White Salmon council approves consent agenda, closes CDBG home‑repair grant and defers Planning Commission work plan

The White Salmon City Council approved its consent agenda on Jan. 21, which included multiple change orders, pay applications, an interlocal incarceration services agreement with Klickitat County and Resolution No. 2026‑01‑640 authorizing signers on city financial accounts. The motion to approve the consent agenda and vouchers for a total of $309,091.65 was made by Council Member David Lindley, seconded by Morella Mora, and carried 5–0.

During business items, Liz Wilbur (Housing Resource Center Manager) and Salvador Cruz‑Torres (housing counselor for Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation) presented the closeout of the federally funded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Home Repair Program. Wilbur reported $124,766 in CDBG funds were expended to complete six repair projects at three single‑family homes, assisting three households (two Hispanic households, two female‑headed households and two households with elderly residents). One household had income below 30 percent of AMI, one between 30–50 percent, and one between 50–80 percent; additional grant funds were used to address unforeseen structural issues during a roof replacement. Mayor Keethler opened public testimony on the item and, hearing none, closed the hearing.

Planner Rowan Fairfield presented the Planning Commission’s draft 2026 work plan, a seven‑item list developed after a joint Council–Planning Commission meeting. Council members questioned whether all proposed activities were within the commission’s core planning role and whether some items should be deprioritized. Council voted 5–0 to defer action and asked staff to return on Feb. 4 with a more focused list of priority areas; Council also signaled support to allow work on the first activity to proceed while holding other items for review.

In other announcements, Mayor Marla Keethler said she and Council Member Rainbolt attended City Action Days in Olympia to press state legislators on local priorities, including funding to restart the State Route 141 washout project. Keethler announced a community open house for the Phase IIA water infrastructure project on Feb. 24 (4–7 p.m.), warned of expected traffic delays on State Route 14 and toward Trout Lake during construction, and noted the Department of Licensing confirmed the effective date of a vehicle licensing fee as Sept. 1, 2023. Public Works Director Chris True reported Phase IIA mobilization is expected mid‑February with an anticipated ~34‑day road closure pending WSDOT approval; staff are coordinating with emergency management and the school district. Keethler also summarized prepared remarks from Trustee Mary Williams urging public attention to a Fort Vancouver Regional Library strategic‑plan debate over equity and intellectual freedom language.

Votes at a glance: • Motion to approve Consent Agenda and Vouchers for $309,091.65 — mover: David Lindley; second: Morella Mora; vote: Giant Aye, Fink Aye, Rainbolt Aye, Lindley Aye, Mora Aye; outcome: approved 5–0. • Motion to defer action on the Planning Commission’s 2026 Work Plan and return Feb. 4 — mover: Doug Rainbolt; second: Patty Fink; vote: Giant Aye, Fink Aye, Rainbolt Aye, Lindley Aye, Mora Aye; outcome: approved 5–0.

Next steps: staff will revise the Planning Commission work plan for the Feb. 4 meeting and return the draft ordinance on committee roles and transparency for legal review and Council feedback.