🏊Pools, Poles, & PUD bills - Community Meetings Across Klickitat County - Jan '26

As always, thank you to the Gorge Documenters for releasing their notes under CC-by-4.0.

🏘 Dallesport-Murdock Grapples with Wastewater, Yard Cleanups & Upcoming School Levy

At their January meeting, the Dallesport-Murdock Community Council covered everything from school funding to drainage ditches, and a few heated topics in between.

📚 Lyle School District Levy Vote - Feb. 10, 2026

Superintendent Ann Varkados gave a detailed update about a replacement operating levy on the February ballot. This levy funds vital school services not covered by the state like art, music, athletics, learning support staff, and even middle school lunches. It also is not a new tax. In fact, the proposed rate is lower than the current one: dropping from $1.36 to $0.86 per $1,000 of property value.

• Enrollment is up slightly over projections.
• Attendance awards and a successful holiday food drive were celebrated.
• Volunteers and substitute staff are still needed.
• Varkados emphasized that the levy helps cover essential costs like toilet paper and classroom supplies not reimbursed by the state.

A flyer will be mailed to residents explaining the projected costs. Varkados encouraged anyone with questions to contact the district directly.

💧 Wastewater Woes & Utility Frustrations

Concerns about the Klickitat PUD’s handling of wastewater services dominated public comment:

• Resident Leo Walton held up a contract between KPUD and Klickitat County, alleging that “almost every requirement has not been followed.” He plans to distribute highlighted copies at the next meeting.
• Confusion reigns over which agency holds responsibility. KPUD says it’s not them, the county says it’s not them either, and meanwhile spillages may be going unreported.
• Council Chair Anthony Rizzi warned that Klickitat County’s finances are in the red (reportedly $3 million in debt) and said a hiring freeze is now in effect. He expressed concern that services could be cut without more transparency from the Board of County Commissioners.

A side note: emergency management was reportedly moved under the jurisdiction of Public Works.

🧾 Council Business & Public Projects

• The council’s 501(c)(3) application was submitted to the IRS. Nonprofit status will help with fundraising and licenses.
• Bylaws are being updated and will be presented in February, with a vote in March.
• A 14-foot projection screen was donated to the meeting hall by former board member Jack Cherry, and Rizzi plans to install a projector soon. This opens the door to fundraisers, educational events, and public movie nights.

🏡 Yard Shaming or Beautification?

A controversial front-page newsletter article about yard clean-up drew sharp criticism from residents, who called it "yard shaming" and noted barriers like poverty, age, and disability. Others supported a more collaborative approach, suggesting community clean-up days and hazardous waste collections.

• Residents requested the council contact Republic Services to explore hosting a hazardous materials drop-off for paint, antifreeze, etc.
• Drainage ditches on county easements are reportedly being used for dumping and fill, obstructing stormwater flow. Some called on the county to step up code enforcement.

💧 Water Billing Glitch

A faulty estimated water billing process (due to an unfilled meter-reader vacancy) led to inflated bills for some households. A new hire will start in March, and affected residents were advised to contact the water district for corrections.

💸 Legal Fund Refunds

A motion passed to return all donations made to the dormant Legal Defense Fund, which was originally created in response to wastewater plant issues but never used.

🌳 White Salmon Tree Board – January 12, 2026

The White Salmon Tree Board held its regular monthly meeting focused on finalizing the Heritage Tree nomination form, progressing the Tree Walk project, and preparing for the 2026 TreeFest event.

🏛 Heritage Tree Nomination Form

The board reviewed and workshopped a new draft application to nominate trees of cultural, historical, or biological significance. Key additions included:

• An “unknown” checkbox for tree location to accommodate unclear ownership.
• Flexibility in identifying approximate location (address, intersection, or description).
• Clarification on city versus nominator responsibilities for property owner contact.

Board members debated how the city should notify property owners, especially when nominators don’t have contact information or the tree may be on the border of public/private land.

🌲 Fee-in-Lieu Discussion

The city’s Tree Protection Ordinance allows developers to pay a fee in lieu of replanting trees on-site. But the fee was never officially set in the city’s fee schedule, rendering it $0. This issue recently surfaced during a development application, and board members discussed:

• Interim placeholder fees
• Examples from other cities (e.g., inch-based pricing, tree appraisal standards)
• Impacts on affordable housing, developers, and long-term equity

The board plans to research comparable fee models and consider a tiered or per-inch fee recommendation to Council.

🌳 Tree Walk Project

The board hopes to debut a draft map of public trees for TreeFest. Discussions included:

• Which public trees to include
• Mapping private trees later with permission
• Historical info, native names, and illustrations
• Starting with a printed public-tree-only version

Members agreed to finalize the Google Doc of tree entries and work toward a March 21 debut. They’ll also explore working with a graphic designer and requesting up to $500 for map production.

🌲 TreeFest Planning (March 21, 2026 @ Rheingarten Park)

The board is coordinating:

• A Tree Walk map
• Info table on Heritage Trees, tree ordinances, and native trees
• Fun items like leaf coloring sheets, illustrated stickers, and interactive displays for kids
• City staff will investigate using budget for handouts or swag

Councilmember Morella Mora may be asked to attend and read the Arbor Day proclamation at TreeFest.

📌 Other Notes

• Future meetings: February 9 and March 9.
• The board requested a case study of a recent development where the tree ordinance was applied (e.g., removal of a large walnut tree on NE Washington).

🏊 White Salmon Pool District: “Dig the Hole” Momentum Builds

At their January 8 meeting, the White Salmon Valley Pool District Board made one thing clear: 2026 is the year construction begins. With over $1 million raised, a successful “Jump In” fundraising campaign completed, and another $500,000 included in the Governor’s proposed budget, board members voiced confidence that final permits, bids, and bond sales are lining up to break ground soon.

Board President Steve Harris put it plainly: “We’re gonna get this hole done this year.”

📅 Upcoming Milestones:

• Jan 14: Legislative meetings with Reps. Stuebe & Waters
• Jan 22: Deadline for state capital funding application
• Feb 2: Public hearing for Conditional Use Permit
• March 5: Bond paperwork deadline
• April: Final financing and construction schedule

💰 Fundraising & Appropriations

• “Jump In” campaign exceeded $500K target
• RCO grant funds: $2.7M
• Requesting $1M from state legislators via Local & Community Projects
• Next fundraising push to target major partners (Skyline, OCH, Providence)

Volunteer advisor Emma Pfister emphasized how in-home events, video testimonials, and local partnerships helped shift community perceptions, particularly for those without pool access or the ability to get to Hood River. Board members are now planning a January 22 special meeting to focus on outreach to institutional partners.

🧾 Budget & Bonds

• November revenue: $24,282
• Expenses: $7,253
• Reserve levy funding: $1.28M
• Bond proposal: $1.1M (only using what is needed, to reduce debt load)

🏗 Construction Prep

• Updated site plan addresses traffic and stormwater changes
• Board exploring fee waivers and in-kind construction donations
• Subcontractor bidding process will encourage local contributors
• General contractor Kirby Nagelhout remains on board for the construction phase

Commissioner Ben Briggs captured the moment:

“There’s a lot more good news than bad news at our meetings… and this is fun.”

🇺🇸 200-Foot Courthouse Flagpole Gets Green Light After Public Support

A proposed 200-foot flagpole outside the Klickitat County Courthouse is moving forward after the Goldendale Hearing Examiner determined no variance was required under city code. The pole, planned to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. on July 4, 2026, was unanimously supported by public officials, veterans, and residents at the January 7, 2026 hearing.

The city’s municipal code exempts flagpoles from normal height restrictions, and the hearing examiner emphasized that the project didn’t require special zoning permission after all, a decision that expedites the permitting process.

📍 Location: 205 S. Columbus Ave (Courthouse lawn)
🧾 Applicant: Ty Ross (privately funded, no taxpayer dollars)

Why it matters:

• Civic Pride: Local veterans testified to the symbolic importance of the flag, with the American Legion pledging to steward it.
• Tourism & Revitalization: Officials say the flag could become a visual landmark and visitor attraction.
• Lighting Regulations: The project will follow downward lighting rules to minimize light pollution and protect local dark skies.

No public opposition was recorded. Residents raised questions about future educational opportunities and whether the site might eventually include benches or interpretive signage.

👀 View photos from the hearing and project posters

“I don’t think we’ve got enough patriotism in town.”
— Ty Ross, project applicant

“It’s going to attract tourism… and honor military veterans.”
— Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer

“Every time there’s a flag that size, it’s clean around it.”
— Goldendale Police Chief Mike Smith

✅ With permitting now handled at the city level, construction planning can begin — targeting a completion date of July 4, 2026.

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