The Daily Chronicle from Centralia, Washington • Page 1

ftfte Batlu Chronicle Centralja-Chehalis, Washington 10 Cents Saturday, April 21,1973 84th year, 235th issue On Fords Prairie Sewer system two-three years in Mure IEORGEBLOMDAHL .......1. By GEORGE BLOMDAHL Chronicle Staff Writer Despite evidence of contamination of water wells on Fords Prairie and a moratorium on the issuance of septic tank permits that has halted hew home construction on the prairie, it will be at least two or three years before a sewer system can be built and placed into operation. In the meantime, the Lewis County commissioners plan to work out an interim agreement with property owners and developers that will allow them to start construction of new homes or finish work on present construction. The interim agreement will permit the property owner to construct a temporary sewage system (septic and a dry line to the property line for hook-up to the proposed sewer line when it becomes operative. Hamlet.

Hilpert, 'Lewis 1 County Commission chairman, Centralia, said Friday afternoon the interim agreement will be drawn up as soon as possible, hopefully within the next two weeks. Hilpert said the county commissioners discussed the sewage problem on Fords Prairie with Centralia and county officials on Thursday, when a 10-step program was outlined and a three-year timeline listed as follows: 1 Prepare a general plan; 2 -Form a county review board; 3 Hold a public hearing to adopt the general plan; 4 Adoption of the general plan by the Lewis County Commission; 5 -Sign a service agreement with the city of Centralia; 6 Prepare grant applications to state and federal tax funding agencies; 7 Adopt resolution to form a Utilities Local Improvement District; 8 Finalize design of the sewer system; 9 Construct the system; and 10 Put the system into operation. It will take about six months to prepare the general plan which in itself is a five-step program: 1 Location of facilities; 2 Preparation of construction cost estimates; 3 Incorporate the plan into an existing comprehensive plan; 4 Approval by the county review committee; and 5 -Approval by state and regional agencies. representatives from public and agencies will make up the county review board. It has not been determined yet who they will be.

Hilpert said the 1973 state legislature passed a bill which permits the county to develop a comprehensive plan in segments. This makes it possible to go ahead with the Fords Prairie sewer plan. Otherwise it would have had to wait until the comprehensive plan was completed. The service agreement with Centralia will stipulate that the city will accept sewage oil a wholesale basis for treatment and possibly bill the customers for the sewer A bond attorney will be retained, to prepare the tax grant applications. If the applications are approved, the Fords Prairie residents may receive 75 per cent in federal tax dollars and 15 per cent in.

state tax funds. The remaining io per cent would be paid by themselves. If the applications are rejected, the property owners must bear the entire cost of the sewer system: Before the county can go into the, sewer business, it must create a Public Works Department to operate water and sewage facilities. Since the county has no such department now, it must create one by resolution before it can proceed with the ULID. There are two routes to go to construct the sewer system.

One would be through a Local Improvement District which would require a petition signed by property owners owning 51 per cent of the land area. The other is by resolution by the County Commission declaring a Utilities Local Improvement District. In either case, the property owner bears the cost unless federal or state grants can be obtained. It will take about six months to prepare the general plan, grant applications and environmental impact statement and another five months to complete the design. Actual construction is at least one to two years away, Hilpert believes.

The moratorium on septic tank permits was Ordered last December when it was discovered some wells in the area showed evidence of contamination. A public meeting was held in February at the Fords Prairie Grange hall to inform property owners in the area of the results of the water sample tests taken by the state Department of Social and Health Services. In county commissioners met with the Centralia City Commission to discuss the problem and to determine responsibilities for con- struction and operation of the proposed sewer system. It was decided then it would be the county's responsibility to construct the sewer system at the expense of the property owners with Centralia to maintain and operate the system. On March 29, the county heads met with Jerry Moore, a Centralia attorney representing the area's residents; Brian Baker, county prosecutor, and Vern Wagar, county engineer, to decide which of the two local improvement district options to take.

It was the consensus then to go the ULJD route. On Monday, the county commission will conclude a pubhc hearing on a proposed county septic tank ordinance. HISTORIC BUILDING ADDED TO LIST This is how the Tenino railroad depot looked when it depot was placed Friday on the State Register of was in use several years ago, although the exact Historic Places. Photo is courtesy of Art Dwelley, date the photograph was taken is not known. The publisher of the Tenino Independent.

Tenino's railroad depot placed on state historical site register Fire Chief Jerry Grill named to state committee Jerry Grill, chief of Lewis County Fire Protection District 12, Fords Prairie, has been named to serve on the Fire Fighting Industry Sub-Panel Committee of the Public Employes Panel for the Governor's 24th annual Industrial Safety Conference. Grill is one of eight firefighters of chief rank in the: state to be named to the sub-panel, which will plan and act in an advisory capacity for the Governor's Conference, scheduled Nov. 15-16 in Olympia. The conference wijl be attended by a number of industrialists who are interested in accident prevention -especially in relation to fire. The first meeting of the sub-panel will 'be May 1.

The appoinmment is for one year. Grill was also recently named chairman of the Firemen's Association Late News Bulletin UNITED NATIONS, N. Y. (AP) The U.N. Security Council today condemned Israel its commando attacks against Lebanon.

CLOUDY Increasing clouds. Chance of rain Sunday. High 55-65. Low 35-45. Complete weather on page 14.

JERRY GRILL Liaison Committee for the Washington State Fire Chiefs' Association. The position makes him responsible for reporting on activities of the Firemen's Association to the Fire Chiefs' Association and coordinating the efforts of the two. Grill has been chief of the Fords Prairie fire department for nine years. TENINO The old Tenino railroad depot here has been officially placed on the State Register of Historic Places. The action came Friday when the Washington State Advisory Council on Historic Places met at the Holiday Inn in Ellensburg.

Attending the session was Tenino Mayor Ken Hedden, who reported on the favorable decision. Placing of the depot on the State FDA recalling mushroom foods WASHINGTON (AP) The Food and Drug Administration today announced the nationwide recall of more than 100,000 frozen pizzas, chicken dinners and tuna-noodle casseroles containing mushrooms possibly contaminated with botulism. The recalled food produced by four East Coast firms and distributed throughout the United States was supplied with mushrooms canned by Fran Mushroom Co. Ravena, N.Y., the FDA said. Earlier this month Fran began recalling an estimated 500,000 pounds of canned mushrooms, some sold to the Defense Department, after deadly botulinum toxin was confirmed in at least one lot.

The foods being recalled are: --Capri John frozen tuna-noodle casserole, 72,528 12-ounce packages, manufactured by Great AP Tea National Fish Division, Boston. --Macabee mushroom, olive and pimento pizzas, 3,300 in 12-ounce size, Macabee Foods, Hackensack, N.J. --phicken dinners prepared for United Air Lines and institutions, about 6,000 in five different varieties, B. Manischewitz Food Service Division, Newark, N.J. --Festive Time frozen pizzas and pizza bagels, 27,000 pnckages, Festive Foods Mount Vernon, N.Y.

Register of Historic Places is just one phase of an overall plan in Tenino for development of a museum in the old building. The town has verbal confirmation from the Burlington Northern Railroad, which wants to dispose of the depot, that the building will be deeded to the town. Once that is accomplished, Hedden reports, the town will move the depot -sandstone block by block to a new location beside the little-used railroad tracks in the Tenino town park. Meanwhile, the Tenino town council took action last week to adopt an ordinance officially establishing a Tenino Museum and providing for the organization of a board of trustees. The depot will be converted to a museum in its new located, housing such memorabilia as the famous Tenino wooden money, Oregon Trail artifacts and pioneer railroad gear.

It is possible that some state and federal funds may become available to assist the town in its project. Tenino is rich in railroad history. The town was founded in 1871 as a direct result of railroad construction. The depot hasn't been used in 10 years. Among the many stories as to how the town of Tenino got its name, one yer- sion has it that the word "Tenino" is a blend of the numbers "10-9-0" which were painted on one of the locomotives which worked the area.

The town is exploring several possible ways of funding the moving of the railroad depot and the establishment of the museum. Voter approval of a bond issue for parks development in the general election last November may have created one potential source. The museum's board of trustees, which will be directly responsible to the town council, is expected to be named next week sometime. Sunrise services Sunday Union Easter Sunday sunrise services are planned in communities throughout the area Sunday, ministers from the sponsoring organizations report. Services are scheduled as follows: Centralia, 6:30 a.m., Seminary Hill near armory, Sam Mattix, Christian missionary to Laos, recently returned after being a prisoner of war, to speak.

Other speakers will include the Rev. HoltSodeman, Rev. David James, Rev. Dennis Weaver and Rev. William Hunter.

Morton, 6:30 a.m., Compton's Hill. Participating churches include the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, First Church of God, Seventh-day Adventist Church and the United Methodist Church. Randle, 6 a.m., football stadium, White Pass High School. Participating churches include the Silverbrook Community Church, United Methodist Church, Church of the Nazarene and Assembly of God Church. Ajlune, 6:30 a.m., Rea Hill, sponsored by Richland Valley Church of the Bretheren.

Mossyrock, 6 a.m., Mossyrock High School, sponsored by the Mossyrock Community Church and the Mossyrock Assembly of God Church. Toledo, 6:30 a.m., Toledo Assembly of God Church, sponsored by host church and Toledo Community Presbyterian Church. Sunrise services will also be held in many other churches as part of special Sunday worships planned. Hearing planned A public hearing on a proposed septic tank ordinance for Lewis County will continue Monday during the regular weekly meeting of the Lewis County Commission. The ordinance, which would establish guidelines and fees "for septic tank construction and inspection, was originally brought before the commission last Monday.

Hamlet Hilpert, commission chairman, said Friday he does not know if action to adopt the ordinance will take place this Monday. In other items on the commission agenda for Monday, the commissioners will open bids for county printing and will issue calls for, bids for reconstruction oh the Rush Road near Napavine and construction of a new Panisco Bridge hear Cinebar. The commission will also continue with a hearing on the proposed vacation of the Burbee-McNulty Road near Vader. The commission meeting begins at 10 a.m. at the commission chambers in the county courthouse.

The Chehalis City Commission will also meet Monday, beginning at 3 p.m., City Clerk Margaret McChord reports. The commission may reach a decision on awarding of a contract for the widening of National Avenue. Two bids were opened for the project last week and taken under advisement. The Centralia City Commission meets in regular session beginning at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

City Clerk Lloyd Hackett said the commissioners will open bids for purchase of a new 1973 service pickup truck for the Light Department. All meetings are open to the public. Trespass suit filed A lawsuit seeking triple damages for an alleged trespass on private property in which 37 Douglas Fir trees were cut and removed was filed in the Lewis County Clerk's Office Thursday. The plaintiffs in the action are Donald Gutschow and Karen Fantz. They allege that in about August, 1972, the defendants, George Morris and J.M.

Cunningham, were responsible for the trespass in which trees with an approximate volume of 9,340 board feet were harvested. The plaintiffs allege the defendants intentionally trespassed and thus contend they are entitled to triple damages (with the amount to be established during the trial), plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs. Bicyclists' bonanza Rochester-Maytown route established A Bicyclists will have the right-of-way on the Rochester-Littlerock-Maytown Highway during special 1973 "Bike Days" approved recently by the Washington State Highway Commission. Approval of the 1973 "Bike Day" schedule greatly expands this Highway Department program, which drew participation from thousands of bicyclists in 1972. "Bike Days" were held last year on Chuckanut Drive near Bellingham and on the Yakima Canyon Road.

Those routes are included again this year, in addition to the inclusion of the Roctiester-Maytown (State Highway 121) route. The commission's action will not llllUrock close the routes to motor vehicles during the "Bike Days," but cars and trucks will be required to observe a 25 mile per hour speed limit so that bicyclists will not be endangered. The Highway Department will post temporary speed limit signs and state troopers will provide security. The Rochester-to-Maytown route starts at the north community boundary of Rochester and goes to the road's intersection with Interstate 5, a distance of about nine miles. The route does not include the town of Littlerock itself.

The "Bike Days" on the Rochester- Maytown route will be the last Sunday of each month, beginning with Sunday, April 29. "Bike Days" hours are from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m..