Additional flood funds approved

DAYTON-The Columbia County Commissioners (BOCC) approved resolution FC2021-01, for additional funding for flood work done in the Touchet River.

Administrator of the Flood Control Zone District (FCZD) Charles Eaton, sought approval from the County Commissioners during the FCZD meeting on April 5 for additional funding for flood work to be done in the Touchet River. This work had an estimated approved cost of $200,000 but with needed interagency reviews by the historical preservation and cultural resource and also requiring an onsite biologist, obtaining a design for the work and the need for overtime pay for it to be considered an emergency by FEMA, the cost has ballooned to $360,000. FEMA would cover 75% but according to Eaton, to cover the other 25%, the scope of other projects would have to be reduced to compensate. The resolution was approved.

Eaton reported that permits filed are still pending approval. However, later in the regular Board of County Commissioners meeting, he told the commissioners that one of the permits for one section and he thought they would get started as soon as they reviewed the conditions for the permit.

Jennie Dickinson, Executive Director of the Port of Columbia sought approval as the designator for the Associate Development Organization (ADO) an agency that functions as an off-shoot of the Chamber of Commerce, according to Dickinson. The Port had been acting in that capacity already but needed County approval for another two years.

As an agent for the ADO, the Port has been the conduit of the CARES money for small businesses this past year. Port Commissioner Shawn Brown who was also present spoke on her behalf about how integral her efforts have been in getting money out the community. Before he moved here, he was a resident of Benton County and had a business licensed there until he recently transferred it more locally. He continues to keep in connection with Benton County and shared that he was surprised that no one was aware of the money available to help during the pandemic. He passed on what Columbia County was doing through the Port. Seeing that work compelled him to seek the position of Port Commissioner.

Commissioner Charles Amerein questioned about whether Ports are allowed to be designated by the federal government and specifically about receiving federal money particularly the anticipated federal relief money coming for COVID. Dickinson conceded that the feds do require that the ADO designator be regional. She stated she attempted to work within a district with Walla Walla County but they don't have an interest. She said that the federal funding comes through the State and is given local entities that the Port partners with like the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Dayton who then bequest the Port the money, so it shouldn't be an issue to receive it. Amerein appeared to not be satisfied with this answer and was the dissenting vote in the approval by the Commissioners of the Port as the ADO designator.

Dickinson then presented the Commissioners with information on the efforts to make available city-wide broadband through NoaNet. Once installed, homes and businesses would connect through local internet providers. This $2.6 million project would require funding which Dickinson is pursuing. The Port has received approval from Sherwood Trust for matching funds in the amount of $20,000 and other matching funds sources are being sought. Brown spoke of the benefits of broadband for attracting business here, particularly tech companies. He also said that it would help with online communications.