Elma approves agreement with CCAP for senior center meals

Elma City Council approves multiple motions

The Elma city council had a productive session March 6, as Mayor Jim Sorensen was authorized by council to sign off on multiple motions, including an agreement that provides services to the Elma Senior Center.

An agreement with the Coastal Community Action Program (CCAP) may be on the road to completion as Sorenson was given unanimous approval by a motion to sign off on the agreement that has been in the works for six years. The agreement now goes to CCAP, who must sign off on it as it was presented to council on March 6.

According to the agreement approved by council but not yet signed, CCAP will have permission to continue providing services at the Elma Senior Center. CCAP will have access to the main room, kitchen and office as well as having shared use of the store room. The primary role of CCAP at the senior center is to provide meals for residents.

CCAP shall, “use the premises for the operation of a senior center for the residents of the City of Elma and the surrounding area of Gays Harbor and for no other purposes without the prior written consent of Elma,” the agreement states.

The agreement also states that, for the first year, CCAP will cover 80 percent of the cost of gas, electricity and garbage with Elma covering the remaining 20 percent of each service. Elma will additionally be responsible for covering 100 percent of water, cable, phone and internet services. Those figures are subject to change after the first year of the agreement.

After hearing a presentation from Greater Grays Harbor Inc. CEO Dru Garson, the council unanimously approved an agreement with the organization for $2,200. The funds will go toward continued services provided by Greater Grays Harbor for the city of Elma.

Garson took the time to go into detail on some of the specific work that has been and is being done for Elma and the surrounding areas. The organization was instrumental in getting Overstock.com to open a facility at the Satsop Business Park which will lead to hundreds of jobs, Garson said. Greater Grays Harbor also has been involved with multiple social media projects serving to call attention to Elma businesses and events, including the Winter Wine Festival.

Hood to Coast, a race series first started in Oregon that has been met with resounding success, will make its way to Washington on June 3 for Hood to Coast Washington thanks to efforts by Greater Grays Harbor, Garson said. The race will be comprised of 77 miles and will go from the Hood Canal to the Pacific Ocean. More information on the race contact Greater Grays Harbor or go online to www.htcraceseries.com.

The mayor was given authority to sign the contract with the stipulation that the city use as much visitor funds as possible in providing the contracted amount of $2,200.

Another resolution passing unanimously through council at its most recent meeting was a request to extend the time for a preliminary plat approval for the Hobble Creek Estates Project in Elma. Approval was initially received for the project in April 2007, according to the request provided to council by property owner Joe Clerget, but the project was put on hold because of the state of Elma’s economy.

The 18-month extension was sought as preliminary approval for the project expires in May of this year, and there is still too much to accomplish on the project to have the project prepared by May, Clerget wrote in the memo. Development guidelines and new storm water drainage design construction drawings must be resubmitted and approved as they have been revised since initial approval in 2007.

Council unanimously approved a request from Elma Fire Chief Tyson Boling to provide funds for a fire records management system that will help in the tracking of equipment, needed maintenance records as well as uploading fire reports to the National Fire Incident Reporting System. The approved request is for a one-time setup fee of $769 and an annual fee of $1,416 for the service.