Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
The tone of the public comment period changed at yesterday’s Klickitat County Commission meeting. Of the twelve people who testified, only four spoke against data centers.
Commentator Olga Hodges did present her objections is a more thoughtful tone, instead of just echoing that she was against them. Here’s an edited version of her comments:
“It is my understanding that a place like Goldendale can expect to see thousands of people come in, dozens and dozens of construction-related vehicles on our roads. And what does that sort of population boom do to a place like ours? I want people to really consider how that’ll change the feel of our town. It’s going to look and feel very, very different.”
John Bruce announced that the Pregnancy Resource Center is having their annual silent auction fundraiser and dinner at Grace Brethren Church this Thursday night, with doors open at 5 p.m.
And Commissioners actually received a couple of compliments. Here’s Timothy Edgren:
“As a relatively newer resident of the county myself, it means a lot to be heard by not only you all, but anybody else who happens to tune in and listen to the recordings later and read about these meetings in the newspaper. So that kind of transparency builds a lot of bridges and trust, and I think that that’s really important.”
Speaking of bridges, Pat Arnold closed out the session on an upbeat note:
“I just want to say that we were all really happy to have the work on the Jennings Road Bridge done before Halloween. Good job public works department on getting that finished.”
The afternoon session also included a bid opening for two sections of Bickleton Highway. Central Washington Asphalt, with offices in Wapato, Moses Lake and Benton City, was the apparent low bidder at $5,555,000.
And commissioners took the unusual step of vacating a short plat that was established in 1987 as part of an agreement between the City of Goldendale and Boise Cascade, as part of the city’s watershed. Neither the city nor Western Pacific Timber., Boise Cascade’s successor, plan on ever using it and both were happy to dissolve the 39-year-old agreement.