Water $$$ decision delay

from this week’s North Coast News:

Mayor Dean Bunkers and the rest of Ocean Shores will have to wait: A final decision on $2.9 million to Ocean Shores for drinking water up-grades has been delayed to April 27. The Department of Health’s doling out of Federal stimulus money for “safe drinking water” was originally scheduled for Tuesday, April 7.

 “In order to be fair to everybody we wanted to give them more time” to submit documentation, said Carolyn Cox, of the DOH.

Bunkers spoke at a public hearing at the DOH Tumwater office on Friday. He made a case for why Ocean Shores should graduate from the “draft list” it made, to the final award round.

“I feel pretty good,” Bunkers said. “I feel very confident based on the hearing we will stay where we’re at.”

Bunkers said Vicki Cummings, of the Grays Harbor Council of Governments, followed him with support for how the Ocean Shores project would benefit the County.

“I told them up front we’re not a disadvantaged community, but we are in a distressed County,” said Bunkers. As such, Ocean Shores likely will not receive the entire $2.9 million as a grant; Bunkers hopes for a $1.5 million “loan forgiveness,” and the rest as a 1 percent loan.

At Monday’s City Council meeting, Bunkers will ask council for permission to move forward on the design preparation of the drinking water system. This is in anticipation that the $6 million project will received significant DOH funding.

“If the money’s on the table,” Bunkers said, “we need to start moving forward.”

Speaking of money: Also at Monday’s meeting, Bunkers will announce the hiring of the City’s new finance director, Art Wuerth (taking over from George Rogers, who is retiring).

Wuerth’s first day of work was April 1.