Garland French and Dave Creighton voted “No” on March 23, regarding the City moving forward with its own water system. Creighton did not respond to a request to explain his position.

Here is French’s e-mailed response:

“As you reported in your March 24 article, city administration won the vote they were after. The mayor got the approval in hand he wanted when he attends the State Economic Recovery Funding Public Hearing on April 3rd. Staff got their go ahead for the treatment plant. The house won the “water poker game”. The losers were the citizens of Ocean Shores. It is they who will ante up the winnings. We were all playing with their money.

On March 23, City Council voted 4-2 to move ahead with a new City water treatment facility, in essence by-passing the County’s offer of water from the new Hogan’s Corner wells.

Three of the four City Council members who voted Yes explain their positions, in e-mailed responses:

Dick Skewis:

“My vote for the city to build and maintain it’s own water system was due to consideration that with out water, a critical resource for the city, we wouldn’t be able to exist.  

For those interested in at least hearing Monday’s City Council great (in a few meanings of the word) debate on water: you can ask to hear the official audio tape at City Hall. As a previous posting noted, there were technical difficulties on the North Beach TV version.

Sorry, conspiracy theorists . . . .

So perhaps you tuned in Tuesday night to Channel 68, eager to catch the City Council’s momentous vote on water. And saw . . . a rerun of another show.

For the record, all you conspiracy theorists, Shannon VandenBush of North Beach TV says there was a technical difficulty. She said the tape will air as usual Friday at 3 p.m. . . . but without about 40 minutes, which Shannon says is too poor quality to be be broadcast.

(Paging Oliver Stone . . .)

Will check tomorrow to see if the “official” audio tape from the City survived.

**In defense of the VandenBushes, they were using new equipment, Bill and several of their volunteers were out sick, and the meeting was held at the Lions Club, not the usual Convention Center (where there is a 450-plus Wastewater Workers convention going on).

Or were they visited by the “Men in Black”? Stay tuned . . . 

Fire Chief Jim Hodges purchased this beauty for a mere $5,000 from an eastern Washington fire department. It’s a 1981 model, with only 30,000 miles. Council had authorized up to $30,000, so Hodges saved the city a big chunk of money. It was displayed at Monday’s council meeting.

In other good news, Sam Cohea and ACT presented checks for $3,100 to the Senior Center and North Beach Tennis Association; the latter turned the money over to the Parks and Recreation Department, to help with the Summer Recreation Program.

Like the detective that shares his surname, Dan Marlowe decided to do a little investigating. The owner of Carousel Ice Cream told City Council and Mayor Dean Bunkers at Monday night’s meeting that he hears all sorts of things at his shop, and wanted to know if a few of them were true.

The long-awaited, much-anticipated, all-new . . . task list, from Mayor Dean Bunkers to the Planning Commission:

Initial Planning Commission Tasks

 1.  The #2 Council Goal is to “Create a pro-active cost effective facilities improvement plan that includes an aggressive strategy to market and sell, sellable City-owned properties.”  Based on that goal I would like the Planning Commission to review their September 14, 2007 recommendations and update in accordance with present information and needs.

Specifically:

Permit Center (Parcel 0915000125000) and relocation.  Provide a recommendation for relocation of the Permit Center, and the possible consolidation of other City functions such as Court/Council Chambers. 

North Golf Course Property (15 acres, parcel 090100800006) — Address potential impact and resolutions such as relocation/reconfiguration of holes on the remaining south acreage and eastern course parcels.

Kim Property (2 parcels) – Address wetlands and possible mitigation costs if appropriate.

Public Works Land (19 acres, parcel 617121011003).

Any other City properties you deem appropriate as sellable property. 

For years, the City of Ocean Shores and Grays Harbor County have been playing what might be called “water poker.” The City has been debating whether to pump resources into improving its own water system, or going with the County’s new Hogan’s Corner wells.

On Monday, the game was dealt a wild card:  The Department of Health announced Ocean Shores received preliminary approval for a $2.9 million grant to upgrade its water. (Click here for complete list of recipients.)

A no-pay-back check for up to half of the project cost would seem to make the City’s hand unbeatable. 

Then again . . .  Ocean Shores could “fall off” the DOH list, worried Mayor Dean Bunkers. 

Ultimately, the wild card made the City’s hand a winner. City Council voted 4-2 (Nick Johnson was absent) to proceed with construction of a new treatment facility. Dave Creighton and Garland French were dissenters in a vote that told the County to keep its water, for now, at least.

The money comes from Washington state, splitting up $38.5 million in economic recovery funds between 27 projects. **Note that the list is a DRAFT, with final approval coming in April.***

Very good news for those in favor of the City improving drinking water on its own.

Very bad news for those in favor of the City purchasing water from Grays Harbor County. (As this money is targeted for “SHALLOW AQUIFER WATER TREATMENT PLANT.”)

This will be the subject of much discussion, at tonight’s City Council meeting.

Click here for the draft list of recipients.

The usual time, 6 p.m.