Aberdeen, WA - There were more questions than attendants last night at the city's first Town Hall meeting in years. Questions and comments from the seven Aberdeen residents ranged from water department etiquette, to "who is my counsel person?" Aberdeen Police Chief Bob Torgerson said in most cases residents won't get answers to their questions right away.
"It's often difficult to NOT respond to questions, but again we're on a fact-finding mission. It's a real opportunity for all the council and department heads to hear, directly from the citizens, their concerns." Chief Torgerson encouraged residents who had questions and comments to attend any of the remaining five meetings. The next meeting is 7 tonight, at A.J. West, then next Thursday at McDermoth, the 29th at the South Shore Mall, March 1st at Harbor City Church and the 5th at Robert Gray.
Aberdeen Councilman Jeff Cook detailed the meeting, beginning with those in attendance: Mayor Bill Simpson, Police Chief Bob Torgerson who led the meeting, City Councilmembers Kathi Hoder, Margo Shortt, Alice Phelps, Tim Alstrom, Frank Gordon, Jim Cook, John Smith, and myself, Deputy Police Chief Dave Timmons, APD Corporal Darrin King, APD Administrative Coordinator Myra Rockwell, AFD Battalion Chief Bill Mayne, and Community Development Director Lisa Scott.
Some of the questions and comments raised were a request for better notice from the water department for planned shut offs for maintenance, request for the water department to warn neighborhoods of water theft and not just warn one household who was affected by the theft, question of why the city doesn't lower its B & O taxes, request to clean up landscaping around signs coming into town, request for city to fence off areas where homeless sometime live as near Morrison Park, concern that swamped boat in Wishkah (?) might break loose and cause big problems, comment that pipe near Lake Aberdeen was salvage but a mess remains, comment that building department might work with residents especially if they are trying to rehabilitate structures for the betterment of their neighborhoods, and concern about trash at the scenic lookout on the highway coming into town.
Chief Torgerson encouraged residents who had questions and comments to not only attend one or more of the remaining five community meetings but speak during the public comment period before and after the formal council meetings. Council meetings are held every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 7 PM on the third floor of City Hall. The next community meeting is at 7 PM tomorrow evening Wednesday, Feb. 15th at A.J. West Elementary, 1801 Bay Ave. - Aberdeen Councilman Jeff Cook
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