White Salmon applies for USDA loan to continue Transmission Line project

Mayor Marla Keethler thanked the councilors and staffers who prepared the video and shared her own thoughts.

“I think especially on the topic of mental health, sharing stories that bring a lot of bravery forward and make everyone else feel more comfortable with their experience or finding commonality is really important,” Keethler said.

The council showed their appreciation for local mental health organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) and Klickitat County nonprofit, CultureSeed, which focuses on mental health among youth.

In the regular business section of the meeting, the City of White Salmon  City Council approved the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development final bond and loan to fund $2,333,000 of the Transmission Mainline Phase I Project that began in 2023. USDA required an interim financing loan which was provided by Cashmere Valley Bank as a condition of the loan. The interim financing has been utilized in full, which allows the final USDA loan to be executed. The funding of the USDA loan will pay off the Cashmere Valley Bank interim financing loan of $2,333,000

The Washington State Public Works Board is funding the project design. The Phase I USDA loan totals $2,333,000 and will be repaid over 40 years with an annual payment of $81,609 and an interest rate of 1.75%. The city received a USDA grant in the amount of $999,000 and has secured additional funding through the Public Works Board in the amount of $1,855,100 as the final funding component for the project. The Mainline Phase I project has a total estimated cost of $5,187,100.

The project calls for the replacement of approximately 12,500 feet of 16-inch diameter high-density polyethylene or ductile iron water line and 70 feet of 12-inch inside diameter ductile iron water line in 24-inch casing, valves and fittings, combination air/vacuum valve assemblies and manholes, bridge crossing work, restoration work and testing.

The 16-inch pipe would be installed along Buck Creek Road which is north of White Salmon.

Keetler also touched on the recent vote by the county commission to close the Klickitat County jail.

“Last Friday, the county took action at a special meeting to close the county jail. I would say it’s a fluid situation that we’re actively monitoring and working with the City of Bingen to coordinate our communications with the county and seek further information and determine how we’ll provide future jail services,” she said.

In other news, the Bluffs Connector Trail project is moving forward and is procuring a design and engineering contract.

The city officially announced the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on April 3, and proposals are due Friday, April 26 at 3 p.m.

The contract is for nine months of work to complete the preliminary engineering and initial design for the proposed pathway. The trail will loop White Salmon, Bingen and eventually connect to the new Hood River-White salmon Interstate Bridge.

According to the RFQ schedule, the council will tentatively award the contract on May 15, with the project commencing during the week of May 20.