Dayton City Council discuss vandalism, state funds for water treatment project

DAYTON — Mayor Roger Trump called the Dayton City Council to order at 6 p.m. on May 13, 2025. Trump, council members James Su’euga, Kyle Anderson, Michael Smith, Glenn Hagfeldt, and Joann Patras were present at City Hall. Shannon McMillen did not attend. Laura Aukerman participated using Zoom.

Belinda Larsen, the Chamber of Commerce Director, said the road closure permits for the Dayton Days parade and All Wheels Weekend have been submitted. She said the chamber will soon put the Dayton High School Senior banners on the Main Street light poles for graduation.

Sheriff Helm said his department responded to 487 incidents in April, 351 were in Dayton, city limits. These included 67 traffic stops and four traffic accidents. Helm said they would collaborate with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for a community education and prevention program. The program focuses on K-12 students on topics including Internet safety.

Ryan Rundell spoke for the county commissioners. He said the Auditor’s Office has moved to the former Columbia Pulp building, and the Assessor’s Office will move towards the end of the month.

The council unanimously passed Resolution 1569, amending the contract for electronic payment processing with Invoice Cloud, Inc. City staff recommended the change to improve customer service and reduce transaction fees when processing debit and credit cards. The amended agreement will include a card reader.

Public Works Director Ryan Paulson updated the council on the Fourth Street project. The city will continue south, repaving, adding sidewalks, and ADA access ramps. The city will contact residents who will be affected. The project will begin after June 2, 2025. Two trees will have to be removed as well.

Paulson said there has been a lot of vandalism to city property. He said someone had damaged the Flour Mill Park bathroom doors by attempting to rip them off their hinges. There has been graffiti, including on the railroad and Main Street bridge, and tagging on the basalt rocks at the levee. Ryan said the windows at the former pool building had been broken. Someone has also abandoned broken riding lawn mowers on city property.

Paulson said a storm drain section near the railroad crossing at Commercial Street and Third Street needs to be repaired. It will require pavement to be dug up and replaced.

Paulson said he applied for local community funds through Washington State Representative Joe Schmick to support the land purchase and design for the new wastewater treatment facility project. Last week, Schmick announced at a conference that he had obtained one million dollars earmarked to be used for the project.

The council discussed ways to provide more information on the city’s water and sewer bills and to make them easier to read. The council agreed to discuss the matter at a workshop.