Waitsburg City Council

October 16, 2019

Terry Jacoy, Kevin House, Jim Romine, Kate Hockersmith and Mayor Marty Dunn were present, K.C. Kurkendall absent.

Public Comments

Commercial Club president, Joy Smith, presented the agenda for a design charrette on the proposed Touche Valley Trail. This event will be held October 26, from 5 – 7pm at the Columbia County Fairgrounds Pavilion.

Smith also stated that this year’s Christmas Parade will be in the name of the late Deputy John King.

New Business

2020 preliminary budget items were discussed. City administrator, Randy Hinchcliffe, stated that next year will be very busy and will include a three-year financial audit. The shift from an accountability audit as we have had in the past, to a financial audit is due to our city income surpassing $2,000,000 this last year.

Capital budget grant agreement was passed with one dissent by Terry Jacoy.

Polder Street vacation was discussed. Hinchcliffe commented that most of the city’s population “doesn’t know it exists”. It was never developed and is more like a quasi-alley. It was recommended that the city grant the property to the adjoining landowners. If the land owners don’t want the property it will stay with the city. The council approved the motion to send this suggestion to the planning commission.

Council Reports

Mayor Dunn reported meeting WSU rural journalism students who visited Waitsburg. Gave a nod to Joy Smith for the outstanding job she does on this and similar outreach programs.

Kate Hockersmith was unable to attend the county Emergency Preparedness meeting, Hinchcliffe attended and said it was well laid out.

The Lost Apple Project will be in town Friday October 25 to share the location of two lost varieties found in Waitsburg. To date there have been 8 or 9 lost varieties found in the Waitsburg area.

Jim Romine suggested the new portion of Taggert Rd be given a new name so the residents on the original Taggert Rd can maintain their addresses. He suggested there could be a contest to come up with the best name.

Hinchcliffe said the grant for Taggert Rd will come through next year when it can be opened. At that time the city will need to get different freight designations and a name. It means we have over a year to decide how to handle the naming of the new portion.

Randy Hinchcliffe told the council that the Blue Mountain Regional Trail program won the Governor’s Smart Award for planning.

Hinchcliffe will stop in Tacoma to pick up an award the city’s won for its most improved Main Street.

Bills were approved and the meeting adjourned.