Cowlitz County weighs continuing janitorial service at Cougar restrooms as contract support ends

Cowlitz County staff told the Board of Commissioners on Wednesday that the private janitorial contractor that had been cleaning the Cougar restrooms will no longer provide service, leaving the county to decide whether to continue paying for cleaning on Pacific Corp property.

Mike Moss, public services director, said the county took over janitorial service for the facilities about two years ago after the Port of Woodland declined to continue. The contract with Celix covered daily cleanings in peak season and reduced service in winter; Celix is ending that work and the county must determine whether it can find another nearby contractor or absorb the work with county crews.

"We could certainly ask if they want to continue just at a smaller-level contract to clean those restrooms," Moss said (00:00:46). He added that the county does not have staff capacity to drive to Cougar daily to clean restrooms from its maintenance crews.

The tourism department has been covering the cleaning under the current arrangement, staff said, and Moss reported a cleaning cost figure from the transcript; the precise annual amount is not clear and will be verified. Commissioners noted public pushback when the restrooms were threatened with closure in the past and encouraged staff to explore nearby janitorial firms and concessionaires.

Staff said the restrooms sit on Pacific Corp land and are that company's facility; the countys role has been janitorial only. Commissioners asked staff to research options and report back in a future meeting,

including the possibility of a smaller local contract or returning responsibility to Pacific Corp or another local operator.