FORKS — One returning and two new Forks City Council members took the oath of office Monday at the first meeting of 2024.
Incumbent Position 4 council member Jeff Gingell was reelected for a second term, and husband and wife Hickory Grant (Position 5) and Nettie Grant (Position 1) will serve for the first time. All three ran unopposed in the November general election. City council positions are at-large. Members serve four-year terms.
Clint Wood was appointed to serve on the Clallam Transit Board, replacing former council member Juanita Weissenfels, who did not run for re-election. Gingell was appointed alternate.
Gingell also was appointed representative to the Peninsula Regional Transit Planning Organization and Public Works Director Paul Hampton as alternate. The PRTPO is a partnership among public and tribal agencies in Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap and Mason counties that facilitates transportation planning and the direction of activities and priorities for the region.
It was noted that during an upgrade to the city’s utility billing software, water usage was not calculated and thus not included in customers’ most recent bills. The city will send out new bills with a letter this week asking customers to disregard the previous bill and to pay the adjusted, corrected amount. Customers who already submitted payment need only pay the difference.
City Attorney/Planner Rod Fleck said he had spoken with Clallam County administrator Todd Mielke about seeking state and federal funding for the city’s wastewater treatment plant project. On Dec. 26, the council voted to reject the two bids the city received because they were far above budget and to go out for re-bid.
“We feel we’re $500,000 short, so that’s amount we’ll seek,” Fleck said. “We have some options.”
There will be a public hearing Feb. 12 on renewal of the city’s agreement with West Waste & Recycling at city hall, 500 E. Division St.
“There are some minor modifications to the renewal basically clarifying demolition debris, which has been an issue a few times in the course of this franchise,” Fleck said.
A draft of the updated agreement will be available at the next city council meeting Jan. 22.
