🏛️ Klickitat County Cities – December 2025 Round-Up

White Salmon • Bingen • Goldendale
Compiled from public meeting records and Columbia Gorge Documenters coverage, shared under CC-by-4.0. Thanks!
📍 upliftlocal.news/columbia-gorge/columbia-gorge-documenters

---

🌟 BINGEN CITY COUNCIL

December 2 & 16, 2025 – Budget Finalization, Public Safety Sales Tax, and Interlocal Agreements

Bingen wrapped up its 2025 session with unanimous approval of the 2026 city budget, a new public safety sales tax, and renewed agreements for police and wastewater services. These meetings showed the city leaning on long-standing regional partnerships while making modest but meaningful changes to its fiscal and digital infrastructure.

💰 Budget & Public Safety Funding

• Ordinance 2025-13-780 adopts the 2026 budget, preserving essential services without major tax or utility hikes.
• Ordinance 2025-14-781 establishes a 0.1% public safety sales tax, which voters approved in November. Revenue will help support police and emergency services, especially as both cities continue to operate shared services with limited staff.

Council discussions were brief but clear: Bingen will maintain its conservative financial strategy while adapting to infrastructure demands and regional coordination.

🤝 Agreements & Staff Contracts

• The council renewed its police services interlocal agreement with White Salmon.
• A wastewater ERU (Equivalent Residential Unit) agreement was introduced to formalize cost-sharing and update unit calculations for the 2026 fiscal year.
• Bingen extended its contract with Granicus, the digital platform that hosts agendas, records, and meeting video for public access.

🚧 Infrastructure & Projects

• Council approved updates to its sidewalk development agreement for Alder and Cedar Streets, and heard updates on other ADA improvements and safe route planning.

👥 New Faces & Reflections

• Councilor Dale Grinstead-Mayle was sworn in.
• Mayor Kelsey Ramsey, originally appointed, was formally sworn in to serve the upcoming full term.

📦 Consent agenda included year-end financial resolutions, SAO audit updates, and final payrolls.

📌 Additional Coverage: Columbia Gorge News

💡 What’s in the 2026 Bingen Budget?

✔️ New public safety sales tax (0.1%)
✔️ No utility increases this year
✔️ Interlocal cost-sharing for wastewater and policing continues
✔️ Granicus renewal improves public access to meetings

📌 Ask the clerk for: Ordinances 2025-13-780 and 2025-14-781 - or check the agendas.

---

🌳 WHITE SALMON CITY COUNCIL

December 4 & 17, 2025 – Final Budget Passage, Emergency Preparedness, and Transparency Debates

White Salmon Council closed the year by passing four budget-related ordinances and reflecting on 2025’s challenges, including wildfire vulnerability, housing growth, and the importance of regional collaboration.

💸 2026 Budget & Tax Ordinances Passed

Council passed:

• Ordinance 2025-12-1103: 2026 Budget
• Ordinance 2025-13-1104: 2026 Salary Schedule
• Ordinance 2025-14-1105: Property Tax Levy
• Ordinance 2025-15-1106: Amendments to 2025 Budget

The budget integrates grants, utility planning, and development-related revenues, while also investing in staff salaries and rate studies. A contract with FCS Group was approved to conduct a water and wastewater utility rate study, aimed at ensuring fairness and long-term sustainability as the city grows.

💡 What’s in the 2026 White Salmon Budget?

✔️ No general utility rate increases announced
✔️ Funding for water & wastewater rate study (FCS Group)
✔️ Final year-end adjustments approved by ordinance
✔️ Continued support for interlocal police services with Bingen
✔️ Tree Board requests and planning department grants reflected in spending outlook

📌 See: Ordinances 2025-12-1103 through 2025-15-1106

🔥 Wildfire Coordination & Emergency Response

The December 17 meeting focused heavily on the city’s preparedness for wildfire and regional disasters, with discussions centered on:

• Interagency planning efforts, including Skamania and Klickitat Counties
• Fuel mitigation and evacuation concerns
• The need for improved communication tools and mutual aid
• Councilmembers highlighted the importance of following through on post-fire recovery coordination, including infrastructure damage assessments and grant eligibility.

🧠 Council Reflections & Transparency Concerns

• Councilors reflected on major 2025 projects, especially the "Big Upzone" housing initiative, infrastructure investments, and community planning wins.
• Some members raised questions about public trust and transparency, particularly regarding the City Operations Committee, which continues to meet without recordings or minutes. This interpretation of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) has raised concern among residents, particularly given the committee’s influence on budget and staffing discussions.

📌 Additional coverage: Columbia Gorge News

---

🌲 WHITE SALMON TREE BOARD

December 8, 2025 – Heritage Tree Nominations, Tree Walk Launch, and TreeFest Prep

The Tree Board celebrated old growth and new ideas in equal measure, planning for TreeFest 2026 while discussing nominations for three ancient trees, one possibly over 340 years old.

🌳 Heritage Trees & Public Engagement

• Three trees, including a Douglas fir and oak, were scoped for Heritage Tree nomination.
• Board members are drafting letters and brochures to approach private landowners where applicable, and will coordinate with the city and historical societies.
• Councilmember Patty Fink offered to begin door-to-door outreach if needed.

🗺️ Tree Walk & Signage Plans

• A mapped Tree Walk with educational signage and a scavenger hunt format is in development.
• The board is seeking ~$3,500 for signage fabrication and design, and will work with local artists and the Historical Society to integrate stories, Indigenous names, and scientific context.
• The walk may be launched by TreeFest (March 21, 2026).

🧹 Gaddis Park Cleanup

• Members will review the 2019 forest plan and conduct a February walkthrough to plan a spring cleanup.
• Ideas include integrating signage at Gaddis Park that matches Tree Walk materials, possibly engaging Rotary Club volunteers.

✨ “I love the notion that there are good people thinking about the relationship between trees and people!”
— Columbia Gorge Documenter

You can view more coverage from local meetings like this one at Documenters.org.

---

🧱 GOLDENDALE CITY COUNCIL

December 1 & 15, 2025 – Legislative Prep, Sales Tax, RV Rules & Council Farewells

🎄 Holiday Spirit and Council Transitions

The December 15 meeting opened with tributes to departing councilors Ellie Casey and Miland Walling, who were honored with flowers, plaques, and kind words from Mayor Dave Jones and fellow members.

✈️ Airport Expansion

The city accepted a $71,250 WSDOT grant to begin runway expansion design. The project comes with a $3,750 city match and a 20-year operational requirement for the airport.

🚓 Ordinances Passed:

1. Ord. 1551 – Public Safety Sales Tax: Implements the 0.01% sales tax passed by voters in November to fund police and emergency services.
2. Ord. 1553 – Noxious Weeds: Adopts Klickitat County’s weed list into city code. Councilor Wheeler raised concerns about culturally important native plants and asked for consultation with the Yakama Nation.
3. Ord. 1544 – RV Nuisance Rule: Prohibits long-term RV occupancy on private property (more than 14 consecutive or 30 annual days), unless in a permitted park. RV storage and short-term guests are exempt.

All passed with waivers of second readings.

📋 Staff Reports:

• Police: 262 service calls in November, 12 arrests. Staffing remains tight, but grant funding for new hires is secured.
• Building Dept:
  • 105 permits issued (down from 115 in 2024).
  • 73 code enforcement cases (up from 43), with $13.6K in liens.
• Public Works:
  • Winter prep and flood response ongoing.
  • Equipment issue at the chlorine station due to oversizing will require further investment.
  • Darland Street project paused for winter.

🏛 Olympia on the Horizon

Mayor Jones encouraged council members to attend AWC Action Days in Olympia and review the Association of Washington Cities legislative priorities before heading to the Capitol.

---

📅 How to Attend Upcoming Meetings

🟦 Bingen
1st & 3rd Tuesdays at 7 PM (Zoom available)
cityofbingen.com

🟩 White Salmon
1st & 3rd Wednesdays at 6 PM
whitesalmonwa.gov

🟥 Goldendale
1st & 3rd Mondays at 6 PM
cityofgoldendale.com