Warden council approves port annexation agreement

WARDEN — The Warden City Council voted unanimously during Tuesday’s regular meeting to approve and sign an annexation agreement with the Port of Warden following a public hearing on the issue. The council also discussed grant applications for transportation infrastructure updates.

Before the public hearing, Warden City Administrator Kriss Shuler explained to the council what the annexation agreement is.

“It's a process that the port will be required to follow certain steps in their annexation,” said Shuler. “This just gives the onerous onto the port district that they have to follow all of the development standards and regulations … and then we can go through that annexation process for the port as we've already approved previously.”

After the council approved the agreement, Shuler outlined several options the city has regarding grant applications for roads in Warden. The city is working with consulting engineering company Gray & Osborne on the applications.

“We have actually contacted the Transportation Improvement Board and they provide funding for preservation-type projects; they don't fund projects to develop new roads or pave new roads,” said Shuler. “So, South County Road, we have tried to get an agreement to do an overlay, you know put asphalt on top or grind and do a new roadway. They say that it is eligible for a chip seal at this time. So that's what we're going to do.”

Shuler said that the application will be for the portion of South County Road from First Street to 11th Street. She said the city will also be applying for applications to work on First Street North.

“That road is very heavily trafficked by trucks, and that one is in a deeper need of probably a grind and resurface,” said Shuler, “and so that is also the road application that we are working on. We will have those completed this week, and then we'll have the mayor sign them to submit and then we'll wait to hear back.”

Shuler also informed the council about a planned public hearing regarding Warden’s Six-Year Transportation Plan, which will be held Aug. 22 during the regular city council meeting.

“Annually, the Department of Transportation wants us to provide that Six-Year Transportation Plan, and what we're doing is just rolling over the previous plan to the next year.”

Gabriel Davis may be reached at gdavis@columbiabasinherald.com.