By Rodger Nichols
For Columbia Gorge News
GOLDENDALE — The Dec. 17 meeting of the Klickitat County Commissioners was unusual in several respects. For one, the camera equipment in the commissioners meeting room was not working, so there was no live video from the event, just a static card and the audio.
Without video, Columbia Gorge News was unable to identify who told commissioners the county had just received a letter announcing the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport had been awarded an additional $2.2 million.
The extra funding goes toward a major upgrade to facilities at the Dallesport airport. It includes construction of a hangar that will also serve as teaching space for Columbia Gorge Community College's new aircraft mechanic training program (see related story, A11). The project got stalled during COVID and the construction costs, including material prices, exceeded the original grant. Intended to cover the cost inflation, the grant further bolsters this $7.5 million project.
The airport is jointly owned by Klickitat County and the City of The Dalles.
This meeting was again a two-person show, due to the absence of Commissioner Dan Christopher. He last attended a meeting in person on Oct. 26., shortly after county resident Mark Jobe filed a tort claim against him, as previously reported by Columbia Gorge News. In the seven regular meetings since that time, he has been absent five times, attending by Zoom on Nov. 12 and Dec. 3. As a result, motions have been made by Commissioner Jacob Anderson and seconded by Chair Lori Zoller, who stepped down to do so.
Zoller and Anderson throughly aired two major issues, but made no decisions. The public hearing on a franchise agreement with Carriger Solar, LLC and the public meeting on an aggregate resource zone overlay for James Dean Construction were both continued to the next meeting on Dec. 24. While oral testimony was closed, commissioners left the written record open until Monday, Dec. 23 at 5 p.m. (after press deadline).
Under the consent agenda, commissioners approved:
• The appointment of the City of Vancouver’s designee Megan Dugan to serve as the trustee of the Fort Vancouver Regional Library.
• A communications site lease with Blue Mountain Networks, LLC to use a portion of the Juniper Point Public Safety Communications Site.
• A contract amendment with Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities of SW Washington allocating funds for Senior Nutrition Services.
• A contract amendment with Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities of SW Washington allocating funds for Senior Transportation Services.
• An agreement with WAGAP to provide funding for Klickitat and Skamania counties emergency food purchases.
• A lease with the Goldendale Senior Center for the use of the center on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the senior nutrition program, congregate meal program and other senior programs or events.
• Reappointing Shelley Baxter to the Klickitat County Senior Service Advisory Board for a three year term, representing Commissioner District 1.
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