Council also discusses summer street project
HOOD RIVER — Hood River City Council met on April 28, with all councilmembers and Mayor Paul Blackburn present.
The council got good news from Tara Kamp, of Clear Trails CPAs, who presented the city’s financial audit report and said the city had received an unmodified opinion — a clean opinion with no reservations. “That is an excellent result and exactly what you’re going for,” Kamp said.
Basic financial statements of the governmental activities, the business-type activities, each major fund, and the aggregate remaining fund information for the City of Hood River, year ending June 30, 2024, fell under the audit.
Councilors also heard from Dale Meck, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regional manager, on the agency’s flood study update for Hood River County, which affects flood insurance requirements; he also gave an update to Cascade Locks’ city council later that evening (see related story below). The last time the maps were updated was in 1984.
“We can do a lot better with today’s technology,” Meck said. “... FEMA does the bulk of the work, but we work with the community to understand where there’s interest and to get feedback along the way.”
FEMA has an overview of the flood study update; information for affected property owners; points of contact for flood study information, floodplain management and insurance; and resources for other natural hazards on its website, he said. A virtual open house was held May 6; a 90-day appeals period ends in July. Appeals and comments should be directed to city and county staff, along with Marshall Rivers, marshall.rivers@fema.dhs.gov (FEMA project monitor), and Brett Holthaus, brett.holthaus@atkinsrealis.com (STARR II project manager).
City Manager Abigail Elder later led the board in a discussion of what open space downtown might look like this summer, a project identified in the 2025-2026 council work plan with a goal of making the area more pedestrian-friendly by closing a street to traffic.
Elder said fiscal impacts include overtime for public works staff, increased garbage costs, the purchase of rental furniture or other amenities, and signage costs.
Councilmembers were in favor of this summer serving as a pilot program to gauge the interest of locals, and to learn more about how street closures affect businesses and traffic. An emphasis was placed on attracting community members and making it a safe space for all ages to gather. More information on the program will be released as details are worked out.
Elder also told council the downtown ramp project, still under construction, is anticipated to be completed by Memorial Day.
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Hood River County Emergency Manager Charles Young also presented on the national hazard mitigation plan (NHMP) and the required addendum for the City of Hood River; a full story will appear in an upcoming edition of Columbia Gorge News, as well as online at columbiagorgenews.com.
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