The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—Special Guest Juan Sanchez, Columbia County Census Coordinator, discussed Census 2020 at the Dayton City Council meeting on March 11.

Sanchez said census letters will be mailed out in mid-April and will provide a website for people to answer the ten questions asked. He said a paper form can be requested. If necessary, an enumerator will come to the door in person.

Sanchez said he doesn’t like to use fear as a tactic to get people to fill out the census. “If we can help people fill it out quickly, and get it done with, the better,” he said.

Help with the census will be provided at the Dayton City Hall, and Dayton Memorial Library.

The Citizen’s Academy has been postponed until later in the summer, or fall, to give more people the opportunity to sign up, said Sheriff Joe Helm.

Helm said there are now fifty volunteers for Search and Rescue, and another fifteen to twenty people intend to participate.

Council member Misty Yost said Brix and Brew has been postponed until May 8, over concerns about the coronavirus. Tickets will be honored or refunded.

County Commissioner Ryan Rundell said there is one confirmed case of COVID-19 in Columbia County.

“There is nothing to be panicked about. Just make sure and wash your hands and stay away from sick people,” he said.

Councilman Mike Paris said the hospital has two isolations rooms ready.

City Administrator Trina Cole said the Cameron Street chip sealing project scheduled by the county for this summer has been pushed back one year.

“We will be moving forward with crack sealing and repair work,” she said.

She said that has to be done to be ready for chip sealing next year.

The City has been in discussion with Anderson/Perry & Associates about repairing a water line, and the discharge pipe adjacent to the wastewater treatment plant, which were damaged because of the flood. They will be preparing a scope of service for design and construction engineering, along with costs.

Cole said she is hoping for financial assistance from FEMA for the repairs, but there are funds in the City’s reserve budget if necessary. Some capital improvement projects may have to be pushed back.

The City has received a letter from the Army Corps of Engineers asking for a letter regarding assistance to the City for repairing damage to the levee from the recent flood. A draft letter was sent to them, she said.

“The way I understand it, the Corps is going to be very responsive on getting those repairs done,” Cole said.

The design for the South Third Street Sidewalk project is complete, and Cole said she is hopeful the project can go out to bid in mid-April and be awarded to a contractor sometime in May. Construction won’t take place until school is out.

Planning Director Meagan Bailey said a short course on Affordable Housing through the Dept. of Commerce and hosted by the Affordable Housing Commission will take place at 5 p.m. on April 14, at the Delany Building. The public is welcome to attend. Registration for the free course is online at: shortcourse@commerce.wa.gov or by phone at: (360) 725-3064.

Public Works Assistant Director Rob John said the UV lights at the wastewater treatment plant and all the components will be installed this week.

The sections of sidewalks around two of the trees on Main St. have been filled in with rock or chips and the pathway next to them has been “packed”, he said.

John said the mold in the basement of the city hall will be mitigated on Friday. The following week the HVAC system will be cleaned.

“We're plugging along the best we can,” he said.

Mayor Zac Weatherford wanted to recognize the efforts on the part of the city staff and city council in producing a healthy budget that allows for reserve funds, which can be used to pay for some of the repairs that need to be done after the flood.

“I think, overall, we are very fortunate that we have the reserves that we do have,” he said.

Mayor Weatherford’s acceptance of the resignation of Vicki Zoller from the Affordable Housing Commission was confirmed as was the Mayor’s reappointment of Alicia Walker to the Dayton Planning Commission. Walker’s term ends on March 1, 2024.

The Dayton City Council also approved the following:

A resolution authorizing the Interlocal Cooperative Agreement between Energy Northwest, Inc. and the City of Dayton for a lease agreement for the Electric Vehicle charging station at Caboose Park, and for its maintenance.

An authorization to amend extending the master contract agreement between the State of Washington Department of Corrections and the City to June 30, 2020. Rob John said the DOC crew that helps with landscaping and maintaining the levee does a “fantastic job”, for the City.

A resolution for surplus of personal property, a lawnmower, of the City of Dayton.