Agreement reached between the city and the county for services

DAYTON—Columbia County and the City of Dayton have reached an agreement regarding the terms of an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) for Law Enforcement services, Emergency Management/Dispatch services, and District Court services, which the County provides to the City.

County and City officials, and their legal representatives, spent all day last Thursday working out the details. The meeting was presided over by Walla Walla Attorney Michael S. Mitchell.

Last year the County requested a substantial raise from the City for providing the above services.

The City has maintained it was unable to get enough information from the County to make decisions in the best interest of Dayton residents.

When the Dayton City Council met on Sept. 9, Mayor Zac Weatherford told attendees the City has an obligation to know what level of services would be provided for in the ILA, considering the annual increase of $199,500.

The County responded that the City had all the information that was needed, and requests for additional information had become “increasingly redundant.”

That was when talks broke down, and both parties agreed to enter into mediation.

Attorney Quinn Plant of Menke Jackson Beyer, LLP, represented the City at last Thursday’s meeting. The County was represented by J.R. Oviedo of the Oviedo Law Group, Inc.

According to County Commissioner Ryan Rundell, who was at last week’s meeting, the agreement will need the approval of both the Dayton City Council and the Board of County Commissioners.