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

Wahkiakum County Commissioners handled a variety of business when they met Tuesday.

Commissioners heard a suggestion for working with a consultant to plan placement of dredge spoils on eroding Puget Island beaches.

Public Works Director Pete Ringen said Coast and Harbor Engineering, who handled the county's previous dredge spoils planning, is available to handle the currently planned projects.

Ringen suggested the county could ask the firm to include an analysis of the effects of deposits on the Puget Island ferry channel.

Ringen said this is a real concern of the US Army Corps of Engineers, who manage channel maintenance. They have concerns that sand placed upstream along East Sunny Sands will shift downstream and fill the ferry channel.

"They really hit us hard on that one," commented Commissioner Dan Cothren, who heard the comments with Ringen at a meeting with the Corps. He added that he had also discussed the issue with representatives of up river ports who benefit from the shipping channel, and suggested

those ports could contribute to maintenance costs. He also commented to the up river ports that the county isn't amenable to granting the ports to cross the county road with the equipment they need to deposit channel deepening sand on the inside of the Island dikes.

The issue makes the planning of the sand placement much more complex, Ringen said.

Ringen said he would discuss the issues with Coast and Harbor and have them develop some proposals for consulting services.

In other business, Wahkiakum County will have an Americorps service volunteer starting September 16.

The volunteer will work out of the Wahkiakum Community Network office and be under supervision of Health and Human Services, said Director Sue Cameron.

"She'll be directing lots of activities for older Americans," Cameron said.

Also, commissioners had no objection for an application for a marijuana production and processing business at 490 SR 409, Puget Island. Applicants are Paul and Sherrie Lauer and Harley Coerper, Jr.