Bridgeport votes to pursue water reservoir grant

BRIDGEPORT – Following a public hearing on the matter at its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, March 18, the city voted to move forward with an application to the Washington State Department of Commerce for a $900,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to develop Bridgeport’s second city water reservoir.
In other business the city approved a contract with Oxarc that allows the city to benefit from government pricing for its acetylene and oxygen for the shop and chlorine for the city pool, and sewer treatment plant among other uses.
The city approved its engineering professional services and consultant contract with SCJ Alliance in Lacey for work on the new water reservoir.
Among council discussion topics, Public Works Superintendent Stuart Dezellem updated council members on a project to bring WiFi service to both the Conklin RV Park and Bridgeport Marina Park. Dezellem reviewed the costs involved that amount to an estimated $13,000 to complete.
Council member Matthew Schuh recommended proceeding with the installation because the one-time cost justifies the long-term benefit of having a service that many recreationists now want to access at their camp sites. No vote was taken.
The city continues to discuss its Downtown Revitalization Plan along the SR 173 corridor. Mayor Janet Conklin said the goal is to canvass local businesses for feedback regarding what they would like the plan to include. A March 23 meeting was scheduled to decide whether to proceed with the plan.
“It’s still in the beginning stages of planning,” Conklin said.
Consideration is being given to a resolution to reduce the size of the Planning Commission from a five-member panel to a three-member panel. Mayor Conklin said the current group does not draw sufficient attendance to form a quorum because only two of the five members usually attend. A three-member panel would allow members to vote on issues.
The next regular meeting of the Bridgeport City Council is scheduled for 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 15.