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

Council OK's application for sewer plant design loan, recesses meeting

Members of the Cathlamet Town Council acted on a variety of business at their meeting Monday, but they recessed it to next Monday, 7 p.m., because of lengthy discussions.

Last Monday, the council heard discussion from Gibbs and Olsen consulting engineers and voted after long discussion to authorize the engineers to apply to the state Public Works Trust Fund for an $850,000 loan to pay for further design work on the project.

The engineers warned that the estimated $13 million project could carry $100 monthly sewer rates when completed, but there are no good alternatives.

"We understand the significance of this decision and don't treat it lightly," said engineer Ken Alexander. "We calculated the estimate using US Department of Agriculture funds only for construction, but knowing that very likely you would find other sources. The $100 is extreme; you could bring that down."

One alternative would be to simply upgrade the current treatment ponds, but officials said that the state Department of Ecology would require expensive lining, and it would be a short term solution at best.