The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON-Last week, Mayor Zac Weatherford toured the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation's Touchet River Flood Plain and Flow Restoration project, on the north fork of the Touchet River. Representatives from; CTUIR, Washington Water Trust, the state Department of Ecology, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Anderson/Perry & Associates, were also on the tour. They also toured the city's wastewater treatment plant, listened to a presentation on instream flow restoration, and talked to the Friends of the Touchet Valley Golf Course about irrigation on the golf course, he said.

"It was informative and we were able to talk very thoroughly with a lot of the people with Department of Ecology about our project coming up. We got some ideas from them about where they stand with what we want to do," Mayor Weatherford said. "We are continuing to move forward with that project."

Mayor Weatherford also talked about the USDA Regional Funding Forum that took place at the Best Western Plus Hotel and Conference Center, on Oct. 1.

He said ten entities from across the state and the northwest, including staff from the Dept. of Ecology, Dept. of Health, HUD, and the Transportation Improvement Benefit were there to discuss funding opportunities for projects, and that 75 people attended the forum.

"It was a really good meeting. I hope people walked away with a lot of information about grants and how to get funding," he said.

Weatherford said he met recently with Sheriff Joe Helm and they talked about some community concerns, mainly illicit drug use, homelessness, and the need to partner for enforcement of city codes and ordinances.

The city has also been working with the Sheriff's Office, public health services, and the city's Public Safety Committee to resolve a situation on S. 4th St. around a garbage collection semi- truck parked on that street, he said.

Mayor pro tem Delphine Bailey said a multiagency drill is taking place in Dayton on the morning of Friday, Oct. 23, and not to be alarmed, because it is only a drill.

Dain Nysoe said the Safety Committee will present two options regarding firework safety at the November council meeting.

"Between the two proposals we are talking about maybe we can find some mutually agreed upon solutions to the problem," he said.

The preliminary budget for 2020 has been submitted to the city council for review and the Finance Committee will determine whether a budget workshop is necessary when they meet on Oct. 21, the City Administrator, Trina Cole, said.

Public Works Director Jim Costello said Public Works employee Dave Elkins is retiring and his last day on the job is Oct. 31. Rob John will fill that position.

Byron Kaczmarski said the Planning and Economic Development Committee will meet on Oct. 22 to discuss the city's Comprehensive Plan.

Planning Director Meagan Bailey said there will be a public hearing for the city's Comprehensive Plan on Oct. 22, at 6:35 p. m. at the City Hall. Tentative adoption for the Comp. Plan is slated for Nov. 2019, she said.

Bailey said she plans to talk to the Dept. of Transportation, and to work with the Planning Commission to create a Pedestrian Plan, which will help the city obtain grants for various projects.

There is one vacancy on the city's Planning Commission and information about that will go out with utility bills, along with information on licensing dogs, she said.

Bailey said the Dayton Historic Preservation Commission has been updating the state and national registry.

"Were seeing a lot of improvements to that, and updated information on our historic homes and businesses," she said.

The city will move forward with Affordable Housing issues once a city council member has been identified as the chair of the Affordable Housing Commission, she said.

Bailey said the transfer of duties from the county's Code Compliance Officer to her is ongoing. She said between the first of the month and the ninth of the month, ten open cases have been closed, but the majority of cases are in the initial 14 day notice period.

Bailey is also busy improving the Planning Department website and providing informational brochures for people coming into City Hall.

At their meeting last week the Dayton City Council approved a professional services agreement for hearing examiner services to be provided by Andrew Kottkamp, Attorney of Law, and authorized Mayor Weatherford to execute the agreement.

Bailey said Kottkamp will serve the city as an employee contracted on a case by case basis.

She said she has worked successfully with Kottkamp in his capacity as the county's Hearing Examiner.

The city council also approved a resolution awarding a contract to Anderson/Perry & Associates to provide design engineering and construction bidding documents for the S. 3rd Street Sidewalk Replacement Project; and authorizing the mayor to execute the agreement, not to exceed $30,000.00.

Trina Cole said that project is to replace some sections of the sidewalk, on both sides of the street, from the alley south of Hwy. 12 to School Bus Lane.

The city council passed an ordinance amending the City of Dayton 2019 budget to allow for an interfund loan for the E. Clay St. project.

The mayor was also authorized to execute an agreement rescinding all obligations and provisions in the city's loan agreement with the Public Works Board.

"They were receptive to our request and situation associated with the wastewater treatment plant and land acquisition delays," Cole said.

Finally, the city council authorized a resolution confirming the mayor's execution of a Public Works Contract with Steinhoff Construction, LLC to fill a 12" x 42" culvert at the old fish pond behind the hospital with cement.