By Justin Jaech
The Times 

Commissioners accept Strickland resignation

 


The Columbia County Commissioners held a regular meeting on May 2, 2022. All commissioners were present for the meeting.

The current Public Works Director, Amber Phinney reported that the county received its first $6,000 allotment from FEMA after waiting for more than two years. Phinney added the next allotment should be awarded next month for $93,000.

Phinney commended Kellie Steinhoff for her work filing for the allotments and added that Steinhoff is working on paperwork for a third allotment.

County Engineer Jeremy Weiland gave a brief update on ongoing projects in the county. The South Touchet Road project is in the closeout phase of right-of-way, with Anderson Perry helping move the project forward.

The Vernon Smith Bridge Project, located on Rose Gulch, was started in 2021 and is currently in the right-of-way-establishment phase. The Public Works staff is renewing environmental permits, which had lapsed before construction could begin. The project will replace the bridge and the approaches on both sides of the structure.

The Starbuck Bridge is waiting for permitting to be finalized. Weiland said the county is looking at purchasing a portion of the park in the affected area for right-of-way purposes. He said he expects the project will go out to bid in early 2023.

A certified letter was sent out to a property owner that could be impacted by the county’s removal of an animal-crossing culvert on Lower Hogeye Road. Weiland said there had been unanswered attempts to contact the owner before sending the certified letter and had two or three more attempts to contact the owner. He said the county wants to remove the culvert to cut out the maintenance.

Weiland’s update ended with the commissioners approving an interlocal agreement with the Nez Perce Tribe and Columbia County for the Tumalum Culvert project on Touchet Road. The Tribe will rebuild the culvert and the county will continue to maintain it. Weiland explained that the agreement allows the county to contract consultants as necessary. The county will be billed and the Tribe will reimburse costs not to exceed $49,000.

Commissioner Chair Marty Hall proclaimed the month of May as Older Americans Month, celebrating individuals 65 years and older, their contributions, and raising awareness about issues related to aging. The commissioners approved the proclamation.

A representative from Dayton Days requested $2,500 from the Hotel-Motel tax to help with the cost of advertising for the annual event. The commissioners approved the request. Dayton Days are planned for Memorial Day Weekend at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. Activities including live music, shopping, food vendors, a Saturday morning parade, and evening rodeos are on the weekend’s agenda.

Emergency Management Director Ashley Strickland gave the commissioners his resignation, effective May 20, 2022. No details regarding the resignation were provided at the meeting. Strickland offered a solution to keep the office running smoothly in his absence,

“My suggestion to you as a board is to allow Misty (Yost) and Desi (Lockard) to run the office for six months,” Strickland said. “Then allow them to decide or ask them if they want to keep the offices combined or separated. I think they are set up to succeed.”

The commissioners accepted Strickland’s resignation unanimously.

Nancy Wenzel of Walla Walla Community Health (WWCH) provided an update regarding a developmental disabilities interlocal agreement. She said under the agreement, WWCH will add a Columbia County representative to their board. However, recent updates to the board’s structure mean appointees have moved from a committee level to a sub-committee appointment. The commissioners approved the agreement, which will be in effect from 2022 through 2024.

Bette Lou Crothers reported on the Touchet Valley Golf Course and the Dayton Chamber of Commerce.

Crothers requested $1,000 from Hotel-Motel tax revenue for Touchet Valley Golf Course marketing and advertising. She also asked for $3,000 to help promote the annual All-Wheels Weekend event put on by the Chamber of Commerce. She explained promotional costs include NPR Radio advertising, publication in the AAA magazine, and other well-known newspapers and magazines.

The commissioners went into an executive session.

Topics discussed after the session included requests from Superior Court and a public hearing regarding the speed limit change on South Touchet Road.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024

Rendered 03/10/2024 03:33