The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON-Special guest Bette Lou Crothers spoke about progress for this year's All Wheels Weekend event at last week's Dayton City Council meeting.

Crothers showed the council the All Wheel's Weekend T shirt design, which showcases the 1962 Ford Galaxie state patrol car, which won last year's Peoples' Choice Award, along with the 2016 Friday Night Coolest Cruiser winner, which is a 1931 Ford Victoria.

Crothers said to expect the usual events at All Wheels Weekend, including the Poker Walk, and the "ever-popular Men's Drag Race. It's pretty much business as usual. It is patterned exactly after last year's," Crothers told the council.

Crothers said she has been coming to city council to promote All Wheels Weekend for the last 23 years.

In her report to the council, Planning Director Karen Scharer talked about two recent Envision Dayton workshops, which were held to gather information about what the public thinks Dayton should be in 20 years' time.

Scharer showed the council a "word cloud" she made based on comments from Envision Dayton 2039, Community Conversations and Community Treasures. She said she will be analyzing information provided by the public. The results from Envision Dayton 2039 will be linked to the 2019 Comprehensive Plan project webpage.

The city is still working on water and sewer revenue bonds, according to City Administrator Trina Cole. The city has applied to the USDA hoping to get an equivalent, or lower interest rate, for a longer period of time, she said.

"Once we received the bids back from the private placement company, they said they can't fund it because they can't beat the interest rate. There is a little confusion on senior and junior liens on our revenues. The attorney said USDA is confused. We have a bond attorney, and he is basically saying he thought the USDA is confused on senior and junior lien requirements," said Cole.

"We are now trying to work it out. . . It is confusing. We hope to have financing by the time the South First Street project is underway," said Cole.

In other city business:

Action was taken to adopt the City of Dayton Shoreline Master Program Comprehensive Update, as an element to the Dayton Comprehensive Plan. The full text is available during City Hall regular business hours.

Action was also taken to award the West Main Street Sidewalk Project contract to the lowest, responsive bidder, Moreno & Nelson Construction Co., in the amount of $246,098, upon the Transportation Improvement Board's approval.

Action was taken to authorize a budget amendment in the capital improvements fund to account for an Association of Washington Cities Safety Grant, to be used to purchase sidewalk maintenance equipment, and to amend the budget to account for 2017 beginning fund balances.

Action was taken to proclaim May 2017, Older Americans' Month.

Mayor Craig George was also authorized to sign a letter for the city to receive a $1,500 grant through the Blue Mountain Community Action Foundation, to help the Friends of the Dayton Dog Park with fencing at the park.