-Fire Dept. volunteers. Mr. Witham said that this is not true and that he strongly supports the volunteers. Assistant Fire Chief and Town Attorney William Faubion said that Assistant Fire Chief Fred Johnson could not be in attendance at tonight’s meeting, but wanted the Council to know that his understanding of the committee was that they are still gathering information and that there would be a meeting scheduled sometime in the near future. Assistant Fire Chief Walter Wright said that as a personal observation he does not believe that the Fire Dept. takes it as a personal affront against itself to do the siren investigation and that some individual members have taken the initiative to investigate the situation and that just because there has been no formal meeting does not mean that there has been no progress. Council Member Wright then presented petitions from 688 people requesting that the siren be turned back on while a compromise is determined. It was noted by Council Member William Talbot that there are only 343 registered voters in the Town of Cathlamet. Council Member Wright said that not all of the signatures are from town residents but that they are all concerned citizens who either live or work in Wahkiakum County. Council Member Walter Wright moved that the siren be reactivated until a solution that is compatible to the majority be reached so as not to delay the response time. Seconded by John Hannah. Council Member David Goodroe said that he felt it was not in the best interest of the citizens of the town who presented the original petition to turn the siren back on until a solution is determined. Mr. Goodroe said that he understands that there are problems with the radios but that the pagers are functioning. Council Member and Fire Dept. member John Hannah stressed that he feels that the siren is more important than the nuisance that the neighbors feel and that the pagers are unreliable. Council Member Goodroe said that he understands the tradition of the siren and the former need for it but that he believes there should be a more acceptable solution rather than what he feels is an “all-or-nothing” proposal from the Fire Dept. Goodroe said that he has been told by several members of the Fire Dept. that they do not feel that the siren should be on during the night and be used for non-emergency situations, but that there is no vehicle in the Sheriff’s Dept. to discriminate. Council Member Goodroe said that this is not the motion on the table and that he is not an “all–or-nothing” opponent to the siren. Mr. Goodroe said that there are funds available for alternative solutions to the problem. Council Member Hannah said that he feels that turning the siren back on is the best purpose at this time. Council Member Walter Wright expressed his disappointment at Council Member Goodroe because at the last meeting Mr. Wright asked Mr. Goodroe if he would reconsider his decision to vote for silencing the siren if Mr. Wright could obtain 500 signatures on a petition to turn the siren back on. Council Member Wright said that he felt betrayed by Council Member Goodroe. Council Member Goodroe said that he made no promises to Mr. Wright but had said that he would consider revisiting the subject. Council Member Wright said that the motion does not state that the siren be kept on until “hell freezes over” and that he feels that Goodroe is endangering the lives of his constituents by not voting to allow the siren to be turned back on. Council Member Goodroe said that he strongly resented Mr. Wright’s statement. Council member William Talbott said that it was the Town of Cathlamet that shut off the siren and that he did not feel that residents outside of town should be considered on the petition presented by Wright. Motion failed 2 Yes, 3 No, 0 Abstentions. Council Members Walter Wright and John Hannah cast the “Yes” votes.

Citizen Dean Snyder again approached the Council with his dissatisfaction with how a contractor for the Town had left the Town’s property adjacent to his in an unsatisfactory condition. Mr. Snyder said that he has sprayed noxious weeds and generally taken care of the Town property for many years. Neighbor Gene Witham said that he had seen the cracks in the clay that was left on the ground and that he feels it could become a problem if left as is. Council Member David Goodroe asked Mr. Snyder to provide the Council with a potential solution including possible costs rather than just the complaints so that the Council may consider action. Mr. Witham said that it would be possible to get a “Bobcat” in to the area to deliver topsoil which could be seeded and provide more stability to the area. Mr. Witham said that he did not feel it was a huge problem and that he would be happy to throw some grass seeds on it once the topsoil was in place.

NEW BUSINESS

Sheriff Dan Bardsley gave a report to the Council on law enforcement activities within the town limits for the last quarter of the year. Sheriff Bardsley provided copies of dispatch logs to the Council that contained information of the type of calls that came in. The Sheriff introduced Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jerry Wetle to the Council who then spoke on the drug enforcement efforts being conducted by multiple counties. Mr. Wetle said that he is pleased to have had the opportunity to come to the area and work with such a “high energy” group. Mr. Wetle noted that the county had recently held domestic violence training and that the Drug Task Force is working to help reduce drug use in the county.

Town Forester Bill Olsen told the Council that Mayor Swart had asked him to address several topics in his report to the Council. One of the topics involved what Mr. Olsen’s opinion of the worth of the Town’s timberland holdings. Mr. Olsen said that the bare land without the trees is worth approximately $960,000, or about $1,500 per acre. The actual net timber value would be close to $1.3 million or about 5.8 million board feet of marketable timber. Mr. Olsen said that about a year ago the town approached Longview Fibre about purchasing approximately 320 acres from them which is adjacent to town property. At that time Fibre was asking for $900,000 for the un-cut acreage. Now that the property has been logged, Olsen believes that Fibre is probably hoping to sell the property for development purposes especially because it is more accessible than the town property. Council Member David Goodroe asked Mr. Olsen if he could identify the species and the ages of the standing timber. Mr. Olsen said that he could provide that information to him. Attorney William Faubion asked what the estimate in the increase of volume might be per year. Mr. Olsen replied that it will probably be at around 10% per year. Council Member John Hannah asked how close to being harvested the town timber is. Mr. Olsen said that they are a bit young but are marketable. Mr. Olsen said that the 2007 timber harvest may be delayed until 2008 depending upon the price being paid for hemlock. Regarding the Erickson Park situation, Mr. Olsen said that the removal of two dead trees will cost approximately $400.00 and that the cleanup will be included in the cost. Mr. Olsen also suggested the removal of the older trees which have limbs close to the fence, park buildings or neighboring homes and that the Council might consider forming a committee to prepare a design for the park restoration. Council Member John Hannah suggested that the town contact Jeff Rooklidge, instructor of the Environmental Science class at the High School for input. Mr. Olsen said that there will be approximately one load of Cedar, maybe two loads of Fir, two more of Spruce, three loads of Hemlock and two loads of pulp and that the logging should begin after the first of the year. Mr. Olsen said that the Mayor had requested he try to find a solution to the brush overtaking neighboring land owner’s property. Mr. Olsen said that a trail along the property line or a ground cover type planting could help prevent the encroaching problem.

There was no information available to Council prior to the meeting regarding the janitorial services contract for the new Fire Hall with Elochoman Valley Partners.

There was no information available to Council prior to the meeting for the yard care service agreement with the Elochoman Valley Partners.

Motion to approve the one-time water bill adjustment request for Mr. & Mrs. Don Cothren was made by David Goodroe and seconded by Walter Wright. Motion carried 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstentions.

Council Member Walter Wright said that he had been approached by a resident of the apartment building on the corner of Broadway and Main Street who was unhappy with the number of businesses that allow all day parking on Main Street on the weekends. Council Member Wright suggested that the Planning Commission may want to review the current policy to see if there should be limits placed on weekends. Council Member David Goodroe said that he thought the Planning Commission may also be consulted about the potential for creating four new parking spaces in front of the old Fire Station bays which are now empty.

Council Member John Hannah requested that the Town Council direct the Town Attorney to draft an ordinance that would establish the new Fire Station meeting room as the new location for Town Hall meetings. It was agreed by consensus to direct the Town Attorney to draft the ordinance. Town Attorney William Faubion said that he had already prepared the ordinance in the event that the Council would agree with Council Member Hannah. Attorney Faubion read Ordinance No. 496; an Ordinance Amending CMC 2.30 providing a place for the meeting of the Town Council for the first reading. Motion to approve Ordinance No. 496 for the first reading was made by John Hannah and seconded by Walter Wright. Motion carried 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstentions.

Town Attorney William Faubion explained that the Fire Dept. had purchase a new compressor and fill station for the new Fire Hall. The fill station had been destroyed during shipment with FedEx and the Fire Dept. had ordered a new replacement fill station as approved by Council. The Fire Dept. received a reimbursement check from FedEx to pay for the original fill station but needed Council approval to pay for the replacement fill station. Motion to approve the payment of the invoice for the replacement fill station was made by David Goodroe and seconded by John Hannah. Motion carried 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstentions.

MAYOR REPORT – Richard Swart

There was no Mayor’s report available as the Mayor was on vacation.

CLERK/TREASURER REPORT – Virginia Welker

A copy of the Clerk/Treasurer’s report is included in the Minutes.

Clerk/Treasurer Virginia Welker told the Council that she was anticipating the new part-time office helper as becoming a great asset because of her experience and background especially with the new auditing standards being implemented by the State.

TOWN ATTORNEY REPORT – William Faubion

PUBLIC WORKS – David Vik

There was no Public Works report.

PLANNING COMMISSION –

A copy of the Planning Commission report is included with the Minutes.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

PARKS & PROPERTIES – Danielle Erickson & John Hannah

Council Member John Hannah said that he would like to see the Mayor compose a letter to the School District resource officer reminding him of the ordinance that limits the children from being on park property during school hours and to let him know that the ordinance will be enforced. The Council agreed by consensus to have the Mayor compose the letter.

POOL – Walter Wright & William Talbott

Council Member William Talbott said that the last Pool Advisory Board meeting had been canceled.

PUBLIC SAFETY – Walter Wright & John Hannah

Council Member Walter Wright showed the Council a photograph of the type of stop line he would like to see added to the bottom of the driveway coming down from the Post Office.

STREETS & DOCKS – Danielle Erickson & John Hannah

Council Member David Goodroe said that he had been approached by a citizen regarding the lack of a crosswalk on Division Street. The members of the Streets and Docks Committee said they will look into it.

WATER & SEWER – Walter Wright & David Goodroe

Council Member’s Walter Wright and David Goodroe said that the new water meters had been ordered.

ANNEXATION – Danielle Erickson & Walter Wright

REVENUE & SALARIES – William Talbott & David Goodroe

Council Member David Goodroe said that he has been working with Virginia on the preliminary Budget and that it is already very close to being completed. Council Member John Hannah said that he would like to see a few thousand more dollars being put into the Parks Budget to help pay for the pathway at Erickson Park.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – David Goodroe & Danielle Erickson

Council Member David Goodroe said that the Port has agreed to put up matching funds for payment to a consultant to investigate the pros and cons of the offer from ICS to build and operate a new wastewater treatment plant in exchange for development projects at the current sewer lagoon location.

ANNOUNCEMENTS –

Council Member David Goodroe said that there will be a legislative forum put on by the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments at the River Street room on Tuesday October 16^th.

EXECUTIVE SESSION –

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 9:19 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Virginia L. Welker

Clerk/Treasurer