OCEM Manager Goodall addresses Pateros City Council

PATEROS – Maurice Goodall, manager of Okanogan County Emergency Management (OCEM) was the guest speaker at the regular monthly meeting of the city Council on Monday, April 16. Goodall explained the role of OCEM and how the organization is funded.
Goodall reviewed the county’s current effort to update its Hazardous Condition Plan and how that will relate to individual cities.
“We want you to stand alone,” said Goodall. “We want you to be able to have your ideas of what you see within your city that is an issue that needs to be listed in this plan; what kind of hazards do you have.”
Goodall said the Hazard Mitigation Plan will be combined with the Wildfire Protection Plan rather than leave them as two separate plans.
Goodall said the county is responding to slides and mudflows in various locations including Highway 20 in the Seven Devils area and Salmon Creek caused by recent rainfall from one-half inch to 1.5 inches in a 24-hour period.
Mayor Carlene Anders asked Goodall for an update on the emergency phone system.
Goodall said the Okanogan County Alert System was already in place when he assumed his position with OCEM.
“We used it extensively and there’s a lot we can expand on,” said Goodall
After working with the network Goodall discovered that many of the 5,000 people who signed up for the emergency notifications did not complete the verification process required to receive alerts.
“We’re cleaning up the service and upgrading it,” said Goodall “We’re really going to be pushing out to the media to try to get people to opt into our system as well as clean up their accounts.”
When completed Goodall said OCEM will be sending out twice yearly messages to confirm that people on the system are receiving notifications.
In other business council members voted to allow tent camping in Memorial Park and at the winter boat launch for the annual hydro races scheduled for August 18-19 this year.
Race spokesman Tom Hamilton was asked how many boats are expected for the races and advised that between 40 and 50 turn out for the event. Hamilton said that figure usually included three to four people per boat together with their vehicles and support gear.
Council member George Brady who serves on the Solid Waste and Recycling Committee and is a representative on the county Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) reported that the county is proposing a $10-per-ton rate increase for items coming into the landfill.
“This is the first increase in 23 years,” Brady said.
Following the 2014 Carlton Complex wildfire the council approved an exemption to city code to allow property owners to live in temporary housing on their property for two years while homes were rebuilt.
“There have been quite a few calls,” said Anders. “Three different property owners have asked permission to live on their property as they build new homes.”
Council members approved a waiver to allow an additional year of temporary housing provided the occupants purchase a building permit and be hooked up to city utilities.
Council also authorized city engineer Varela and Associates to proceed with the bidding process to construct well house No. 3 at the Pearl Street-Warren Avenue site.