Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
Klickitat County Commission was a short one; just 45 minutes for the morning workshop and just over an hour for the formal afternoon session.
In that workshop, commissioners were reminded of a public hearing in Dallesport.
“Item 4, which is the advertisement for the public hearing in the Dallesport for their rate increase for the periods September 1 2026 to August of 20-27. And that hearing is August 8 at the Dallesport Community Center at 6 o’clock.”
That was Public Works Director Jeff Hunter. And Planning Director Scott Edelman reported on the status of the proposed solar and Battery Energy Storage System or BESS ordinance:
“Solar and BESS ordinance is still under review by outside legal counsel. He’s shooting for early September to get full comments back, including a draft of our ordinance. He went a little beyond our initial scope but I think its going to be a better product that will move us forward a lot better.”
Hunter also shared disrespect some citizen had for bridge repair
“We’ve had people open our closures, which now means, because they’ve done that – drive across bridges – the county has now assumed any liability for the last two bridges we’ve done, because our people removed the barricades and drove across the bridge. But it appears the epoxy had set up, so we should be fine. If that had been a concrete deck, we’d have found out who drove across, because they’d have been stuck in the middle, and nobody could afford the bill that would have been.”
Commissioners also asked County Administrator Robb Van Cleave, who had planned to leave at the end of the year, to stay on up to six more months to help find his successor.
And in the afternoon session, Jail Administrator Bill Frantz honored Corporal Robert Cooper, who prevented an attempted suicide on July 15.
“Without hesitation you intervened decisively, removed the ligature from the inmate’s neck and immediately summoned emergency services. Your alertness, courage and commitment to preserving human life directly contributed to a successful outcome and I’d like to present you with a lifesaving medal.”
This was not the first time Corporal Cooper has saved an inmate’s life. He performed a similar rescue in August 2023.