CAC Meeting notes for the February 25, 2009 Public Meeting
This meeting was intended as a public hearing for the local sewer rate increase and as a general information sharing between the county, local committees and residents. Approximately 50 people were in attendance.
County Officials in attendance were:
Commissioners Mike Doherty and Mike Chapman, Bob Martin manager of the Clallam County Emergency Management Department, Administrator Jim Jones, Public Works Director Craig Jacobs, Roads Manager Ross Tyler, Community Development Director John Miller, Sheriff Sgt. Brian King and Clerk of the Board Trish Holden. Additionally, County personnel from the roads department and the sewer district were in attendance.
The primary topic was a decision on whether to raise the sewer rates in the Clallam Bay/ Sekiu district. The ordinance to amend the Clallam Bay/Sekiu sewerage rate schedule is intended to help improve an aging Sewer system. It would raise the base rate by $1 per month each year (from $42 per month to $44 in 2011 for residential and from $46 to $49 in 2011 for commercial). It would also place a one-cent (from .05 to .06 per cubic ft.) increase on the volume rate for those exceeding 700 cubic feet per month, which is mostly businesses usage. In addition, the county will transfer $100,000 from its general fund reserves or its capital reserves to the sewer district. “We would like to see it grow,” Chapman said. “One thing this system could use is some new connections.” Connection fees in the district, in place since the mid 1970s, would rise from $400 to $1,000 per connection, starting immediately. “These are still remarkably low fees for connections to sewer systems,” Bob Martin said. There was minimal public comment, and everyone seemed to understand that was a very modest increase. Before the ordinance goes to a vote, the commissioners will accept more public comment and discuss it in their Mondays work session.
After the sewer rate increase presentation, the commissioners held their annual meeting with the Clallam Bay/Sekiu Community Advisory Council public meeting with Mike Doherty making the introductions.
Joe Murray, chairman of the Community Advisory Council, recapped the goings on of the Community Advisory Council, the Scenic Byways Committee and the WRIA 19 status.
Roy Morris from the Lions club discussed the Lions activities and in particular the upcoming beach cleanup and the marine resources involvement.
Trish Hudson, fire chief, talked about the 4th Wednesday of the month meetings and the possibility of adding a new fire station, primarily for storage, at the new snob hill development (across Hwy 112 from the PUD office).
Bill Drath, Chamber Treasurer and State Parks Ranger, gave a recap of chamber activities for the year including the upcoming fly-in to the Sekiu airport and beach cleanup. Bill said the state budget crunch affect on the state parks was not well defined at this point, but would talk individually after the meeting.
The department of Corrections temporary superintendent, Ron Fraker, provided some facts about the Clallam Bay Correction Center. Current inmate population is 890 and employs about 400 personnel The operating budget is about 29 million a year. They are developing ‘green’ techniques and re-entry programs.
Kandy Ritter, interim Cape Flattery School district superintendent, said that they had about 130 students and there were lots of rumors going around about combining the Neah Bay and Clallam Bay schools into one school location. Nothing was certain yet, but Kandy encourage everyone to write their legislators and identify the extra travel involved and the hazards of those travels on the treacherous roads in our area.
Sasha Medlen, the Community Action Team (CAT) leader, provided an update on the current CAT activities and the switch over to the “Mainstreet Program” approach. She said progress is being made on a series of things. Updates and status are provided on the CAT web site www.cbsekiucats.com.
Tom Hughes, Physicians Assistant for the local Clinic, provided some status on the hours and services for the local clinic and said that there will be an OLYCAP dentist provided on some Saturdays.
Steve Rhyner, from the Forks radio stations KLLM 103.9 FM and KVAC 1490 AM, provided some insight on their new 24 hour programming and future goals.
Bob Martin, Mike Doherty, Al Camin and several other County officials/staff talked about the accomplishments and future objectives in the areas of;
Relocation of the AHAB advance warning system being placed, shortly, in the Clallam Bay area on public property (County park, probably). Neah Bay has their system installed and a total test of the total system will be accomplished soon.
FEMA assistance (plus county and state funds) for flood damage reconstruction. Including the Hoko River Bridge (Nichols Road Bridge), which was temporarily repaired on February 3rd and will have permanent repair in August this year.
General road Maintenance is scheduled, particularly the Mile post 37 washout area of the Highway 112.
Map your neighbor hood and block watch activities and contacts. There are currently 46 persons signed into the email alert system and the county would like to see more.
The status of the CenturyTel Fiber optic being laid to Clallam Bay from the Sappho junction for high speed Internet is being accomplished.
A reminder that the Port has resurfaced the Sekiu Airport to expend its operation capabilities for 10 more years.
Slip Point County/Coast Guard lease agreement is being prepared and the visitor parking areas are set up.
Several residents shared some concerns about the response and plowing technique’s accomplished by the county road crews during, and after, the storm.
The County said that they had heard our concerns, and hoped the community understood some of the limitations the county has for these unusual situations.
During an extended snow storm in December, residents said it took 48 to 72 hours for the roads to be plowed and then plowed their driveway shut (mounds of snow) to prevent egress for over a week. Additionally, some road intersections were cut off as well.
One resident, a snow plow operator, said he couldn’t get out of his driveway to report to work because he was snowed in.
Ross Tyler from the County Road Maintenance section said
that the county will consider allowing road crews
to take plows home when major storms are forecast and will
always be open to calls and/or email of emergency
situations “We try to learn from our storm response,” he
said.
Prepared by Ted Muralt, Secretary for the CAC