Waitsburg City Council Report

WAITSBURG -- Council Members KC Kuykendall, Terry Jacoy, Kevin House, Jim Romine, Kate Hockersmith and Mayor Marty Dunn were all present.

The maintenance needs of the city’s fire-hydrant system were discussed. While no action was taken, it was noted that the water line would eventually need to be upsized and the hydrants replaced in order to ensure that engines don’t use up water faster than the hydrants can produce it.

A payment order for work on the Main Street Bridge was approved unanimously.

The Council passed a series of updates to the flood damage prevention ordinance as recommended by the Washington Department of Ecology. City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe noted that the changes were “mostly administrative” in nature. Jacoy, the sole “nay” vote, objected to the changes as he felt they made little sense.

Concern was expressed about the many area youths who enjoy inner-tubing down the Touchet River in summer. The river runs behind the Waitsburg Gun Club, and there have been several reports of bullets ricocheting off trees near the water. Tubers are advised to either end their journeys upstream or start them downstream of this point.