The Dalles City Council does not traditionally meet in the month of August, so last night’s meeting was a marathon to get as much in as possible before their break. For the first time in several years, they had to vote to extend the meeting beyond their three hour limit.
Items on the agenda included 10,000 rounds of .40 calliber ammunition, 36 Glock .40 caiber handguns and four cars as surplus so they can be sold. Most of them will be going to Hood River which prefers the higher caliber. Police chief Tom Worthy told Gorge County Media that the department will still be using Glocks, but those chambered for 9 millimeters. He said they provide plenty of stopping power with much less recoil.
Councilors also held a housekeeping hearing wrapping up a community development block grant that made repairs to homes of people in need.
They also passed modifications to the city code that will allow the city to tow abandoned vehicles of any kind, whether on private or public property. Previously, they could only tow vehicles that required a license. They also added a penalty for repeat violators. It’s currently a flat $1,250. City Attorney Jonathan Kara explained:
“The proposed ordinance attempts to increase that $1,250 per violation by another $1,250 for each subsequent violation within a 12 month period.”
The measure also banned cockerels and roosters in the city limits and reduced the number of vehicle permits issued for parking large vehicles on the street to one per month per household,
Kara said that people had been taking out as many as six permits and using city streets as a parking lot.
A second ordinance added the Tree of Heaven, formally known as Ailanthus altissima, to the list of things that can’t be planted in the parking strips. This tree is an invasive species that grows to 12 feet high in its first year, puts out up to 30.000 seeds, and stinks. This joins other species such as bamboo that also can’t be planted in the parking strip, which is city property.
We asked if the ordinance required to remove these trees on their own property, and was told it does not.
But the big discussion centered around the need for a public toilet that was open 24/7. Earlier, the city put a public door in on the veterans services building, but faced damage to the point where City Manager Matthew Klebes closed it except between dawn and dusk. This has led to an increased number of people going to the bathroom outside. The council asked to the city staff to investigate the Portland Loo, which is designed to be practically indestructible.
Look for a report on that in September, when the council returns from its August vacatiion.