The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Attendees: Mayor Marty Dunn, council members KC Kuykendall, Terry Jacoy, Kevin House, Jim Romine, Kate Hockersmith, and student representative Leena Baker.

Public Comment:

-Commercial Club President Joy Smith presented the 2018 Walla Walla Visitor’s Guide, which includes seven pages of information and advertising on Waitsburg, including a section on Waitsburg Celebration Days. Smith said 35,000 copies are printed and she uses the guide for visitors and business recruitment. Smith said the guide is where the Commercial Club spends the bulk of its advertising budget each year.

-Members of the Society for Creative Anachronism (dressed in medieval garb) asked the council to use the inner field, shower building, and community building of the fairgrounds for the third weekend in June and the second weekend in October. The group estimated approximately 100 people would attend the June event and 175 would attend in October. The events would include fighting, dancing and target and combat archery. The October event will include a plywood castle setup. The group is insured and has used Preston Park and the Waitsburg Elementary School for events in the past, but is looking for a larger setup. The council approved the use at the proposed rates.

New Business:

-Grandstands Community Discussion – Council approved placing the grandstands as an election advisory item on the April 3 ballot. (See story on Page 1.)

-Approved Resolution 2018-681, approving use of the city streets for the annual the Tour of Walla Walla bicycle race.

Unfinished Business:

-Discussion regarding installation of water meters will be pushed to April.

Mayor’s Report:

-Read letter from Columbia County Health Systems thanking the council for attending the Dayton General Hospital ribbon-cutting.

Council Reports:

- Kate Hockersmith presented the city with an updated emergency management plan binder that she and Jim Romine have been working to complete. One copy will be placed at City Hall and another at the elementary school. Romine is in the process of completing an emergency evacuation plan.

City Clerk’s Report:

-The city has addressed what City Manager Randy Hinchliffe called a “substantial sewer backup” on E. 7th Street. Hinchliffe said tree roots along the road on a planting strip had infiltrated the sewer line through the joints, created a barrier and the sewage came up through a basement. The City had to hire a company from Pasco to clear the blockage. He said the line has now been rodded, vacuumed and tied, and the line is clear and the pipe appears to be good. Hinchliffe said another blockage occurred the day of the meeting, and he assumed it will be the same issue. He said there is a process where a large foam ball, infiltrated with chemicals that kills tree roots, can be pushed through the line to give the line an additional 5-10 years. The City will look into vendors who can perform the application.

-The city had previously requested assistance from the Army Corps of Engineers for help repairing a “pretty severe” washout on the levee on the east side of town. The Corp has notified the city that they intend to perform the repair this year during the low water window. Hinchliffe said the city has responsibility for a portion of the repair in excess of $20,000. However, in lieu of cash, the city will be allowed to drill and blast the city rock pit and provide the resulting rock as a portion of the payment.

-The fire hydrant on 7th and Coppei has been replaced but is slightly tilted to allow for a fiber optic line that runs through that spot. The tilt does not affect functionality.

-The City is moving forward in investigating the possibility of adding an automated sprinkler system to the cemeteries.

-Work on the Main Street Bridge could resume next week if the weather holds. The City planted Honey Locust trees on both sides of Main Street near the bridge.

-The transfer station is in place.

-The Urban Forestry Project will distribute 150 free trees to school children for Arbor Day in April.