Pe Ell wins one,loses one
By Mai Ling Slaughter, The Chronicle, 7/7/99
PE ELL - Although the town of Pe Ell lost a $750,000 grant for a new sewer treatment plant, Mayor John Penberth Tuesday signed a contract for a $320,000 grant for the water treatment plant.
The town has suffered water and wastewater problems because of the aging plants, and is required to build new plants within the next few years.
Art Griffith, the consulting engineer overseeing the town's water plant operations, said he hopes to have more information later this week about the boil-water order that has been in effect for more than a year.
The state Department of Health tested the water last week, but Griffith said he does not know what criteria it is using to determine whether the water is safe for residents to drink.
''I'm optimistic,'' Griffith added.
Since winter, the town has spent $52,000 for a series of improvements to the current water treatment plant, which serves about 360 households.
The $320,000 community development block grant will be used to repair and replace water distribution lines, and to design and construct improvements to the raw water line.
The grant comes from the Community Investment Fund, with support from the Lewis County Commission and from Bill Lotto, executive director of the Lewis County Economic Development Council.
Although the town's need for a successful water treatment plant is higher on the priority list than the sewer plant, the town is working with consultant Gray and Osborne Inc. to get both projects under way.
At Tuesday's town council meeting, councilors approved a contract award for almost $210,000 of sewer line work to Consulting and Contracting Inc., Rochester.
It will complete approximately 1,000 square feet of sewer line work, replacing some of the old sewer main made of clay, and about 50 connections between homes and the main.
That contract, along with $35,000 in overseeing costs to Gray and Osborne, will be paid from the town's $454,000 Centennial Clean Water Fund loan and grant.
Steve Buxbaum, with the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, was present at the meeting to explain why the town was denied the $750,000 grant for its sewer treatment plant.
''I figure any time we're going to say 'No' to a community,'' Buxbaum said, ''we owe them at least one face-to-face conversation.''
Pe Ell was one of 52 Washington communities competing for more than $28 million. Only 14 grants were distributed.
Buxbaum said a main reason the town did not receive the grant is because of its lack of a clear explanation about precisely how it would use the money.
''Pe Ell was one of the lower ranked projects,'' Buxbaum said, noting that the size of the community does ''not really'' make a difference in the decision.
''We don't fund problems,'' he added. ''We fund solutions.''
He suggested after the town has a more distinct idea of how it plans to alleviate sewer problems - including lists of other sources of funding and a descriptive solution - it should reapply for funding.
''I was really quite set back by not receiving the grant,'' Penberth said, requesting Buxbaum's help with suggestions about how to include more necessary information.
Penberth said one of his greatest frustrations is how small communities are expected to ''regulate these funds in a world of professionals.''
But Buxbaum said hiring a professional to complete applications, and the use of grants administrators, do not necessarily guarantee the receipt of grants.
''I think the better applications are really home-grown applications, where people are writing their own stories,'' he said.
''(I hope),'' said Councilor Jerry Bryant, ''next time we'll be a little higher on the list.''
Mai Ling Slaughter covers municipal government for The Chronicle. She can be reached by e-mail at news@chronline.com or by telephoning 807-8237.
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