PORT ANGELES — Clallam County’s three commissioners on Tuesday added four projects to the 2009 road construction program in light of expected federal funding of $3.2 million.
The original program, adopted in December, did not include federal economic stimulus dollars and assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The county will use FEMA funds to remove and replace Nicholas Bridge, which washed out in a January flood, near Hoko-Ozette Road.
FEMA funds
Clallam County declared a state of emergency after the storm and stands to receive $2.35 million from FEMA and insurance money to replace the dilapidated West End bridge.
Stimulus funds will pay $500,000 for the final three-tenths of a mile of the Mount Pleasant Road widening project and $335,000 for the construction of a 6.4-mile segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail from Lake Crescent to Fairholm Hill.
Olympic Discovery Trail
A fourth project — the $50,000 engineering and right-of-way acquisition for the 3.5-mile segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail from Blyn to the Jefferson County line — was added to the annual construction program through the Secure Schools Act.
The multi-use Discovery Trail will eventually span the North Olympic Peninsula from Port Townsend to LaPush.
The board’s unanimous vote to amend the construction program was another step in arranging for receiving federal dollars.
Commissioners modified the six-year transportation plan after a March 31 public hearing.
Meanwhile, the commissioners signed a memorandum for joint funding to the Washington State University Extension Center in Clallam County.
Director’s salary
The agreement to contribute $21,630 to the extension director’s salary and $8,900 to the 4-H youth development program leader could change if the Pullman-based school cuts funding to its extension centers.
A debatable emergency or budget reductions would be made as necessary, County Administrator Jim Jones said.
Commissioners Mike Doherty, Steve Tharinger and Mike Chapman also extended a contract with Peninsula Community Mental Health Center to provide services to juveniles in the court system through June 30.
Before the weekly meeting, the commissioners met in executive session to discuss pending litigation in the case of Jason Linde vs. Clallam County.
Linde filed a lawsuit in Clallam County Superior Court after the board in November disallowed a crematory proposed for the Carlsborg Industrial Park.
Closed-door session
After the closed-door session, the three commissioners voted to authorize the Prosecutor’s Office to author a motion to seek discretionary review, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols said.
A division of the Court of Appeals will review a decision made in Clallam County Superior Court in response to a Citizens for Carlsborg’s motion for summary judgment, Nichols said.
Citizens for Carlsborg was formed after a county hearing examiner approved a conditional use permit for the crematorium last May.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
