Dayton city council discuss vandalism

DAYTON- Mayor Roger Trump called the Dayton City Council to order at 6 p.m. on March 11, 2025. Trump, Council Members James Su’euga, Joann Patras, Michael Smith, Laura Aukerman, Glenn Hagfeldt, and Shannon McMillen met at city hall. Kyle Anderson was not present.

During public comment, Columbia County Treasurer Carla Rowe said the 15-day grace period for city utility payments was too short since bills sometimes arrive too late for residents to respond. She also mildly admonished the mayor and council for making jabs at the County Administration for the cause of the utility tax increase, apparently referring to this remark in the mayor’s 2025 budget remarks: “The budget also has a utility tax increase of 19%. This will pay Columbia County for the contractual agreement without sacrificing services or eliminating services from other divisions. This agreement pays the City’s Law Enforcement, Dispatch Service, and Municipal Court services contract $758,000.00. Yes WOW!”

“We all have to remember that we are serving the same constituents and really need to work together,” said Rowe.

Comparing city budgets from 2022 to 2025, Rowe pointed out increases, including the park at 91%, the cemetery at 126%, planning at 123%, and City Attorney up 276%, compared to law enforcement having gone up 77%.

Robbie Patterson, the Columbia County Under Sheriff, reported that they had offered Isaac Peterson an entry-level deputy position starting on March 17. Another position is expected to be filled in April.

The council appointed Mike Smith as the Mayor Pro-Tem.

The council approved, without debate, an employment agreement with Isaiah Lambert as Assistant Public Works Director.

Council members also approved a resolution that authorizes the mayor to execute a Public Works Construction Contract with Knife River Corporation, Mountain West, to complete the South Fourth Street Overlay Project.

After Public Works Director Ryan Paulson gave updates on his department’s projects, he described incidents of vandalism. Unknown persons threw picnic tables into the fishing pond. Sheriff deputies retrieved the tables from the water.

The defunct pool house and a church on Fourth Street were both vandalized this past week. Paulson said the new park cameras might have picked up something around the pool house, but at the time of the meeting, the city had not yet viewed the footage.

Paulson said he had been in discussions with the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board about last year’s Otta Seal resurfacing project for most of the city’s streets. The TIB funded the project and said summer heat would bind loose gravel to the substrate as it softens. Some 3/8 chip sealing will also be done on the city streets this summer.

Aukerman laid out a path she had tentatively developed to renegotiate the emergency service/court contract with the county. She said she was trying to build some action items to move forward on the issue. Smith suggested having a town hall meeting on the issue.

During the final public comment, Zella Powers said the painted turn markings at the north side of the intersection at Third Street and Main were, in her opinion, nonsensical. 

The council meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 11, 2025, at 6 p.m.