🏘️ Housing, Enforcement & Public Safety: Klickitat City Govts Recap - October 2025

🏛️ White Salmon City Council – October 2025 Recap

Key meetings: October 4 (Regular), October 11 (Budget Workshop), and October 27 (Operations Committee)

📅 October 4, 2025 – Regular Council Meeting

Council opened the month with updates on interlocal utility agreements, housing policy planning, and previewed topics that would be discussed in more depth at the upcoming budget workshop.

They also:

• Received early department reports
• Noted continuing coordination with the West Klickitat Regional Fire Authority (WKRFA)
• Scheduled items like drone policy, wastewater agreements, and enforcement reforms for review at the Operations Committee later in the month

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📊 October 11, 2025 – Special Budget Workshop

(Also covered in Columbia Gorge News)

This in-depth workshop provided a department-by-department review of 2025 achievements and 2026 budget proposals.

💵 Finance

• $93K recovered through audits and vendor reviews
• ~$78K annual revenue restored via reinstated TBD fee
• New Smartsheet systems for AP, grants, and admin
• Proposal for additional accounting staff and IT system upgrades

🚧 Public Works

• Completed Transmission Main Phase 1
• Chip sealing, SCADA upgrades, Dock Grade resurfacing
• Proposed a new City Facilities division to manage buildings and grounds
• A Sewer & Stormwater Master Plan proposed to map and plan infrastructure upgrades

🔥 Emergency Preparedness

• Ongoing support for Burdoin Fire recovery
• Coordination with WKRFA on new staff, training, and joint planning
• Fuel break grant delayed, but planning continues

👮 Police Department

• 24/7 staffing continues; low complaints; two lifesaving commendations
• Previewed a potential drone policy to improve officer safety and emergency response
• Noted the need for upgraded communications and grant alignment

🏘️ Planning & Housing

• 2025 saw success with unit lot subdivision code, tree protection, and Bluff Connector Trail planning
• 2026 priorities:
  • The "Big Upzone" to align zoning with the Comprehensive Plan
  • Launch of a full Comp Plan update (due 2027)
  • Bluff Trail construction and housing action implementation

🌎 Equity & Engagement

• Staff proposed a Councilor Engagement Fund
• Plans to increase language access, mobile inspections, and bilingual outreach materials
• Shifting focus from education to proactive code enforcement, especially around fire and nuisance hazards

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🏘️ Special Section: What’s the “Big Upzone” in White Salmon?

In 2026, the City of White Salmon will launch what planners are calling the “Big Upzone,” a major effort to update the city’s zoning map and land use rules to match the goals of its adopted Comprehensive Plan.

🧱 What’s Changing?

• The upzone will increase housing flexibility across the city - potentially allowing for townhomes, ADUs, small-scale apartments, or mixed-use buildings in areas that are currently restricted to single-family homes.
• This work builds on ordinances already passed in 2025, like the unit lot subdivision code, which made it easier to build fee-simple homes on small lots.
• It also prepares the city for its next Comprehensive Plan update, due by mid-2027.

💡 Why It Matters:

• White Salmon is a small city facing mounting housing pressure. This update could open the door for more affordable, walkable, and sustainable development options.
• The upzone is expected to help implement key goals from the city’s Housing Action Plan, adopted in 2021.
• It could also shape the future of Downtown, residential neighborhoods, and transition zones where infill is needed.

📣 How to Stay Involved:

The city hasn’t launched formal hearings yet, but work will begin in 2026. Here’s how to follow along and get ready to weigh in:

• 🗓️ Check meeting agendas and packets:
  cityofwhitesalmon.org/meetings
• 🏛️ Attend Planning Commission meetings (typically monthly) and Council workshops where the upzone may be discussed.
• ✉️ Sign up for city alerts:
  Look for city newsletters or email announcements at cityofwhitesalmon.org
• 🗣️ Reach out to your city councilmember: Ask them to advocate for housing choice, equity, and climate-smart development in the upzone.

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⚠️ October 27, 2025 – City Operations Committee Meeting

This small committee reviewed:

• A proposed drone program policy
• Wastewater interlocal agreement terms with Bingen
• Water policy goals for 2026
• Code violation hearing protocols
• Issues with the Dogwood neighborhood’s sewer infrastructure

However, this meeting was not recorded, and no minutes were published, an unusual interpretation of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) that has drawn criticism from some residents. While committee meetings are sometimes treated informally, the lack of documentation for a meeting with substantial policy discussion has raised concerns about transparency.

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🏛️ Goldendale City Council – October 2025 Recap

Meetings from October 7, 14 (Budget Workshop), and 21, 2025

📅 October 7, 2025 – Code Enforcement & City Safety

🚧 Code Enforcement Strategy
Councilmembers expressed growing concern about persistent code violations, including:

• Abandoned vehicles and RVs
• Overgrown lots
• Vacant structures

Discussion centered around how to prioritize violations and potentially contract with external enforcement agencies to improve turnaround and accountability.

🦺 Broadway Crosswalk Delays Continue
The city remains unable to move forward with Broadway and Collins curb painting due to WSDOT approval issues. Staff are exploring alternate striping approaches or documentation to move forward without further delay.

🚒 Fire Debrief and FEMA Claims
Council reviewed staff time and equipment used during recent wildfire response. Staff are compiling documentation to support FEMA reimbursement claims, particularly related to mutual aid deployments in Lyle and Appleton.

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📊 October 14, 2025 – 2026 Budget Workshop

The Council held a focused budget workshop to review fiscal trends and set direction for 2026.

💰 Key Points:

• The general fund is stable, but rising costs and deferred maintenance are stressing available resources.
• Council reviewed departmental needs across Public Works, Parks, Police, and Admin.
• Staff emphasized the need to adjust utility and permit fee structures to reflect actual costs.
• Future capital needs (e.g., fleet replacement, HVAC, roof repairs) were noted as critical but currently unfunded.

Council did not finalize any cuts or new investments but agreed on the need to:

• Explore grant matches
• Increase transparency for service costs
• Continue small-scale improvements without exceeding reserves

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📅 October 21, 2025 – Park Planning & Utility Maintenance

🏞️ City Park Improvements
Council reviewed initial designs for new restrooms at Ekone Park and discussed a potential site layout that would integrate better pedestrian flow and ADA access. Community feedback will be gathered before construction is finalized.

🧰 Equipment Purchases Approved
Council approved:

• Purchase of a utility truck bed for fleet maintenance
• Replacement of stormwater pumps at two key culvert locations

These were funded through previously budgeted capital allocations and considered essential for winter preparedness.

🏠 Housing & Land Use Referrals
A brief update from the Planning Commission noted continued interest in short plat applications and requests for variance reviews on small lot development.

👮 Public Safety & City Staffing
The Police Department shared updates on summer enforcement efforts and training. Staff discussed retention challenges and praised officers for community event presence during Pride and the Back-to-School Bash.

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🏛️ Bingen City Council – October 2025 Recap

Critical areas, sales tax debate, and public works updates

📅 October 7, 2025 – Public Safety Sales Tax & Public Works Review

🚓 Public Safety Sales Tax Discussion (PSEST)
Council held a public hearing on Ordinance 2025-12-779, which would authorize a 0.1% sales tax to fund law enforcement services. BWSPD Sergeant Clifford raised serious concerns about state mandates that come with the tax, suggesting the requirements may exceed the revenue generated. He emphasized the administrative burden on the small department, especially if the BWSPD doesn't qualify for exemptions under HB2015.

Mayor Kiewit acknowledged the confusion and compressed rollout timeline, saying she didn’t want to pursue the tax if it would create hardship for the police department. Council ultimately tabled the ordinance until December to gather more information and possibly renegotiate the interlocal contract with BWSPD, which expires at the end of 2025.

🚒 Fire Department Update
Chief Spratt reported 43 calls in September, including 5 in Bingen and 38 mutual aid. The recent pancake breakfast fundraiser was a success, raising around $2,000 and serving an estimated 400 attendees. The city also received $16,605 from the WA State Patrol for assisting in the Burdoin Mountain Fire response.

🛠️ Public Works Q3 Report
Superintendent David Spratt shared updates on major projects:

• New bus stop shelters were installed with lighting, bollards, signage, and benches.
• Work continued on the East Steuben waterline and general infrastructure inspections.
• Emergency removal of a large oak tree in the city park was completed.

🗺️ GIS Mapping Tool Demonstration
Bingen showcased a new GIS system developed by RCAC at no cost. The map will be enhanced this winter with notes and historical memory from Superintendent Spratt.

📑 Other Actions:

• Approved USDA Q3 budget statements
• Cancelled a lost fuel payment check (Resolution 2025-008)
• Reviewed a draft franchise agreement with NW Natural
• Pushed discussion on Maple Street tree removals to the next meeting

🌉 Regional Updates
Mayor Kiewit shared news from regional planning calls:

• Bridge replacement design to complete by mid-2027, construction starts October 2027, new bridge opens in 2031
• WSDOT roundabout construction near SR-141 beginning October 13 after delays with rail flaggers

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📅 October 21, 2025 – Critical Areas Ordinance Sparks Community Pushback

The meeting featured a well-attended public hearing on proposed changes to the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO), specifically expanding riparian buffers near Jewett Creek and Dry Creek based on the SPTH200 model (Site Potential Tree Height 200).

🏞️ Community Testimony Floods In
Residents and property owners pushed back hard, saying the buffers were inappropriate for:

• Dry Creek, described repeatedly as a man-made, concrete-lined stormwater ditch, not a natural stream
• Jewett Creek, where proposed buffer changes would derail a 48-unit Phase II of a workforce housing project already under development

Speakers included:

• Paul and Robert Rudinsky, developers of the housing project
• Stan Dickey, of Dickey Farms, citing hardship on future repairs or expansion
• Miriam and Randy Knowles, longtime residents concerned about property rights
• Garret Stump, representing SDS Lumber, who said they weren’t properly notified
• Multiple homeowners near Dry Creek who described the buffer as excessive, unfair, and not ecologically justified

🌲 Outcome: Council Pushes Back

• Council voted to request a formal deviation from the state’s Best Available Science (BAS) recommendation
• Rejected the SPTH200 method as outlined by the Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Authorized issuance of a 60-day intent-to-adopt notice for a revised ordinance with adjusted standards

📅 What Comes Next:

1. 60-Day Public Review Period (Fall-Winter 2025)
   The intent-to-adopt notice triggers a public comment window during which the public and agencies (e.g., Ecology, WDFW) can weigh in on the deviation from Best Available Science (BAS).
2. Revised Ordinance Draft
   Staff will prepare and circulate a new draft of the ordinance, likely with:
   • Modified buffers for Dry Creek (not using SPTH200)
   • Adjusted buffers for Jewett Creek that consider Phase II of the workforce housing project and other impacted parcels
3. Final Adoption Vote
   Council will revisit the CAO in early 2026, incorporating public input and agency comments. A formal vote is required to adopt the revised ordinance.

💬 Public Safety Tax Follow-Up
CJTC, the agency overseeing the Public Safety Enhancement Sales Tax rollout, was reported to be flexible in implementation. Council is still deliberating and has not yet passed the tax.

🏛️ Pool District Presentation
Representatives from the White Salmon Valley Pool Metropolitan Park District shared funding updates:

• $5.6 million raised out of an $8.4 million goal
• Trout Lake will vote on annexation in November
• Pool hopes to secure final funding by end of 2025 and begin construction in 2026

🌳 Maple Street Trees & Staff Reports
Discussion resumed about removing old trees on Maple Street, but no action was finalized. Staff also presented budget updates and department reports.

🧠 Dr. David Ruiz on Behavioral Health Disparities in Klickitat

Amid a packed agenda, the October 21, 2025 Bingen City Council meeting featured Dr. David Ruiz, Klickitat County’s Health Officer, who provided a candid overview of the region’s behavioral health challenges. He emphasized both statistical disparities and structural gaps in care delivery.

Key takeaways from his presentation included:

• Severe Shortage of Mental Health Providers: Klickitat County has no full-time psychiatrists, and youth behavioral health care is especially under-resourced. Residents often wait weeks or months for specialized services, many of which require travel to The Dalles, Yakima, or Vancouver.
• Youth and Crisis Response Gaps: Dr. Ruiz emphasized the lack of school-based mental health support, even though local schools have reported increases in anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues post-COVID. He also noted that first responders and law enforcement are too often left to manage psychiatric crises, especially after hours.
• Data on Disparities: The county’s mental health hospitalization rates remain higher than regional averages, while access to follow-up care lags significantly. Ruiz framed this as part of a larger pattern of rural health inequity, where systems fail to adapt to geographic and staffing constraints.
• Coordination Problems: He acknowledged that Klickitat’s fragmented public health landscape, spanning city governments, the sheriff’s office, county agencies, and nonprofit providers, creates communication silos that worsen service gaps.

Proposed strategies and needs outlined:

• Regional partnerships with Mid-Columbia Center for Living and Comprehensive Healthcare
• Exploration of community paramedic models to reduce law enforcement burden
• Support for telehealth in behavioral health, including broadband access and patient tech literacy
• Calls for funding flexibility from state and federal sources to better fit rural realities
• Commitment to improving data tracking and early intervention coordination with schools and local providers

Ruiz also echoed earlier themes shared by Erinn Quinn and Dr. McCullough at Board of Health meetings: rural counties like Klickitat need not just funding, but structural reform to make behavioral health services accessible, timely, and community-based.