CASCADE LOCKS — Ben DeJarnette gave a final report on the port’s grant to Bike the Gorge at a recent Port of Cascade Locks meeting. A bike-lane sweeper has been purchased to sweep leaves, needles, pinecones, gravel and detritus from bike lanes; they’ve bought some ads; and made a “bike guide” to promote the trails, local dining and lodging. The port lends them leaf blowers when the leaves get too thick and soggy for the new machine.
The commissioners thanked DeJarnette for promoting the town and voted unanimously to approve the report.
Deputy Director Genevieve Scholl said the project finished under budget, leaving a bit more than $4,000 which they rolled into round 2.
They awarded that next round of grants to the four highest-scoring applications from Landmass Wines, Native Cider’s Son of Man, Snake River Land’s Whiskey Flats and Columbia Gorge Inn, plus the town’s Main Street program. Their $154,222.15 wasn’t enough money to go around, so each award had to be reduced.
Commissioner Carrie Klute asked if projects could proceed without the full grant amount. Each applicant answered that question in their paperwork; some said projects would take a longer time, some said it would be very difficult, or even impossible.
Klute then suggested taking 2,500 from each of those four and giving that 10,00 to Main Street Cascade Locks for a month-long Bridge of the Gods anniversary celebration next year.
Klute is on Bridge of the Gods’ centennial committee. The applications are scored independently by Mid-Columbia Center for Economic Development (MCEED), under contract to the port and subject to the commission’s final approval.
Albert Nance suggested wiping the names from applications next year to prevent the commissioners from showing bias. Tedd Dodd also expressed concern that adding lower-scoring applications from MCEDD’s ranking could lead to biased decisions in the future, in such a small town.
After a little rapid math, commissioners unanimously voted to take Klute’s suggestion, skimming off $10,000 for Main Street.
Then they heard a financial report from Matt Apken. The port’s finances are as expected, with a slow audit in progress. Personal costs, materials, services and capital outlays are all below 2024 numbers.
In other news
The town’s new Red Cross shelter at the school is near complete, with the generator bought and tested and volunteers trained. A safety committee has met to organize emergency preparedness in general.
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