Bridgeport Council hears report from Gjesdal

BRIDGEPORT – City Council members put in a long night at their regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, March 21, where they address a laundry list of fees, ordinances and needs.
Douglas County Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal delivered a summary of activities by his office since January including an update on new law and justice facilities in Wenatchee.
“The bids haven’t gone out let but odds are we are going to get it,” said Gjesdal.
The new complex will include the sheriff’s office, probation, court, and prosecutor’s office, Gjesdal said.
Gjesdal announced that law enforcement and community service agencies will hold a Vulnerable Adults and Children Registry on Saturday, April 21, in Wenatchee.
Gjesdal said individuals who are identified as vulnerable, such as children with autism or older adults who may become disoriented, will have their personal information entered into a database that will be available to law enforcement officers.
“If we run into them out in the street and they are not communicative or become aggressive, (the database) will show that this person has this issue, so we can better respond to it,” Gjesdal said.
Gjesdal added that with police under increased scrutiny for not responding appropriately in given situations “it’s a good thing for all of us.”
In response to a question about the new resource officer for Bridgeport school next year, Gjesdal identified him as Sam Tonseth who has been with the Sheriff’s office since 2007. Gjesdal said Tonseth will be available to the community in cases requiring “immediate help or more than a one-person response is needed.”
In other business the council amended the Bridgeport Municipal Code subsection pertaining to dangerous dogs to require a secure enclosure as an additional restraint provision for any dog designated as dangerous by the Animal Control enforcement officer.
Council members also approved an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Twisp to allow that municipality to use Bridgeport’s wood chipper with the addition of a $100 per eight-hour usage fee.
Mayor Conklin advised council that the Douglas County Solid Waste Advisory Council (SWAC) has increased its fees for tire collections.
Passenger car tires increase to $5 and on rims to $8; small truck tires $7, and on rims $10; pickup tires $11, on rims $20; large truck tires $25, on rims $45.
“That’s why they get dumped,” said Public Works Superintendent Stuart Dezellem of the increasing fees.
Since the city is charged with collecting the tire fees and transferring the funds to SWAC, council members voted to add a flat transaction fee of .50 cents per tire.
As of this writing the city has no lifeguards signed up to work at the public pool this season. One of the issues brought up was the $150 cost to prospective candidates to receive the necessary training.
Conklin said she may arrange to speak to some of the students at Bridgeport High School to encourage some to consider signing up.