EatonvilleNews



	TOWN COUNCIL STUDY SESSION AUG. 12 by Dixie A. Walter At both the Eatonville Town Council’s study session and regular meeting the foremost subject was water, water and more water. Water mains, water flow, watersheds, water treatment, water wells, water reservoirs, water rights, water heights and water filtering. Other discussion included growth, grants, the need for Advanced Life Support (ALS) transportation, removing dangerous trees, old underground electric cables and Mick Jagger. Public Works Director Jamieson Van Eaton started the study session by explaining to the council and mayor, Eatonville’s bilateral compliance agreement with the Dept. of Health. “The bilateral compliance was entered into between the town and the Department of Health, when it was determined the town’s water supply was under the influence of surface water. We had tasks to do in a certain amount of time. Our first task was to look for ground water.” Van Eaton continued, “If, at the end of that time, we didn’t find ground water our choice would be to go to a filtered water option at the Mashell River.” In reference to filtered water Van Eaton acknowledged, “We have not really gone down the road considering filtered water as an option. We’ve pretty well stuck with looking for ground water.” According to Van Eaton, the “state” has been “understanding,” considering that Eatonville has gone beyond the time limit agreed upon. The state is aware the town needs more time “to secure a good source of water.” Van Eaton stated, “They understand our reluctance to go to the Mashell River…It would require filtering and possibly some contentious issues with the salmon recovery folks…They [state] are willing to work with us on the basis that they know we’ve done our best.” The public works director displayed a 1997 pie chart representing peak water “withdrawals.” He said Eatonville is “withdrawing seventy-nine percent of our water rights, leaving twenty-one percent in reserve. “Those numbers have dwindled since 1997 when this report was put together.” Van Eaton talked about a report he had prepared “rather than coming from our water manual.” This report shows Eatonville’s average annual use of water as 468,904 gallons daily. Which is, “Our average use per day by our water rights. So as of 2002 we are using sixty-eight percent of those water rights with thirty-two percent remaining unused.” Van Eaton reminded the council, “If we were to use 186 gallons per day per capita we would run out of our water rights in approximately 2005, 2006.” However, with conservation Van Eaton predicts the town can “go until the year 2015, until we’ve run out of water rights based on our usage.” Council member Mike Gallagher asked if those projects considered future growth. Van Eaton replied, “Everything here considers future growth.” And council member Bob Schaub inquired, “Have we asked the state if they would extend our water rights, or increase them by a certain percentage?” According to Van Eaton the town has not proceeded in that direction as the town must have water before requesting water rights. Council member Chelan Jarrett pointed out that if the town didn’t find a new source of water “it wouldn’t get us very far because there’s no more water in the river. It doesn’t matter how much they say you can pull out, if it’s empty. And the Indians have rights that require a certain amount of flow too.” Van Eaton responded, “That’s where the contentious issue would lie. We’ve had water rights to that river for many decades, longer than the salmon have been endangered. To say our water rights interfere with the rights of salmon is very arguable. We’ve got water rights on the Mashell and we should hold on to them and fight for them until we don’t need it anymore.” Jarrett said, “We’ve exceeded our water rights for the last month and how much flow is in the river right now?” Van Eaton told the council, “The river flow is very low. But it’s good water that we can pass through our sand filters. During the winter months the river becomes turbid and we can’t put that water through our sand filters.” Regarding exceeding the town’s water rights, Van Eaton stated, “I need to make a clarification of your statement that we exceeded our water rights this month. The concept we are dealing with is our average usage every day of the year. And during the winter shoulder months our usage is down considerably from the summer. So that’s how we are able to say we’ve still got thirty-two percent more water rights before we run into our ceiling.” Jarrett asked, “What about running out of water in the summer months when we have these 382 more residences coming? If the river flow is really low right now and we are in the year 2002, I find it hard to believe if we don’t find water from another source that there will be enough water for everybody. “I’m saying I don’t know how much we can allow people to build and then say, ‘Oh, well it turns out we lied, there’s not water for you.’” Van Eaton responded, “Our status today is that we have 168 lots that have gone through the preliminary plat process, approved for by the town council. That includes the Rath property, Emerald Ridge, the Bud Smith property and some other estimations of the town.” Offering more details Van Eaton went on, “My projection is based on a four percent growth. Basically our growth indicates that we are going to have as many as 50, 60 homes per year between now and 2010…That’s our projection and our population growth backs all of that up. You can see by 2010 we have water rights for 382 more residences. And that doesn’t consider commercial development or an expansion of the school. I’m just dealing in terms of residences.” Jarrett countered, “Then you believe there will be enough water in 2010 to provide for that many residences in the summer? This is all based on averages of a whole year. Our usage is so much higher in the summer and the river’s running so much lower, I just don’t think the town should over commit.” Continuing, Jarrett said, “I don’t want to have to be the first one to say ‘temporary moratorium,’ but I don’t want to have a shower with no water coming out of it either. Or have angry developers when we can’t provide [water].” Gallagher stated, “What Jamieson is saying is that won’t happen until 2010 at current rates…We’re not looking at something that’s going to happen next month. “Even right now when the flow is very low we are taking a very small percentage of the river water. So theoretically there’s plenty of water for us to take…?” “Theoretically,” Van Eaton answered, “but some things that could affect us would be a drought year. In a drought year the river can get so low it cannot go through our intakes from the river. That’s a possibility. The river is unpredictable. Our answer is to find reliable ground source water from a well.” Gallagher agreed “wholeheartedly.” However, he said, “I don’t think there’s cause for concerns as far as building at this point, not for another few years.” Van Eaton advised the council “we need to sharpen our skills in terms of a plan for conservation if it’s necessary. Conservation measures over the past ten years have been effective. Our water usage has dropped. But that in part has to do with fixing some of the leaks we had.” The public works director also warned, “We could be devastated by a fire up in the Mashell watershed. That could be very detrimental,” and added, “Even needing to go to the Mashell as a water source is not a good idea.” Finding water for the town is a “non-growth issue,” Van Eaton said. Schaub asked, “You are saying we want to concentrate on providing water, but not to provide water for growth? ”Van Eaton told him, “That’s the council’s decision, not mine.” Schaub pointed out, “I haven’t voted on anything like that. It hasn’t been decided by the council that we’re not going to have growth in the community.” Mayor Harold Parnell brought the council back to the subject of water, “I think the main issue is to try and find water so we can get off the Mashell River.” Council member Jarrett said, “I have a suggestion that wouldn’t necessarily take us off the Mashell, but to build a giant reservoir that would hold enough water for a year. It wasn’t my idea, I was asked about it.” “I know that can’t be done,” Van Eaton stated flatly, “it’s in a watershed that provides water to an endangered species salmon. It can’t be done.” Jarrett suggested that if such a reservoir were built at the headwaters of the river, “we could regulate the flow better for the fish than if it wasn’t there.” Schaub returned to the growth issue, “I need to go back to growth in our community. If we’ve got businesses that are leaving, not because of water, some other issues maybe, then I think we need to look at revitalizing our community to the point that it’s not just stagnating. “I think we need to encourage positive growth in a way to attract businesses in the community. I just don’t like to hear somebody say that we don’t want growth. I’m hearing this more and more.” Mayor Parnell added, “We want controlled growth, not no growth at all.” Jarrett stated, “I want to set the record straight. I don’t want it going out that Chelan Jarrett is against growth, because that’s not what I’m saying. I’m just saying I want to be conservative and responsible…” The mother of two young children, Jarrett drew laughs when she told the council, “Actually, I’m contributing to the population.” Again the subject was water. Van Eaton pointed out, “What we really want to do is get away from filters. If we filter that’s a million dollars just like that! It may even be an additional million and a half.” He updated the council concerning water found in the recovery well, “The council approved one more day of resistivity surveys. We used those surveys to check for additional water sources near our recovery well. “We tested the quantity and quality and the indication is that we’ve got adequate quantity and quality to develop a production well. And that’s the best of news. Furthermore, we found where as many as two other sites could go in within two acres of that recovery well.” During discussion of the budget, Schaub said, “We should be reviewing this and making any necessary changes up until we will be starting on next year’s budget. We have some weeks and months ahead where we are going to have a lesser amount of money coming in.” Town Clerk Carrielynn Loffelmacher said he was correct, “As everybody knows we have two car dealerships that are possibly leaving.” Schaub added, “We’ve lost the Yard Place, we’re losing the Mexican restaurant.” Mayor Parnell asked, “Is that for sure? I’ve just heard a rumor.” Gallagher replied to Schaub, “Maybe you know something I don’t. I talked to Hector [Andrade] and he said that’s ‘ludicrous.’” Schaub: “Maybe something has changed in the last three or four days.” Gallagher: “This was two weeks ago that I talked to Hector and he said, ‘No, we’re not making a lot of money there. But we’re making enough to be comfortable, we’re paying our bills, there’s no reason to close this restaurant.’” Schaub: “I said ‘possibly.’ I find it upsetting to see the businesses leaving our community…I look back on that vision statement we adopted as a council. It seems like we should be doing a little bit more working with that.” Former planning commissioner Gallagher stated, “The planning commission tried to implement a few ideas and we got a lot of opposition. I agree with you, we should try to follow it. I think it’s a wonderful thing. I particularly like the town plaza, I think that would be just wonderful.” Again Schaub reminded the council, “Our budget adoption will be coming up in November. I would like to see us solicit input from the community and also from the vision plan, so we can put the budget together in a way that reflects what people have been trying to put together in the last two or three years.” Adding, “But in the meantime we should be reviewing this budget so we can see what we need to be doing between now and November, so that we don’t have a big problem here.” Jarrett told the council she would not be available November 4 for budget review. Lofflemacher said the date, “Isn’t set in stone. We can change it.” Jarrett explained, “We’re going to see the Rolling Stones. It’s my husband’s birthday present and I’ve already bought tickets. If Mick Jagger is still alive in November, we’ll be there.” Schaub asked what the town’s plans are concerning the budget at this time. Lofflemacher said all department supervisors were working on their budgets. And reminded the council the town receives the “rest of the property taxes in November. That’s a huge chunk.”		"Pity the poor kids who grow up in a big city. They miss the little things that made growing up in a small town, ah, so wonderful." ~Tom Morrow