Dayton Chronicle - Your Hometown News Source

DAYTON–A public hearing to consider dissolution of the Flood Control Zone District (FCZD) is set for 9 a.m. Monday, June 25 in the chambers of the Columbia County Commissioners.

At the hearing, Commissioners will take testimony for or against the abolishment of the Columbia County Flood Control District.

Copies of the draft resolution may be reviewed at the County Road Department at 415 N. Guernsey Ave., or online at columbiaco.com.

Dayton City Council and Columbia County Commissioners first heard about flood control zone districts from Kirk Holmes of Perteet Engineering in April, 2017. At an open house in May, 2019, concerned members of the public learned that a flood control zone district (FZCD) could be enacted either by resolution by the County Commissioners, or by citizen petition.

In June, 2019, Commissioners Mike Talbott, Charles Amerein and Ryan Rundell unanimously voted to establish an FZCD, in cooperation with the City of Dayton and Town of Starbuck. Commissioners also placed an excess levy (10¢ per $1,000 of assessed valuation) on that year’s November ballot, which was rejected by voters 65.5% to 34.5%. It is estimated that $100,000 per year could have been raised for flood mitigation.

One concept of the FZCD was a county-wide assessment that, if approved by voters, could generate funds for mitigation work prior to flood events, plus utilizing available funding to leverage matching funds from other agencies. One idea about the FZCD was that all county residents–not just those in flood-prone areas–benefit from preventive flood-risk reduction work since, when flooding occurs, money diverted to immediate repair and mitigation deprives or postpones road, bridge or other infrastructure maintenance, improvements or new construction projects, background information from previous Chronicle news articles indicate.

Flooding in 2020 caused $7 million in damage to public infrastructure, a Columbia County news release in October, 2020, indicated. With federal cost-sharing, the flooding cost the county $1.3 million.

Since 1964, the release said, Columbia County has been declared a federal disaster area seven times due to flooding.

At its June 5 Flood Control Zone Meeting, commissioners received a request to assume responsibility for maintenance of an approximate half-mile section of levee along the Touchet River in the vicinity of the Hogeye Road Bridge. City of Waitsburg Clerk-Treasurer Randy Hinchliffe briefed commissioners on levee work sponsored by the City of Waitsburg, which, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), has studied optional alternatives along the Touchet River’s approach to the town.

Grant Morgan, director of Public Works, recommended the proposal made by Hinchliffe be considered. Hinchliffe requested a decision by fall, 2023.