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DAYTON- The Columbia County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) made a decision to change the bimonthly Monday work session meeting to Tuesdays beginning the second Tuesday in October. The bimonthly regular meetings will remain on Mondays because to change it would require a public hearing. The Commissioners discussed the change only for the work sessions to see how it works and may consider moving all meetings to Tuesdays in the future, to reduce the chance meetings fall on a holiday. The of the Colu...
DAYTON–The Port of Columbia Board of Commissioners voted to appoint Commissioner Shawn Brown as Chairman, then discussed plans to advertise the vacancy for District No. 3. Commissioner Sean Milligan as Secretary began the regular Port of Columbia meeting on September 8 in the absence of Chairman Earle Marvin. Milligan said, "Duly note, that our Chairman Commissioner Earle Marvin has passed. That's a sad thing. Our condolences go out to his family." After there was no public comment, Milligan m...
DAYTON-The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Public Hearing addressed many other concerns after fireworks ordinance that failed during the special meeting on September 7. About 15 people attended in addition to the Commissioners and County Prosecutor Dale Slack. The Commissioners opened up for public comment which started with a request as to the Commissioners' position about the recent vaccine mandates. Another person voiced his choice to get the vaccine because of health concerns but that...
DAYTON–In the wake of the ruling in Blake vs. State of Washington, which invalidated the felony drug possession law last February, counties that held up the law as it was written are facing questions about the process of paying back fines and fees as well as clearing records of people convicted under the statute. "The County has about 450 cases for simple possession dating back to when it was put in force in 1971," said Columbia County Prosecutor Dale Slack. "Blake vs. State ruled the law u...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Board of Health convened September 7. Public Health Administrator Martha Lanman provided an update of COVID-19 cases in the county. Last week cases hit a record high of 44 with a record testing day of 46 tests. Since then, cases have dropped to 33 but with many calls for testing after the long weekend. Commissioner Charles Amerein asked how many have been breakthrough cases to which Lanman said that data is not being requested nor collected by the State, but from what...
DAYTON–Columbia County Health System CEO Shane McGuire and Chief Human Resources Officer Laura Stevens discussed with Board members the recent COVID-19 vaccination mandate for healthcare employees at the August meeting, requiring them to be fully vaccinated by October 18 or be terminated. McGuire reported that since the mandate 12 employee vaccinations have been administered and 15 more were scheduled during an employee vaccine clinic offered on August 31. Stevens reported just over half of CCHS...
DAYTON-The Dayton School District announced towards the end of the school day Monday, August 30, the School Board would be calling an emergency Zoom meeting that evening in lieu of the regular work session meeting scheduled Wednesday, September 1, in response to increased COVID-19 cases. The meeting was for the purpose of discussing the situation and approve the decision for middle and high school students grades 6-12 to move to remote learning. Strot updated the Board and those in attendance th...
DAYTON-On August 13, employees of Chief Spring Pizzeria and Fire & Irons Brewpub received a mandate from owners Mike and Ann Spring to get the first dose of the COVID vaccination by August 31 or their “employment will end.” It went on to read they must be fully vaccinated by September 30 showing proof of vaccination or face the same consequences. The notice says clearly, “If you choose not to comply, you will forfeit your job and possibly your unemployment benefits.” The only exception stated...
DAYTON–The City Council approved the use of $330,000 of the $340,000 American Rescue Plan Act 2021 (ARPA) funds at their August 11 meeting, to go towards the $500,000 match requirement for the $2 million Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) grant the Port of Columbia was recently awarded to construct a fiber optic broadband network. Councilmember Misty Yost appealed to the Council to investigate other uses for the funds before approving them for broadband, but she was the only d...
DAYTON–Locally, there are 16 COVID-19 cases, down from a high of 27 in recent weeks. Public Health Administrator Martha Lanman reported to the Board of County Commissioners at the regular meeting on August 16 that the department administered an additional 50 vaccine doses at clinics held last week. More clinics are scheduled for this week and will continue to be offered. Public Health is taking appointments for third doses for the immunocompromised, which is now being recommended by the C...
DAYTON–The School District held its final summer forums August 12; one for the elementary and one for middle and high school. Superintendent Guy Strot led the forums and was assisted by Elementary Principal Amy Cox and Middle and High School Principal Kristina Brown. Far fewer people attended than previous forums, only about 20 for the elementary forum and about half that many for the middle and high school forum. Only a handful of staff attended between the two and no School Board members, t...
DAYTON–The Port of Columbia Commissioners agreed to meet using ZOOM instead of in-person to shelter against the covid variant, which has been present in the community. The Board met by Zoom with Executive Director Jennie Dickinson for the monthly meeting on August 11. The meeting format was discussed and the Commissioners affirmed they would continue by Zoom as long as covid variant case counts are up in Columbia County. It is also advisable to utilize ZOOM because the Port boardroom has l...
DAYTON-Public Health Administrator Martha Lanman reported to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) at the August 2 meeting, the County jumped from two COVID cases the previous Monday to 27. Contact tracing is still ongoing for the active cases. She said that most of the cases were unrelated and this is the highest number the County has seen since COVID hit the State in March last year. Only one is a breakthrough case in someone who is fully vaccinated. Public Health Officer Lewis Neace, D.O....
DAYTON-About 100 citizens attended the Patriot Picnic in the Park on July 24 at the Dayton City Park. They met up for a "Meet and Mingle" with the candidates supported by the local political organization Columbia County Conservatives (CCC). Members from the Columbia County Republican Central Committee and Common-Sense Conservatives from Walla Walla also attended. The event featured several of the Columbia County candidates running for the November election for various local entities, and...
DAYTON-Kyle Terry, M.D. was asked by Columbia County Health System Shane McGuire about the status of COVID in the community, in particular the Delta variant, during the July 28 board meeting. Dr. Terry reported that Columbia County Health Officer. Lewis Neace, D.O. told him that he is requesting the recent positive COVID cases to be also tested for the variant. McGuire added that though the variant is not as deadly, more people needing to be put in the hospital particularly in the unvaccinated...
DAYTON–The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Dayton, contracting out County planning services at an hourly rate for a period of six months unless terminated with a one-month notice. This is a stop-gap measure while the city attempts to fill the planning position left after the mayor terminated last month the Director of Planning and Community Development along with the Administrator and Public Works Manager. The BOCC heard a presentation f...
DAYTON-Members of the Northwest Incident Management Team 7 hosted a presentation of the Green Ridge Fire on July 15 at the Columbia County Fairgrounds Pavilion. The presentation was also streamed live on Facebook and continues to be available for viewing on the Columbia County Fire District #3 (CCFD) Facebook page. According to the CCFD, the 467-acre fire (which grew to 595 by the next day) is burning about 13 miles from Dayton and 6.5 miles from Camp Wooten. The much larger 66,000-acre Lick...
DAYTON–The City Council heard a slight explanation of the reasoning for the special meeting held for public comment on June 30 after the termination of three senior employees, City Administrator Trina Cole, Public Works Manager Jim Costello, and Planning and Community Development Director Meagan Hayes, by request of Mayor Zac Weatherford. He stated at the special meeting on June 30 there would be a public comment portion at the regular July meeting. At the beginning of that portion of the J...
DAYTON-The Dayton School Board adopted policy 6022 for a minimum fund balance of $450,000 at the board meeting July 14. The fund will be reviewed annually. Superintendent Guy Strot and Business Manager Paula Moisio met with the board expressing the current financial situation of the school budget. "We are currently right on track with where we'd anticipate our revenue to be for this year," said Moisio. Athletic Director Sam Korslud reported that the girls middle school volleyball camp recently...
DAYTON-The School Board appointed Jeff McCowen to the open board position left by Kate Leid; approved the hiring of two teachers, one paraprofessional; laid plans for the third forum, and maintenance projects at the meeting on July 7. McCowen took the Oath of Office for the Dayton School Board at the July 7 meeting after they recently appointed him for the open at-large position for the interim period until new Board members get voted in for next term. McCowen is also running uncontested for...
DAYTON-City of Dayton Mayor Zac Weatherford presented to the Columbia County Commissioners (BOCC) a draft or a temporary interlocal agreement of six months at the July 6 meeting. This agreement proposes to utilize Columbia County's planning services until new staff is in place to handle building permits and follow through with projects that are in place. Commissioner Ryan Rundell commented that the draft was more than they thought it would be by asking the County planner to attend City Council...
DAYTON–The Port of Columbia regular meeting had to be moved to Monday July 12 from the regularly scheduled second Wednesday because Executive Director Jennie Dickinson said the Port was invited to present to the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) for consideration to receive their rural broadband program grant on Thursday July 15. Dickinson said Bob Greene from local internet service provider (ISP) Columbia iConnect will also present on behalf of the Port project. T...
DAYTON–The decision to terminate employment of three City of Dayton employees on June 16 was Mayor Zac Weatherford's alone, the Dayton mayor informed the Dayton Chronicle last week, and those mayoral terminations were authorized in the contracts of each of those employees and did not require the mayor to consult with the City Council. Open discussion of the matter needs to be done carefully, Weatherford was advised by the City's law firm. Mayor Weatherford did not disclose any reasons for the a...
DAYTON–Columbia County Health System has added another health-related service to its arsenal. A ribbon cutting grand opening of the Columbia County Health System's (CCHS) Family Dental Clinic was held at noon on Wednesday, June 30. Attending was Representative Skyler Rude (R-16-Walla Walla), who helped secure funding to finish the project, with Representative Mike Steele from the Capital Budget Committee. "A person's oral health impacts their overall health and the quality of life," said CCHS C...
DAYTON–Columbia County Health System (CCHS) opened the Dental Clinic with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on June 30 beginning at noon. A week before the opening, the clinic is "substantially complete with a couple of very minor punch list items like a light fixture," Columbia County Health District CEO Shane McGuire reported at the last board meeting on June 23. "We are waiting for a certificate occupancy after our final inspection. Regarding budget, the project completed substantially...
