Members of the Morton City Council approved the disbursement of the city’s 2026 tourism funds after tabling the issue previously after a councilor questioned whether or not the Morton Historical Society’s request for tourism funds should have been granted.
The Morton Historical Society ultimately got $13,250 after originally requesting $20,000.
Prior to that, councilors approved a pair of ordinances establishing new rules at their meetings. The first, 2026-02, established a code of conduct for the council itself, and the second, 2026-03, laid out of decorum for attendees at meetings concerning public comment, audience conduct and the public’s interaction with the council.
Additionally, councilors discussed the possibility of building a new skate park with Megan Peterson of the Morton Action Sports Alliance at either the Jubilee or Gust Backstrom parks, and accepted a donation of $1000 for cleaning, maintenance and projects at both Jubilee or Gust Backstrom parks from Bryan “Red” Hultkranz on behalf of the Lewis County ABATE (A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments) chapter.
The council also approved the surplusing of a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria and 2017 Ford Taurus used by the Morton Police Department, and a 1995 Case skid steer used by the Morton Public Works Department.
Morton tourism funds
The question of what local organizations should get a portion of Morton’s 2026 tourism funds, which totalled $30,000, first appeared on the council’s agenda at the end of 2025 but was tabled after Councilor Jason Sawyer objected to giving any money to the Morton Historical Society. Additionally, outgoing councilors wanted to give their successors a say on the matter in the new year.
Sawyer cited a lack of details in the Morton Historical Society’s tourism fund request and the nonprofit now being run by former Morton Mayor Dan Mortensen, as previously reported by The Chronicle. While the Morton Historical Society did submit another more detailed request, Sawyer’s main gripe with Mortensen was the embezzlement of almost $1 million by former city Clerk-Treasurer Tamara “Tammy” Clevenger during Mortensen’s tenure as mayor.
Councilor Peter Hansen, one of the new councilors this year, disagreed with Sawyer as to whether Mortensen should be blamed for Clevenger’s embezzlement during Monday’s meeting.
“After reviewing the findings from law enforcement, including the FBI’s as well as independent audits, it is clear that no wrongdoing was found on (Mortensen’s) part. The individual (Clevenger) responsible admitted to acting alone and explained how these actions were concealed,” Hansen said. “Any reservation about providing funding to the historical society has no connection to the theft that occurred, and per our rules and regulations, this matter should not continue to be brought forward in this context. This matter has been thoroughly investigated and this must be laid to rest and put behind us.”
Morton Mayor Rick Mead added he wanted the Morton Historical Society, which contracts as the city’s official visitor’s center, to remain in that role due to a recent email he received.
“I also got an email from the train (Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad), and the train is wanting to reestablish a bridge, and they want to go forth with a plan for coming to Morton,” Mead said. “They asked for a letter of recommendation. So, I very much feel as though the historical society is something that is of importance to us for funding right now.”
The Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, based north of Morton in Elbe, had just finalized the purchase of the stretch of railroad between Mineral and Morton with the intention of resuming both passenger and freight train service to the East Lewis County community. However, shortly after the purchase was finalized, a suspected human-caused fire destroyed a trestle bridge along the line.
The trestle had been fully rebuilt 20 years before, and Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad staff were planning on refurbishing it before the fire. A GoFundMe has been set up for donations going towards the construction of a new trestle at https://gofund.me/78471f9fd.
Sawyer raised no further objections to giving tourism funds to the Morton Historical Society, and though he submitted his own recommendations for the amount of tourism funds specific organizations should get, he agreed to support Hansen’s recommendations.
“I could throw out numbers, but Peter and I are really close,” Sawyer said. “I’m definitely not going to split hairs on this.”
Aside from the $13,250 granted to the Morton Historical Society, $1,800 was granted to the Loggers’ Jubilee Committee, $3,350 to the Fire Mountain Arts Council, $1,200 to the East Lewis County Chamber of Commerce (ELCC), and $5,000 going back to the city for advertisement of local events and festivals like the Loggers’ Jubilee. This left the City of Morton with just over $5,000 in tourism funds for 2027, with more funds to be raised throughout 2026 from the city’s lodging tax.
The ELCC had originally asked for $15,000, but withdrew its request to let city staff utilize the money elsewhere amid budget constraints, as previously reported by The Chronicle.
Sawyer also proposed establishing policy at a future meeting requiring documentation to be submitted by organizations showing how tourism funds were being spent after being disbursed.
New meeting rules
Being a rural community of an estimated 1,100 residents, Morton City Council meetings previously had more of a town hall type of decorum as opposed to other city councils in larger municipalities that enforce rules of order established in the Washington state Open Public Meetings Act.
For example, at multiple meetings in the past The Chronicle witnessed members of the public frequently speaking out of order and interrupting council business discussions to ask questions. Councilors would also occasionally engage in back-and-fourth debates with meeting attendees during official discussions meant only for city staff.
Hansen added it was being done for safety reasons.
“There’s a way that this needs to run. There have been a few times when individuals have tried to approach us up here, and some people can be very intimidated by that. Others may take that as (a threat),” Hansen said.
The two ordinances passed on Monday were aimed at aligning city policy with the Open Public Meetings Act and giving city staff more authority to enforce the rules, along with establishing a code of conduct for the councilors themselves during meetings.
Instead of just allowing public commenters to stand wherever they are seated to address the council, a new podium has been added, and those wishing to speak during the meeting’s public comment or are asked to address the council will be required to use the podium and state their full legal name and city of residence for the record.
Rules on public comment were also established, including prohibiting personal attacks, approaching the council’s dias, profanity, loud or threatening language and “impertinent or slanderous remarks,” according to the ordinance document in the council’s meeting agenda. Other acts including clapping (unless at the end of a presentation), whistling, feet stamping or anything else which causes a meeting disruption, are prohibited — along with signs or placards which obstruct the views of other attendees or disrupt meetings.
Those violating any of the new rules will first receive a verbal warning, and if disruptive behavior continues, be removed from the meeting by law enforcement. In extreme cases of disruption, the meeting’s presiding officer can also recess or adjourn the meeting.
Morton Skate Park and ABATE donation
As for the proposal of a new skate park in the city, Peterson explained the newly established nonprofit Morton Action Sports Alliance (MASA) was established to help get local children more active.
“There’s not a lot to do in Morton. A lot of people have kids and the streets are a problem. Growing up I had bikes, blades, skates, scooters, everything, but there’s nowhere to take them,” Peterson said. “So we have a problem, because we don’t have a place to do these activities. I know a lot of adults, children, families, parents, could definitely use this place.”
Peterson explained herself along with several other Morton residents decided to found MASA with the goal of getting a skate park built at one of the two Morton city parks, Jubilee or Gust Backstrom.
She believed the city might be eligible for a state Recreation and Conservation Office grant to fund the skate park’s construction.
“Our next step in going towards a grant would be to secure a space,” Peterson added.
While some discussion about which of the two parks would be a better location for a skate park, the councilors were leaning towards having it at Gust Backstrom Park as opposed to Jubilee Park in order to preserve the existing baseball fields there.
No official motion was made concerning the proposal, but councilors supported the idea, along with a pair of public commenters — Sage Stevens and his daughter, Sophie.
“Next week I turn 52 years old. Forty years ago, I got my first skateboard, 12 years old. And that’s the only thing in my entire life that’s kept me on this planet,” Sage said. “... If you need volunteers, I’ll help. I’m here, I’m old and I don’t do sh-t.”
With the nearest skate park currently being about a 40 minute drive away in Centralia, Sophie, a Morton Middle School student, also wanted local skate park access.
“The skate park would be a really good place because we, as a generation, don’t have a lot of places to go. You have school, and then you go home, and there’s not really like a third place where me and my peers can collectively come together and have fun and do things and be social,” Sophie said. “... I feel like a lot of kids are kind of destructive in class, causing a lot of distractions during class, stuff like that, because kids just don’t know where to put all this energy and I just feel like it would be really important and cool. A lot of our stuff is very sports-fixed, so if you don’t do a team sport, there’s not a lot of options for you.”
Peterson added MASA had plans to hold skate competitions and other events as well to help draw tourists to Morton should a skate park be constructed. Additionally, MASA has set up a change.org petition for others interested in a new skate park to vocalize their support with, available at https://c.org/CZzhSL2K4C.
To learn more about MASA, visit its website at https://www.mortonactionsports.org/ or follow it on Facebook at https://tinyurl.com/ywvwrf3v.
As for the Lewis County ABATE donations, Hultkranz explained the biker organization had $1,500 in funds designated for care and maintenance of local East County parks, along with possible park projects.
Three parks were chosen to get $500 each, including both Jubilee and Gust Backstrom parks in Morton, along with the Glenoma Community Park. The Morton City Council voted unanimously to accept the ABATE donation for their parks.
Aside from this donation, Lewis County ABATE chapter members are also involved in many other community events throughout the county, and provide scholarships for students at the White Pass, Morton and Mossyrock high schools for students looking to enter trade industries.
To learn more about the Lewis County ABATE chapter, visit its website at https://www.lewiscountyabate.org/.
