Goldendale Fire Chief Noah Halm had a brief but heartfelt message at last night’s city council meeting:
“Please be safe. It is dry out there.”
Several years ago, Goldendale passed an ordinance regulating when fireworks can be sold in the city, and when they can be used. Chapter 9.18.10 B of the city code reads “Consumer fireworks can only be used or discharged on July 4th from six p.m. through midnight and December 31st from six p.m. through one a.m. on January 1st.”
Councilors noted that Mike Smith has been working without a contract since he took over as Goldendale Police Chief in June 2023. They corrected that situation by passing a new contract last night.
Smith urged the council to set a meeting of the ordinance committee, citing the recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. A lower court had ruled in a Grants Pass case that it is cruel and unusual punishment to arrest or ticket people for sleeping outside with rudimentary forms of protection from the elements, when they have no other safe place to go. The appeals court overturned that decision, and Chief Smith urged councilors to pass new ordinances that the city would be allowed to enforce. The ordinance committee will meet Monday, July 8 at 3 p.m.
Councilors also voted to grant an additional $1,000 in tourism money to the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce for this weekend’s Community Days celebration, noting the Chamber had taken on the job of running the car show.
Councilors will also meet on Saturday, July 13 for a workshop to discuss city goals, including a possible new public works position.
And Councilor Loren Meagher said he’d missed a number of meetings this year due to a number of factors, and there had been some concern expressed about it. He said he would continue on the council, but added this thought:
“If someone was real excited about it, and my schedule continued to be hectic, I am willing to step down and let someone else come in and have a voice.”