The Dalles City Council discussed where to move next on short-term rentals during their meeting this week. Mayor Rich Mays says municipal staff gave Councilors a wide-range of options to consider. Limiting the number of STR licenses to a percentage of housing units in The Dalles or the number within a given area was brought up. Other areas to be examined is whether to limit STR’s in particular zones, possibly limiting owners to one STR listing, and differentiating between those who actually live in the home they use for an STR and owners who don’t live on the property. A potential moratorium on issuing new permits for STR’s until the City sorts through its rules was also discussed. Councilors will discuss the subject further at their upcoming goal setting session next month.
TD Council Adopts Cart Ordinance
By a 3-2 vote, The Dalles City Council voted to adopt an ordinance requiring retailers to retrieve abandoned shopping carts when they are reported. The ordinance, which will not go into effect for three months, does include a fine of up to 50 dollars per cart if they are not retrieved within 72 hours, and includes the establishment of a toll-free phone number to report abandoned carts. Councilor Darcy Long said the City wants to help return shopping carts to their rightful owners, and to keep the City looking nice. Councilors Tim McGlothlin and Rod Runyon voted against the measure, with McGlothlin noting there needs to be consequences for those who are stealing the shopping carts. City Attorney Jonathan Kara pointed out laws for theft are already on the books.
Rand Road Housing Development Meeting Wednesday
There will be a community meeting and open house Wednesday on the 780 Rand Road affordable housing development in Hood River. Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation Executive Director Joel Madsen says the meeting is an opportunity for people to learn more about the project. The event begins at 6 p.m. with time to learn about the project and provide feedback at multiple stations, followed by opening remarks from design and development team members at 6:30. There will be an open house at 6:45, followed by a question-and-answer session at 7:15. It will be held at Hood River Alliance Church on 2650 Montello Avenue in Hood River.
Ballots In D21 Vote Coming In
Ballots in the North Wasco County School District 21 bond measure vote are starting to be returned. Wasco County Clerk Lisa Gambee said as of the end of Monday, they had already received 1,348 ballots back. That’s out of 14,693 eligible voters, for an early return rate of 9.17%. Ballots must be postmarked or returned to the County Courthouse or place in authorized drop boxes by November 7. D-21 is asking voters to approve a 30-year, 140-million dollar bond measure to build a new high school at the Wahtonka campus.
Stormwater Basin Cleaning Planned
The Dalles Public Works crews next week will be cleaning storm water catch basins in the downtown area. Cleaning catch basins allows for fast drainage into the storm water conveyance system. Crews are scheduled to work on First, Second, Third and Fourth Streets from the west side of Lincoln Street to the east side roundabout. Work will occur between 9:00 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. each night, to cause the least disruption to traffic and businesses. Public Works asks motorists to park so that the catch basins are accessible during the night work hours. Temporary traffic controls will not be used during these low traffic hours. Stay well clear of the vacuum truck when the truck lights are flashing. W. 6th Street from Cherry Heights Road through W 3rd Place are scheduled to be cleaned shortly after 7:00 a.m., with traffic controls, during the same week.
October 23 Prep Sports Roundup
Girls Soccer
Molalla 3, The Dalles 2: The Riverhawks’ loss opens the door for Gladstone to grab a share of the Tri-Valley Conference title with a win today at Molalla.
Man Sentenced For Sex Abuse Of Child
41-year-old Aselmo Arzeta received a seventeen-year prison sentence after pleading guilty in Wasco County Circuit Court to one count of Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree, one count of Sodomy in the First Degree, and one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. Arzeta pled guilty from NORCOR on Friday and was sentenced the same day. By pleading guilty, Arzeta admitted to multiple acts of sexual abuse on a child over a prolonged period of time. Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis says that victim came forward, and notified the authorities of the abuse. He noted the brave actions of the child in coming forward, and working with law enforcement, are the reasons the state was able to obtain a favorable outcome. In court, Special Deputy District Attorney Kara Davis noted she asked for a murder length sentence to represent the victim’s childhood that Arzeta murdered. In addition to the prison sentence, the court placed Arzeta on 60 months of post-prison supervision. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Anderson Says Klickitat County Should Be Able To Cover Landfill Shortfall
A Klickitat County Commissioner says they should be able to cover a reduction in the expected revenue from the Roosevelt Regional Landfill in 2024 through reserves. The Commission had known that Republic Services had lost a contract with Skagit County before entering its 2024 budget process, but in recent weeks learned of the loss of contracts with Spokane and Mason counties…for a total annual loss to Klickitat County’s share of tippage fees at the landfill of about $1.6 million Anderson says the Commission will be moving forward with helping Republic replace those contracts. Anderson did say the County had already been looking at a financial shortfall in 2025 and 2026 even without the loss of the landfill contracts.
D21 Ballots Reaching Voters’ Hands
The ballots for North Wasco County School District 21’s 140 million dollar bond measure to build a new high school in The Dalles should now be in the hands of the voters. D-21 Board Member Jose Aparicio says in his mind, the decision the community will make in regards to whether to move forward in the project should come down to the kids and the investment that is put into them. If passed the $140 million dollar bond would cost the average property owner approximately $2.73 per thousand dollars of assessed property value. The new high school would be built on the site of the current Wahtonka campus.
West Klickitat RFA Question On Ballots
Ballots for the November election should be arriving in mailboxes, and voters in White Salmon and Klickitat County Fire District 3 will be deciding on whether to approve the West Klickitat County Regional Fire Authority. It would combine FD 3 and White Salmon Fire into one agency with its own tax base. The new authority would have a property tax assessment of 76 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value, which is a seven cent increase in FD 3 but a bigger jump for White Salmon, where City Councilor Jim Ransier says fire services have been underfunded for many years, adding it will cost less to correct that with this plan than doing it on their own. The fire authority board would be made up of three people each from the City and the current FD 3.