Speed limit reduced on first mile of South Touchet Road; second hearing anticipated

DAYTON–In light of public support for lowering the speed limit on the South Touchet Road, County Commissioners approved setting the speed to 35 m.p.h. for the first mile and called for a second public hearing to consider extending the reduced speed zone.

At an April 4 public hearing, Commissioners received testimony from several South Touchet Road residents in favor of extending the 35 m.p.h. speed to Harting Grade Road, and 40 m.p.h. until the end of pavement. After the hearing, the BOCC amended the resolution and passed the amendment.

At the BOCC’s next meeting, an April 11 work session, Commission Chairman Marty Hall clarified the previous action. “I think there was some misunderstanding because we passed a motion to amend this...resolution,” Hall said. “We didn’t actually sign the resolution.”

Hall entertained a motion to adopt the resolution, but Commissioner Ryan Rundell and Charles Amerein both agreed that the public hearing was originally described and advertised for the first mile, and they both think a second public hearing is necessary.

Rundell proposed the BOCC approve only the first mile since those are the residents that were notified prior to the change, and then notify the landowners past that point of the public hearing of the change along that portion.

County Attorney Dale Slack added by not being as specific in the advertisement of the public hearings, it would allow room for modifications without the need for holding additional hearings.

The resolution in the original form of lowering the speed to 35 mph for the first mile on the road was passed.

The date for the next hearing will be determined during the next regular meeting on April 18.

Also put before the Board was the approval of a request for extension on one of two CRAB loans as allowed based on need by WAC 136-5--080.

The request stated, “Resolution 2020-18 authorized the Chairman of the Board to execute an agreement with CRAB to receive Emergency Loan Funds through Loan ELP 2007-01 for the amount of $500,000 with interest to be accrued. The payback date for ELP2007-01 is April 2022.” It later goes on to request “a revised payback term for ELP2007-01 in which the County pays $300,000 to CRAB against the principal and interest by the end of April 2023 and the remainder of the loan by the end of April 2024. Upon receipt of $600,000 or more in reimbursements from FEMA, the County will pay back the entirety of ELP 2007-01 regardless of time remaining on a payback extension.”

Besides awaiting the payment from FEMA, other factors listed in the request for the extension were based on that “Columbia County anticipates revenue shortfalls and elevated costs for road maintenance during 2022. Columbia Pulp, and its affiliated owners, is a significant property owner in Columbia County. By court order, a judge has ordered the Columbia Pulp property to be sold at Sheriff’s Sale; this action could jeopardize approximately $198,000 in County Road tax revenue. We anticipate there will be a reduction in fuel tax revenue due to the elevated costs of fuel. We are experiencing elevated cost for materials to do our road maintenance and preservation work.” The approval for the request was granted.