The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—The Dayton Historic Preservation Commission is interested in honoring two of Dayton’s most important boosters, Dr. Marcel Pietryzcki and his wife Mary, by replacing the entry sign at the Dayton City Park with a sign that includes the Pietryzcki (Pit rus kee) name, the DHPC Chairman, Mike Smith, told the council last week.

Smith also recommended that the city and the DHPC work towards adding a monument near the park entry with an account of the Pietryzcki land donation for the park, and the contributions of the Pietryzkis to the community as a whole.

The Pietryzckis were important to the early history of Dayton, because Dr. Pietryzcki donated 30 acres for a city park, and they donated half of the money from the sale of their ranch for a trade school. Money from the Pietryzcki estate, as well as general bond monies, were used to build Pietryzcki Memorial High School, in 1923. The school is simply called Dayton High School, today, Smith said.

The council approved both ideas, and the DHPC will present the council with draft designs of signs to replace the wooden sign at the park entrance.

Smith told the council the commission plans to look into grants to pay for the monument, and that he will talk to school district officials to see if the woodshop students would like to participate in the project.

Mayor Craig George said, “I think it’s an excellent idea to honor someone in the community who has done so much.”

Mayor George said city officials have been talking to a few landowners about purchasing land for the site of the City’s future wastewater treatment plant. The mayor will report back with his findings, sometime in July, he said.

The city council approved an ordinance providing for the issuance of the water and sewer revenue bond of the city, not to exceed, $1,100,000, to pay for costs associated with improvements to Dayton’s water and sewer system.

The city will pay interest only on the bond for the first two years, after which payments on the principal will begin, George said.

George said City Administrator Trina Cole and her staff have been working “long hours” on procuring the bond. “Trina has done a fantastic job,” said George.

George added that at some point the city will need to increase water and sewer rates, to “get the infrastructures back to where they need to be”.

Also at last week’s meeting the council approved the City of Dayton 2018-2023 Six Year Transportation Improvement Plan, an ordinance removing conflicting language in the Dayton Municipal Code with regard to the section on Prices for Burial, approved cleaning up a couple of paragraphs in the City Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual, regarding forms and procedures for disciplinary action, designated the city’s official newspaper, authorized the Sheriff’s Office to use the Dayton City Park at no charge for National Night Out, approved July 3 as a day off for city employees, amended a resolution regarding inter-fund loan repayments for the purchase of a backhoe, and authorized a budget amendment to account for a state Transportation Improvement Board Emergency Repair Program Grant, for repairs to city streets, because of winter damage.

Cole told the council she is getting ready to apply for some FEMA funds to help with those street repairs, and she will meet with officials from FEMA, as well as from Anderson Perry & Associates, on June 20, to fill out paperwork for that.