The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Commissioners of Port District No. 2 thought they were ready to vote on an updated comprehensive park and recreation plan on Tuesday, but last minute details tabled the issue till next month.

Commissioners Lori Scott, Kayrene Gilbertsen and Brian O'Connor heard criticism of the plan, and they agreed with some of it, but were ready to approve the plan with the understanding they could amend when they desired.

Then Grays River resident Karen Bertroch asked if the board had the most up-to-date version of the plan in front of them. Commissioners looked to see if the documents had the changes they had requested at their June meeting, and they found the changes weren't there.

At that point, they agreed to table a vote on the update to their August meeting.

Bertroch and Skamokawa resident Mike Linn leveled criticisms at the updated plan.

"When you get done reading a document like this, you have a picture of the organization," Linn said. "It's not there."

Also, Linn said, the plan says that the port should make projects which it can afford the top priorities.

"No," Linn said. "You should be putting money away for large projects."

Bertroch commented that she felt the plan doesn't present a healthy picture of the port district. This would hurt when the port submitted the plan as part of an application for grant funds, she said.

The plan also includes no tables, graphics or maps, she added.

"There needs to be more," she said.

Bertroch and Linn volunteered to work with the commissioners to add more information to the plan.

However, port attorney Tim Hanigan commented that the plan meets all the requirements for the port district.

"We need to get something on the books," broke in O'Connor. "I want it to be more specific."

Gilbertsen responded that some specificity is needed, but making the plan too specific could be limiting in the future.

"We could adopt this now and add amendments for economic development," she suggested.

"I believe the plan allows us to do anything we want to do," Scott said. "Tim has convinced me we can approve it and amend it."

She and Gilbertsen moved to adopt the updated plan. Then Bertroch asked if the board was looking at the most recent version, and commissioners determined they didn't have that copy and couldn't make sure the changes they had requested in June were included.

At that point, O'Connor said the issue would be tabled to the August meeting.