New Douglas County Sheriff Kevin Morris updates city council

BRIDGEPORT – Newly elected Douglas County Sheriff Kevin Morris made his first appearance at the Bridgeport City Council since his election last November. Morris brought council members up to date on the current status of the DCSO and requests made to the Douglas County Commissioners for additional resources.

Bridgeport resident Deb Dezellem spoke during the councils’ public comment period and expressed her concerns over public safety following an encounter with an intruder on the porch of her residence.

“I want to feel safe when I go to work. I want to feel safe when I come home, and I don’t anymore,” Dezellem said.

Morris said a deputy responded to Dezellem’s 911 call in 30 minutes according to dispatch records. Morris said he considers that a respectable allowance considering the deputies assigned to the north county must cover 700 square miles. Morris said that since he has been with the county in 2000 he has seen the number of north end deputies increase from a sergeant, two deputies and one part timer to a sergeant, six deputies and a full-time SRO (School Resource Officer).

Morris said his three requests to the commissioners included a corporal position to assist the sergeant in each seven-man deputy squad, a designated Emergency Management person, and a new deputy to serve on the Task Force. Commissioners approved the first two and are still negotiating with Morris on the third request.

Zuni and Carlos Henriquez introduced themselves to the council as the new pastors from Moses Lake who will be relocating to Bridgeport and reopening the Foursquare Church in the near future. Mayor Janet Conklin inquired if their plans for the church included reopening the food bank that operated out of its building until its closure in September 2017. Mrs. Henriquez said she was aware of the church’s former role as the food bank distribution site and will be investigating options to offer that service once again.

In other business council members intensified their search for pool lifeguards for next year so the city can avoid possible loss of its pool per state regulation if it sits idle for more than two years.

Council also approved the 2019 fee schedule, amendments to the Bridgeport Municipal Code, a Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) Overlay Project, and the 16th Street/Cherry Hill Sewer Project.

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office has $16,000 in extra funds for the Conklin Landing RV Park Project that Bridgeport had earlier applied for. Inspectors of the RV project expressed interest in having walkways paved for better handicapped accessibility. Council members approved an amendment stipulating that the city only must match the funds received by the RCO.

Mayor Conklin announced that she hired Susan and Jesse Stanley as 2019 camp hosts for the Marina RV Park.

The city was advised that a small parcel of property owned by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife that the city wants to purchase for a water reservoir site cannot be sold due to its status as critical habitat. The city is making a second request to higher authorities to acquire the site because of its proximity to the city’s water infrastructure.

Conklin said she has suspended an earlier desire for a reader board at city hall when she learned that environmental impact concerns could become an issue. Conklin said funds from the county have been approved for the reader board but in its place, she will look at the Capital Facilities Plan to see if the money can be applied to another project.

The next meeting of the Bridgeport City Council is at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019.