The Raymond City Council met Monday, April 18 for their regular bi-monthly meeting, which the council started with the pledge of allegiance. Mayor Dunsmoor and Chief Spoor were absent from the meeting, and the council chamber was at maximum capacity for the members of the public. After the usual business of approving the minutes from the previous meeting the council heard from the public.
The first member of the public was Tony Nordin, "I was looking at the paper that was printed a couple weeks ago and I heard that Raymond was trying to decide how to get the money to take care of the problems at the theatre and at that point there was some discussion. I'd just like to know what it is that you decided?"
Clerk/Treasurer Hester Gilleland told the man that no decision had been made, and that the issue hasn't been brought to the council yet and that they have a meeting with the assessor set up.
The next member of the public was Mike Nordin, who stood to speak: "I'm Mike Nordin I'm a resident of the city of Raymond and I'm also a manager of the Pacific and Grays Harbor Conservation Districts. The first issue I'd like to speak about is that I would like to be put on the next meeting's agenda about making a proposal to the council about having Raymond put back into the district boundaries. The conservation district is a subdivision of state government. We do anything natural resources," said Nordin. Nordin went on to provide examples of work that the Pacific and Grays Harbor County Conservation Districts had performed in the past.
Nordin brought up a second issue: "The second reason I'm here, I've heard that it's proposed to cut the trees down on Duryea Street. As a citizen of Raymond I would be really unhappy if that happened. If you have a problem, simply getting rid of it isn't always the solution. If you need citizens to come forward and suggest solutions or find money to help out with those things, I'm willing to help."
The council took a moment to have the Public Works Director Eric Weiburg respond to the comment on the trees, "The whole issue with this is that we're getting a new street and sidewalks. Our grant doesn't necessarily pay for beautification. We've been talking now that it's come to our attention, about some different options," said Weiburg. Council Member Kaley Hanson replied to Wieburg, asking him what the problem with leaving the trees would be, also making the point that if anything, leaving the trees would save on concrete cost. It was revealed that the issue is that it costs more to work around the trees than to remove them.
Hanson delved further into the issue, "That was never taken into consideration, and there was no public notice and not even talk with the council. The only thing we heard was that we were going after money for a Transportation Improvement Board grant, and that was it. After we approved the mayor to go after the grant I asked about the trees, why didn't anybody try to figure some solutions out? I had questions but if it would've been put out there to everybody I guarantee you that it wouldn't have just been 'my opinion' which I've been told that it was from personnel at the city. We should ask everybody and I think there's a lot more than just one person that wants to save these trees," said Hanson. Weiberg told Hanson that nobody has had any problems until now, and that they have an open forum every two weeks at the council meetings and that no one has come to speak to him about it and now that it has been brought up, "We will look into it," said Weiberg.
The next member of the public, Barb Hanson, stood to speak. "The Commercial Street looks dirty without the trees. I'm worried and scared for our town if this is what we're going to get in our town. Let's get back to the quaint little town, the historic town with the old buildings. Go with that and make it beautiful. I know the money is not there, but that can be resolved," said Hanson.
Another member of the public stood to express their opinion on the tree issue as well, "My name is Linda Anderson and I've lived here for four years and I've made Raymond my home. I really think that trees add to the quality of life here. It's breathtaking to have so many trees and we need to have them in the community. Whether we work around them or even plant new ones," said Anderson.
There was one more member of the public that had an opinion to be heard on the tree issue: "I'm Lisa Ariss and I've lived here my whole life. I'm coming to support the tree issue just because I know that someone thinks it's one person's opinion," said Ariss, "my generation is guilty of not realizing that we have a say in things until it is set down in front of us. If I have a say in anything I'd like the trees to stay. I think that sometimes the most practical answer is not the best answer for our community," concluded Ariss.
The last member of the public stood to speak, Bob Frementis, first to express his concern for the trees on Duryea street, then to present his separate issue.
"I'm here on another issue, the bike trail down on the flood zone where it bends and starts to work it's way towards South Bend. Last fall it had a ditch cut for water removal from that area during heavy rains and storms. What was left was a lot of debris, and it's a bike trail I take my friends grandchildren on and it's not too friendly right now. It's against the fence that the city put up for the marijuana growers. I was given the opportunity to clean some of the stuff up myself but some of the stuff is too heavy. If I could get enough people and some front end loaders I would do the work myself. I would be more than happy to bring back photographs to show the council next meeting," said Frementis. The issue was resolved when Weiberg told the man he would have the city look into it.
For department of head reports Fire Chief Storzyk reported on two structure fires that have happened recently: "We've had two recent structure fires. My crews did an outstanding job on the first fire at 3am, somebody caught the fire right away and we got it put out. We had another roof fire in a commercial building, my crews knocked the fire down and there was minimal damage. I'm very proud of my crew.
The next city council meeting will be held Monday, May 2 at 6pm at the Raymond City Hall.