Cowlitz County awards $3.20 million for local infrastructure projects; OKs $121,000 dredge‑use study

Cowlitz County commissioners approved $3,202,003 in rural public facilities awards and separately approved a $121,000 study of beneficial uses for dredged sediment during a public meeting where municipal and district officials presented project proposals.

The funding decision moves forward water‑system and public‑safety projects across the county, including a requested $550,000 for a Castle Rock water‑main extension, $50,000 toward a fire‑training facility for Cowlitz County Fire District 5, a $500,000 contribution to the City of Kalama’s water treatment plant expansion, and $500,000 for Port of Longview rail capacity work in 2025 (with a recommended second $500,000 disbursement in 2026). The board also approved a $300,000 grant to Cowlitz County Fire District 2 for the Rose Valley station upgrade and included a three‑year, $115,000‑per‑year personnel contract for the Cowlitz Economic Development Council in the award package.

Why it matters: commissioners and applicants said the awards target capacity gaps that limit industrial growth, emergency response readiness and long‑term community development. County staff recommended taking the package as a group because the total requested roughly matched available rural public facility funds for the year; the dredge‑materials feasibility study was recommended to be funded from interest income rather than the Rural Public Facilities Fund.

Key allocations and project summaries - Castle Rock, SR‑411 water main extension (request: $550,000). Tyler Stone, public works senior operator for the City of Castle Rock, said the 1,800‑foot, 12‑inch extension would serve about 89 acres inside city limits (63 acres planned for development), provide required fire flow and enable businesses such as Sound Precast to expand. The city’s engineer gave an opinion of probable cost of $959,000; Castle Rock said in‑house labor could reduce that and the city requested $550,000. The project milestones presented were permitting by October 2025, construction beginning March 2026 and full operation by November 2026. Stone said the extension would “provide the necessary water capacity for fire flow and potable water for future developments and business expansions.”

- Cowlitz County Fire District 5, training facility (request: $50,000). Vic Letso presented plans for a training pad and containerized prop structure at 415 Todd Road to support live‑fire evolutions (phase 2), water‑supply and hazmat drills. The district reported it had allocated $35,000 already and would phase the project if full funding is not obtained. Letso said the facility would improve responder proficiency for the district’s roughly 7,600 residents and local industrial workforce.

- City of Kalama, water treatment plant expansion (request: $500,000). Adam Smee, city administrator for Kalama, said the project would add a third filter and increase plant capacity from the current operational rate up to about 2,700 gallons per minute; each filter produces roughly 900 gpm. Smee said the plant, built in 2021 and designed for expansion, serves a 44‑square‑mile service area that includes sizeable industrial users. “This is an application to expand our drinking water treatment plant in Kalama by 50% generation capacity,” Smee told commissioners, and noted the city will seek additional state funding and eligibility for state revolving or public works trust funds.

- Port of Longview, North Rail capacity addition (request: $500,000 in 2025 and $500,000 in 2026; total project cost reported at $4.5 million). Jennifer Brown, chief administrative and finance officer, and Bill Burton, director of facilities and engineering, described a project to add about 4,800 feet of track, relocate existing track, add maintenance access and complete stormwater and utility realignments to support increasing rail volumes and redevelopment of Berth 4. Construction was projected to begin in fall and finish by the end of 2026.

- City of Longview, Minute Valley Pro Shop exterior repairs (amounts in application and staff memo were inconsistent). City staff described deferred maintenance at the community golf facility and ongoing revenue improvements since the city assumed operations in 2019. The transcript contained inconsistent figures for the request and total project; staff and the board included the item in the awarded package. The exact award amount allocated to this project was included in the county’s total award calculation but the application text in the record contains conflicting numbers and is recorded as “not specified” in the project file.

- Cowlitz County Fire District 2, Rose Valley station (recommended award changed to a $300,000 grant). Scott Goldstein, fire chief for Cowlitz 2 Fire Rescue, described plans to place a roughly 1,200‑square‑foot manufactured dwelling adjacent to Station 4 to provide sleeping, kitchen and restroom facilities and enable 24/7 staffing. Goldstein said recent volunteer recruitment added eight residents from Rose Valley who are completing training, and the facility would support career and volunteer staffing. “This project … will provide us the ability to have 24/7 operations there,” Goldstein said.

- Cowlitz Economic Development Council (EDC), personnel funding (request: $115,000 per year for three years with a proposed 3% annual COLA). Ted Sprague, president of the EDC, requested the multi‑year contract to preserve an EDC staff position amid anticipated state funding cuts; he presented per‑capita comparisons showing the county’s prior level was below peer counties. Sprague said the funding would be used for personnel only and that a three‑year term would aid planning.

- Kal‑Wahk/Cowlitz Council of Governments (COG) / Spirit Lake collaborative, beneficial‑use-of‑dredge‑materials study (request: $121,000 from interest income). Sam Schogren and COG staff explained a feasibility study to analyze chemical and physical characteristics of sediment stockpiles and test potential value‑added uses (aggregate, concrete feedstock, glass production or other products) and transportation/market feasibility. “If we can find some beneficial uses of this sediment that’s coming down the mountain … that’s a win‑win for the region,” Schogren said. The board voted separately to fund this study from interest income.

Votes at a glance - Motion: approve awards from the Rural Public Facilities Fund totaling $3,202,003 for the projects listed (motion text: “I move approval of the $3,202,003 for the projects listed.”). Outcome: approved. Vote recorded on the transcript as “Those in favor. Aye. Aye.” (vote recorded in public minutes with no individual roll‑call names in the transcript). Legal threshold: met. Notes: staff recalculated totals to include the EDC multi‑year personnel award and convert Cowlitz 2 loan+grant request to a $300,000 grant.

- Motion: approve $121,000 from interest income for a beneficial‑use-of‑dredge‑materials feasibility study (motion text: “I move approval of the hundred and $21,000 for the go ahead.”). Outcome: approved. Vote on the transcript recorded as “Those in favor. Aye. Opposed, I would be opposed.” The transcript records at least one dissent during the study vote; the motion carried.

Implementation and next steps County staff said they will draft and bring contracts back to the board for final signatures; project sponsors will proceed with permitting, bidding and design work as described in their presentations. Commissioners and applicants repeatedly emphasized that many awards are contingent on permits, design bids and other funding sources (for example Kalama’s pursuit of state capital budget and state revolving funds).

The board adjourned after staff said contract documents will be presented for final action in a subsequent meeting.