City Council cover utilities, graffiti, and kids fish pond

DAYTON- The Dayton City Council held its regular meeting on August 8, 2023. Mayor Zac Weatherford and council members Teeny McMunn, James Su’euga, Michael Smith, Kyle Anderson, Dain Nysoe, and Shannon McMillen were in City Hall. Laura Aukerman was absent.

Sheriff Helm gave a report during which he discussed the increasing graffiti problem in the City of Dayton but did not discuss a solution.

In his report for the county, Commissioner Ryan Rundell said the county hired Jan Strohbehn as the Public Health Director. Strobehn had most recently been acting as Interim Public Health Director.

The council approved four resolutions authorizing employment agreements with four current salaried city employees.

Weatherford reported the city’s sewer project was moving forward on schedule.

Reporting for the finance committee, Nysoe said a potential two percent rate increase on city utility bills would help cover increasing costs. However, he said it wasn’t “necessarily a recommendation at this point.”

Public Works Director, Ryan Paulson, said Charter Communications would begin a project laying fiber optic cable from Walla Walla to Dayton on August 1, 2023. The company estimates work inside Dayton to begin after September 1, 2023.

Paulson said the Department of Ecology directed the city to shut down the pump for the kids’ fishing pond at Pietrzycki City Park. The state recently included Columbia County in a drought emergency. The pond is typically shut off around this time of the year anyway and refilled in the Spring.

Public Works is repairing portions of the sidewalk on Main Street and will remove four trees during the project.

City staff will host a Customer Appreciation Day on August 24, serving hot dogs and refreshments from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. City Hall will be closed on August 17, 2023, for training.

The meeting adjourned after 45 minutes; the next meeting is scheduled for September 12, 2023.