HEADLINES & HISTORY SINCE 1879 Goldendale, Washington
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2024
Vol. 145 No. 25
County hears on process for jail transition
Health Department visit upends Farmers Market
RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL
The June 11 meeting of the Klickitat Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) was the first in a month and a half that was more about process than protest. Even the often-lively public comment period was tranquil, with fewer than a half-dozen comments, and a couple of them didn’t even mention the jail situation. When the topic did come up, it was about a report by Human Resources Director Robb Van Cleave who outlined his plan to execute the previous week’s decision to narrow the county’s options down to two. Those were previously presented as Option 2, for the BoCC to take over jail operations and contract with NORCOR but maintain a booking facility and holding cells in Goldendale; and Option 3, to have the BoCC take over the jail but add medical staff. Van Cleave prefaced his remarks by saying his goal was “to break things into bitesized pieces so we can begin.” He also told commissioners another option was to follow what Benton County had done when they closed their jail, “To do it all at once in one big document.” Commissioners showed no interest in that approach, so Van Cleave spelled out a fourstep process. Step 1 - prepare documents to create a Department of Corrections through a resolution. Step 2 - seek a consultant to review Options 2 and 3.
LOU MARZELES EDITOR
COURTESY JOHNLAPTADPHOTO.COM
HORSE VS. RIDER: The rider had to have flown higher than the horse he was on. See more pictures from last weekend’s Ketchum Kalf Rodeo on page B8.
See County page A8
City hires new clerktreasurer RODGER NICHOLS FOR THE SENTINEL The Goldendale City Council was on a roll Monday night. Councilors approved a new union contract, hired a new clerk-treasurer, took Public Works responsibilities from the city administrator to return to a revived Public Works Director office, and updated the city’s criminal code to reflect changes in state laws, all in less than an hour. The new contract with Local No. 1533-G of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees establishes an updated pay plan, makes minor changes to the longevity schedule, and adds a three percent cost of living wage increase. Anthony Menke, a labor attorney from the Yakima law firm of Menke Jackson Beyer, appeared by Zoom and complimented all involved for their hard work to provide a smooth negotiation, saying, “It all went well. Hopefully, it put you in a great position for recruitment and retention of employees.” Michelle Enderby is the new clerk-treasurer for the city. According to the resume she submitted for the job, she was a longtime senior teller for Columbia State Bank, worked as a permit technician at the Klickitat County Building Department, and has been a financial administrative assistant for the City of Goldendale. The Public Works responsibilities were added to the city administrator position after
See City page A8
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Maryhill Museum
Observatory joins with Maryhill for 2024 Starry Night Maryhill Museum will remain open after hours on Saturday, June 29, for its unique Starry Night. Visitors will be able to camp out on Maryhill’s Great Lawn. The event check-in begins at 4 p.m., and the museum will stay open until 7 p.m. Visitors can enjoy current exhibitions and collections, have a picnic dinner, listen to stories, and gaze at the stars with telescopes. Ticket holders will also have access to the museum from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. the following
day on Sunday, June 30. Goldendale Observatory Adminsitrator Troy Carpenter and storyteller Will Hornyak will educate and entertain as the evening events proceed. Volunteers from Rose City Astronomers (Portland, Oregon) will set up telescopes and teach participants about constellations in the night sky with a schedule of sightings well into the wee hours of the morning. On Sunday, June 30, Loies, the Museum Cafe, reopens at 8 a.m. for participants.
Tickets are $80 for museum members and $90 for non-members per campsite (1 tent or camper-van per campsite). Tickets for this event must be purchased in advance. Visit www.maryhillmuseum.org/events/2024-starrynight-at-the-museum. Be aware that fires and cooking equipment are prohibited. Food and beverages are available for purchase from the Cafe. Campers are welcome to bring picnic food that does not require fire or cooking equipment.
The Goldendale Farmers Market was visited by the Klickitat County Health Department (KCHD) June 8, resulting in four vendors being identified as not having required permits or licenses. Health Department Director Erinn Quinn said neither vendors nor the Market itself were actually shut down. “The KCHD food safety program received nearly 10 complaints from concerned citizens about unlicensed or unpermitted vendors participating in the Goldendale Farmers Market,” Quinn said. “On Saturday, June 8, KCHD health inspectors representing the food safety program visited the Goldendale Farmers Market and identified four vendors who did not have the appropriate license or permit for the specific product they were selling. As education is a basic tenant of our food safety program at KCHD, staff provided information to the four vendors on how to acquire the necessary permits and licenses required by state regulations; the same guidance that is listed in the Goldendale Farmers Market Member Guidelines.” Those guidelines can be viewed at tinyurl.com/35rnjuuv. Some vendors refute Quinn’s statement. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one stated bluntly the Health Department was lying. “There were more than four, and they were shut down,” he said. “The fact is their visit report is not accurate.” He named six specific vendors who he says were shut down. “We have witnesses,” he stated. Sarah Littlewolf said she was hard hit by the KCHD visit. “My story is I make breads and cookies and would bring them to the Market,” she states. “This was my second year doing it, and it was what I found I could do to help my husband who works a full-time job keep the power on and the rent paid. I was in a high-speed car accident that has affected me medically to the point I cannot work a regular job due to several medical issues, and we have two small children. I am also in online college to try and find a work-from-home job.” She says the income she was making at the Market was paying the fee she owes each month to graduate. “I was making enough at the Market to keep everything going,” she states. “Now with this, we are facing services being turned off at the end of the month. Rent keeps going up, and with one income, it has been extremely hard. I took great pride in my work and loved seeing the people each weekend and how they enjoyed the foods. I don’t have the kind of money required to pass a kitchen inspection.” She says she has a food handlers permit and was told she could file for an exemption for a license on the KCHD website, but that requires submitting a menu for approval. “And if I needed to change the menu after a certain amount of items, I would have to pay a fee and resubmit the menu and get it
See Market page A8