Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
At their meeting on December 24, Klickitat County Commissioners approved a controversial franchise agreement with Carriger Solar, LLC. That’s the company that’s hoping to construct a large solar farm in the county. This agreement did not approve or disapprove the proposed solar farm. Instead it would allow the company to construct power poles along county right-of-way. The agreement also puts the cost on the company if the right-of-way changes and the company has to relocate their poles. Opponents say it’s a back-door way to edge the county closer to approving the solar project.
Commissioners also approved an aggregate resource zone overlay that will allow the expansion of aggregate mining at a quarry owned by James Dean Construction.
New Corrections Department administrator Bill Frantz said in the 20 days he’s been on the job, he’s been impressed by what he found here:
“Our staff here, those officers do an amazing job with a very limited amount of resources. They take in the most challenging people of our county And I’ve had the opportunity to watch them in action and see the passion that they have as individuals and as professionals. And it only makes it my belief that I’m in the right place.”
And the county has hired a coroner, as Commissioner Jake Anderson reported:
“We did hire a new coroner that his name is Eric Anderson. He has years of experience and dedication to Klickitat County, working for the sheriff’s department. He was the most qualified and we’re very happy to have him.”
In addition, the county approved a contract for deputy coroner services with Jack Tumbrell:
“He owns all of the funeral homes in the area and we’re getting a really amazing deal on having them as deputy coroners, so that they can transport and do all the things that they do.”
The next meeting of the Klickitat County Commissioners is scheduled for 9 am on December 31st.