Dayton City Council discuss Charter franchise

DAYTON- The Dayton City Council held its regular meeting at 6 p.m. January 10, 2023. Mayor Zac Weatherford and council members Teeny McMunn, James Su’euga, Kyle Anderson, Dain Nysoe, Shannon McMillen, Laura Aukerman, and Tiger Dieu attended in person at City Hall.

Sheriff Helm attended and gave his department’s report. He said Deputies Bruce and Wagner are doing well with their training at the academy.

Helm said the department would hold a citizen’s academy sometime this spring. The academy is a chance for citizens to learn more about law enforcement, the court system, and how the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department operates.

The department has received a few applications for the Sheriff’s Office Posse program and county-wide crime watch program. His office works with the Coalition for Youth and Families and hopes to participate in some school events addressing underage drinking and illegal drug use.

Reporting for the County, County Commissioner Ryan Rundell said that since the Flood Control Zone District is not funded, the County will pursue a grant for flood mitigation; there is no timeline for this project.

Councilmembers listened to a presentation from the Walla Walla/Columbia County Accessible Communities Advisory Committee (ACAC). The committee is a two-county advisory group to promote equal access and opportunities to people with disabilities in the communities. Columbia County is seeking members for the committee at tinyurl.com/ACACpage.

Two representatives from Charter Communications gave an update to the council on the franchise agreement with the city.

Su’euga said he would like to schedule a town hall meeting to allow the public to ask questions and get more information. Charter was unwilling to commit to a town hall meeting, and the council did not schedule one.

Charter’s policy is to install, operate, and maintain dedicated fiber and infrastructure for its service. The service will include high-speed internet and cable TV. Under the franchise agreement, Charter Communications will not use the broadband network to be installed by the Port of Columbia.

Three internet service providers (ISPs), Columbia iConnect, Inland Cellular, and PocketiNet, will offer service to customers using the Port of Columbia’s broadband. The three ISPs offer high-speed internet but not cable TV. Customers can access television and entertainment through numerous streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.

Council members agreed that the Port of Columbia and Charter should not do their broadband installations simultaneously to avoid potential conflict.

Su’euga nominated Nysoe to be Mayor Pro Tem. Aukerman and Dieu argued a new Mayor Pro Tem was needed because “change is a good thing.” The council elected Nysoe to the position, with Dieu and Aukerman dissenting.

The council approved a resolution sponsoring Columbia County Public Transportation for membership in the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Workers’ Compensation Retrospective Rating Program. Columbia Transportation, as a non-city organization, sought the City of Dayton’s support to join this program at no cost to the city.

New traffic signs to better delineate the school zones should be in place by the end of the week.

The mayor said he was still negotiating with property owners for land the council has chosen for the proposed wastewater treatment plant.

Weatherford asked the council to sign a request to state representatives to help remove sediment from the Touchet River for flood control.

The city will begin replacing water meters with remote-read meters allowing the city to collect data from a vehicle. It will improve overall functionality, save time, and reduce costs.

Dayton Public Works and the Sheriff’s Department are seeking solutions to reduce vandalism at the Dayton City Cemetery. Vehicles have caused damage, and one headstone appeared to have been broken by a sledgehammer. The hours of the cemetery may have to be reduced, and the gates locked when the cemetery is closed.

The meeting adjourned just before 8:10 p.m.