Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
The Goldendale City Council met last night and beyond a few tidbits, such as Police Chief Mike Smith reporting 243 calls for service in January, the majority of the meeting was focused on other meetings. Mayor Dave Jones announced that the scheduled council meeting on February 17th would have to be canceled, because there wouldn’t be enough councilors to have a quorum.
The reason there wouldn’t be enough for a quorum is that many of them are attending City Action Days on February 19th and 20th in Lacey, Washington. The event is put on annually by the Association of Washington Cities. Their website puts it this way:
“Held annually during the legislative session, this popular event for city officials includes updates on city legislative priorities, insider panels, and news about the latest legislative hot topics. Attendees can participate in the “hill climb” to meet with your statewide decision-makers about our legislative priorities at the state Capitol in Olympia.”
In other words, it is a chance for cities to get together and lobby their legislators. And the council meeting on the 17th is canceled because councilors will be driving to Lacey that evening to be there for the event in the morning.
This event was seen as so important to the council that they scheduled a workshop session for next Monday the 10th at 5:30 to go over bills they want to support or block.
Councilor Danielle Clevinger suggested that they prepare well:
“I would ask that please, each and every council member that is going to be at that meeting then, on the 10th, look through the legislation before you come here, so that you’re not trying to read it while you’re here, and you’re not coming up with questions as — already have your questions, so that we can go through them in a timely manner and we don’t have to wait for everyone to go ‘Hold on a second. Let me read this.'”
When all was said and done, Mayor Jones summed up the busy schedule for next week:
“OK, so, uh, public works committee meeting, Tuesday the 11th, 4 p.m. Ordinance committee meeting, Tuesday the 11th at 5:30. Special workshop Monday the 10th at 5:30. That’s what everybody has?”
And City Administrator Sandy Wells reminded him and the council of one more, an events committee meeting, Wednesday the 12th at 5:30.
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