16 Concerned Citizens Show Up to Round Table With White Salmon City Council

In the first of what are supposed to be round table with the city council, approximately 16 citizens showed up to yak with the city council. Almost all of the councilors were there: Susan Gookin, Mayor Francis Gaddis, Brad Roberts, John Mayo and Timi Keene. Tom Smith from city works was there also. Ricky Marx reportedly had car trouble and was absent.

The circle was comprised of all of the councilors on one side except Mayo who was in with 'the people" around the rest of the circle. Councilor Brad Roberts, in his usual gruff way opened with "Well, here we are, any questions?". Mayo interjected with a plug for this blog, stating that it was great format for dialogue (we think so). Then the citizens, given a free rein at last, began to voice a series of concerns, questions and solutions.

The exchange was free flowing and open between the citizens themselves and Mayo, Roberts and Keene, with Keene taking the lead on almost all responses. Gaddis and Gookin were noticeably silent.

Among issues brought up was the apparent massive 30,000 gal./day water leak from the city swimming pool. A great discussion followed including Mayo's idea of a parks and recs levy district to help pay for the pool in a wider area. Another was the filling up of parking spaces downtown by downtown business employees. Crashes at the bottom of Dock Grade was discussed. The treacherous middle turn out from the park and ride was hashed out. The issue of the actual price on the 'cottages' of the Wyers End (Tim' s Trailer Park) and workforce housing was brought up.

When a citizen asked if the round table was going to be a regular occurrence Councilor Keene pointed out that if she had been there she would have heard Mayor Gaddis read the statement that this was to happen before every regular council meeting. Wake up, citizen.

In sum, it was good for the citizens to hear from each other and voice a few of their concerns and ideas for solutions. It was a fairly non-threatening environment. Highly recommended to attend, even if you are a shy person.

Yes! The County Commissioners Have Listened!

Husum/BZ Corner Sub-Plan Hearing has been rescheduled to be held on Thursday, September 6 at the Pioneer Center beginning at 1 PM.
Please try to make it to the hearing to express your concerns on the scope and planning of this very large change to our little county.

Kudos to WS City Council for Posting Meetings Minutes

Thank you guys. This makes it much easier for us folks to participate and stay informed. You have promised the draft minutes be posted within 4 working days. What will Jesse have to report on? wink wink.
You have also posted the agendas. No more trips to the post office to wade through the announcements on the wall. Just notice the date on the list, cause they have the previous year up too. SEE THE DIRECT LINKS ON THIS PAGE TO THE RIGHT. For you convenience.

HOW ABOUT POSTING THE PLANNING AND COUNCIL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS TOO, since the agendas often aren't put out until quite late.

We also notice that WILL KEYSER is still listed as the Planning Director. Is this a fact? How about putting the current commissioners on the city website as well?

White Salmon City Council Institutes Round Table Meeting Before Each Regular Meeting

In a positive move toward encouraging more citizen participation, the city council has decided to hold round table town hall meetings before each city council meeting. The city council meetings are every first and third Wednesday at 6 pm at the fire hall. The town hall meetings will be at 5 pm and last for 45 minutes. They will be set up in a more informal arrangement than the rather intimidating 'public comment' portion of the regular meetings.

This time frame may be problematic for many of the working public, not to mention the councilors themselves and the public hoping to attend the regular meeting who hope to eat supper first. It also may take some time for folks to be aware of this new opportunity. If this forum is less than well attended we hope that the Mayor and the City Council does not interpret this as apathy. Let us believe this is not a set-up and that this is a gesture in good faith.

In another good gesture, the council voted to have the draft minutes of the last meeting up on the city's web page within 4 working days. A meeting attendee requested they post the upcoming agendas as well. This blog is currently posting the upcoming agendas on the link to the right as well as the council's web page.

Finally, Klickitat County will hold next vote by mail

Hopefully it will encourage all you guys to vote that tend to leave our beautiful gorge for the winter to go to some place warm and sunny (who would want to do that?) and forget to ask for an absentee ballot. Maybe this will encourage actual involvement! Especially when we see the county becoming more like Hood River, where 75% of the homes are second homes. I wonder what their voting rates are, with Oregon's all vote by mail?

This is good news for the county and the city financially too. Of course, folks had been calling for this for some time. One of the reasons we didn't get it before apparently was that the county got some grant to put in Diebold electronic voting machines that would help the disabled vote at the poll. One poll observer mentioned that no one used the machines all day. The other benefit is a rather large savings to the county. Maybe some of the savings could be used for say, voter education. So Yay! for Klickitat county, no longer in the minority in Wa. State. Only three counties now remain under the polling-place system -- King, Pierce and Kittitas.