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

Port District No. 2 may be doing a variety of cleaning and improvements around the boat launch at Skamokawa Vista Park.

Port commissioners have been considering how they could improve boat launching facilities at the park. The current ramp is short and lacks any dock, and Skamokawa Creek estuary is shoaling in.

A consulting engineer evaluated the ramp and other sites around the park at the end of September and reported to commissioners at a special meeting October 2. Saying ramps closer to the Columbia would be subject to ship wakes and siltation more than the current ramp, he recommended the port focus efforts on improving the present ramp.

Port commissioners on Tuesday authorized Manager Janet Bryan to issue a request for proposals for engineering services for the boat ramp improvements.

Boat ramp improvements may not be all the work the port undertakes in the area.

The ramp is on Pleasant Point Road, and Pleasant Point Road resident Jon Peterson asked port Commissioners Lori Scott, Brian O'Connor and Lee Tischer to clean up port property along the west side of the road.

Some people in the neighborhood have left boats, old wood, and other items along the road for years.

"Our property values are impacted by the junk dumped on your property," Peterson said. "That boat sitting on your property is aggravating.

"I just want to see the public area cleaned up. We're just tired of it down there."

"It's a mess down there," O'Connor said. "Jon's absolutely right."

Commissioners said they would keep the suggestion in mind as they developed the boat ramp project.

In other business, commissioners agreed to change their meeting time from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. starting in December. That will give new commissioner Tischer time to do his bus driving job and also get to commission meetings on time.