The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON- Mayor Zac Weatherford called the Dayton City Council to order at 6:00 p.m. on December 5, 2023. Council members Teeny McMunn, James Su’euga, Michael Smith, Kyle Anderson, Dain Nysoe, Laura Aukerman, and Shannon McMillen joined Weatherford at City Hall.

Jasmin Helm presented results from the Community Needs Assessment completed by the Coalition for Youth and Families under the Columbia County Department of Public Health. She said the coalition hired Tanner Accountants & Advisors (TAA) to help the department address the issues identified in the survey. Matthew Smith from TAA said community participation in the survey was higher than he usually sees. He said the study showed residents were happy with Dayton’s hospital but wanted urgent care services. Respondents desired more specialists at the local hospital, substance abuse services, and affordable childcare.

Smith spoke on the community’s shortage of therapists and youth activities, which could help keep kids out of trouble.

Smith said he and the coalition held their first planning and implementation session earlier that day to assign tasks for completion to coalition members. The information presentation required no action on the part of the council.

In his report, Sheriff Joe Helm spoke about a conference he attended sponsored by the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs. He said topics focused on increased crime rates and a declining number of law enforcement agents in Washington State. Though violent crime increased in the past two years, it remained just below the national average at the end of 2022, according to FBI statistics. Helm encouraged citizens to contact their state elected officials to seek a workable solution to this troubling trend.

Helm reminded citizens to prepare their vehicles for winter by carrying tire chains or cables and appropriate emergency equipment.

After the Sheriff’s report, the council approved the consent agenda.

Weatherford opened a public hearing on the City of Dayton 2024 budget. There was no public comment, and the mayor resumed the regular meeting.

The council adopted the budget by unanimously passing Ordinance 2006. Next, the council approved Ordinance 2009 to amend the 2023 budget to reflect income and financial transfers not known when the budget was passed last year.

After some discussion, the council voted to name December 26, 2023, as a holiday for city employees.

Weatherford said that as of midnight on December 31, 2023, the duties of mayor would be transferred to Mayor-elect Roger Trump.

Ryan Paulson recognized Trent Leseman and his family for donating this season’s Christmas tree to the city.

Paulson said the first bid for repairs to the cemetery caused by lightning damage came in for $126,000. The insurance company has asked for more bids. He also said the pump and motor for the city’s water well #2 returned from repairs in Texas, and the city will install them soon, bringing the well back into service after months of being inoperable. He said Third Street has re-opened; however, stop bars and crosswalk markings won’t be added until Spring since application requires warmer weather.

County Building official Clark Posey said that the retailer, Dollar General, has dropped plans for now to build a store on the property occupied by the former Ray’s Drive-In and the two adjacent residences. The reason given was rising costs.

The meeting closed with Mayor Weatherford and Dain Nysoe making farewell speeches as their terms will end this month.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:12 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at 6 p.m.