During the Mossyrock City Council meeting Wednesday, June 17, Mossyrock Mayor Randall Sasser made a proclamation announcing the city, in partnership with the Mossyrock Area Historical Society (MAHS), would bury a time capsule to celebrate America250 on Monday, June 22.
America250 is the nationwide celebration of the country’s upcoming 250th birthday on July 4.
And on Monday morning, MAHS members Tom Meade, Jim Myers, Kristi Gerard and Buddy Rose were joined by other Mossyrock residents, city staff and Mossyrock City Councilor Sam Schellenger Jr. to witness the time capsule being filled, sealed and put into the ground outside of the Mossyrock Community Center.
Items put into the capsule included menus from local restaurants, a Cowlitz Indian Tribe challenge coin and sticker, a bag of pennies, a copy of the recently republished “Red Book” — originally published for the nation’s bicentennial in 1976 and officially called “Memories from Family Albums of School District #206” — and more.
This time capsule is to be opened up on America’s tricentennial birthday in 2076.
Once the capsule was filled, it was sealed by Meade and Myers, then wrapped in a heavy duty trash bag for an extra protective layer against the elements before being placed in the hole prepared for it outside of the community center. Concrete was due to be poured over the capsule later on Monday.
Now that it’s in the ground, the official time capsule dedication ceremony will start at 1 p.m. on the upcoming July 4 holiday outside of the community center, located at 219 E. State St. in Mossyrock.
Back at last Wednesday’s meeting, Sasser explained why the dedication ceremony wasn’t held on the same day the capsule was buried.
“We were going to try to do it all on the same day, but it just doesn’t work. Can’t get cement on Saturdays,” Sasser said.
The MAHS donated $1,000 to the city for the time capsule project, which paid for the concrete and a brass memorial plaque to mark the capsule’s location.
Along with the time capsule dedication on July 4, a number of other Independence Day events are planned in the community throughout the day. Many local businesses in Mossyrock already have patriotic displays set up in preparation for the holiday.
Look for a preview of these events, and other America250 events being held in communities throughout Lewis and Thurston counties in an upcoming edition of The Chronicle.
Owning livestock in city limits
During the meeting, councilors voted to table Ordinance 520, which would have added guidelines for owning livestock within city limits to existing city codes pertaining to owning dogs within city limits.
While Councilor Juliana Simon had motioned to approve the ordinance as it was presented, no second to her motion was made and it died on the floor. Additionally, Councilors Mark Thompson and Ron Lindgren both expressed concerns about how the ordinance was written.
Lindgren felt the restrictions on owning livestock were too stringent, and he also felt dogs and livestock should have separate ordinances.
“I moved to this town because it was a small town, it’s agricultural … and it was people’s ability to, if they want to have a cow on their property, let them have a cow. If they want to have chickens, let them have chickens,” Lindgren said.
He did understand the need for restrictions on owning certain types of livestock that might cause nuisances for neighbors, like roosters and pigs.
Thompson concurred with Lindgren, and was also concerned about language in the ordinance draft that he felt granted authorities unlawful access to private property.
After around half an hour of discussion, the council ultimately voted to table the ordinance, with Sasser asking the Mossyrock Planning Commission to return with two separate ordinances for dogs and livestock to consider for approval.
The Mossyrock Planning Commission will discuss the draft ordinances at its next meeting, scheduled for Monday, July 13.
The planning commission meets on the second Monday of each month starting at 5:30 p.m. inside the Mossyrock Community Center. Meeting agendas can be found at the city’s website at https://tinyurl.com/53zraewm.
Trying to stop speeders and fireworks concerns
Sasser stated he was planning on bringing a proposal to the council at a future meeting to consider approving a speed camera to be set up on Williams Street by the Mossyrock School District.
Sasser owns and runs Mossyrock Auto Parts, located on the corner of Williams and State streets just down the road from the elementary, junior and senior high schools.
Having already long-expressed concerns about speeders in previous meetings, Sasser told meeting attendees he recently has the city buy a radar gun for “$100,” which he has been using to clock drivers’ speeds going through the area while sitting outside of his business.
“Here they are doing 50 miles an hour, 40 miles an hour, on a regular basis,” Sasser said. “And going down Williams Street by the school, it’s the same thing there — and it’s worse on the weekends. I sat in my son-in-law’s covered patio, and it was sad. Almost 90% of the cars are over 30 miles an hour, and that’s gotta stop.”
The posted speed limit on Williams Street in front of the schools is 20 mph, and 25 mph on State Street, the main road going through the city. While he had been talking with the Morton Police Department, which the city contracts with for law enforcement services, he added it was tough to get officers in the “right place at the right time” to catch speeders.
“I don’t want to wait until somebody gets injured or even killed,” Sasser added. “And that’s one reason why, four-five years ago, we put in those signs that say how fast you’re going. That had a little bit of impact, but it still isn’t really stopping the other people.”
He added even with school being out for the day or not in session during the summer, the speed limit was still 20 mph on Williams Street.
“Our responsibility as council members is to protect our citizens of our town,” said Sasser.
During public comment, Mossyrock business owner Gary Colvin returned to the council to ask for some sort of action to be taken pertaining to fireworks being launched near his business and causing damage to it.
Gary, together with his wife Barbara Colvin, initially came to the council last September after damage had been caused to their business by locals launching fireworks off during a burn ban which was still in effect.
He stated he and his wife had invested over $300,000 into the building already and anticipated spending another $300,000 to finish the work.
The Colvins currently own a building they have been renovating over several years now with the intention to turn it into a new restaurant in downtown Mossyrock.
According to Colvin, people launch fireworks in the downtown area on State Street by his business, and though the fireworks themselves aren’t exploding directly in or on the business, the smouldering debris they litter has been setting back renovation efforts.
Debris burned and stained a new floor which had been laid down, and also burned many small holes in roofing materials.
“It’s a TPO (Thermoplastic Polyolefin) membrane, and I’ve got burn holes all over my TPO membrane. So not only do I have to pay $1,500 to have my floor restained, now I have to pay $80 an hour to have some roofer come up and try to find all the leaks, because it’s leaking in my kitchen now when we have rain,” Gary said.
He added, per state law, the launching of fireworks that cause damage to private property is a gross misdemeanor. State law also mandates fireworks can only be discharged on private property with permission.
“The corner in the street is not private property,” Gary said. “... It’s costing me enough money to build this thing. I don’t need to go back and keep redoing things. I get it, it’s the Fourth of July, people want to see fireworks. But not in the city streets where it causes damage to my property.”
Additionally, they own the mobile business Barbs Hawaiian Shaved Ice, and Gary now works at Smith & Son Grocery in Mossyrock.
“It’s not only that (the fireworks damage), but they leave all their mess. I gotta clean it up. I work at the grocery store, too, to pay for the restaurant. I’ll be 70 years old next year and I’m still working three jobs. I retired in 2014. I oughta have my head examined. But anyways, that’s what I’m asking for, a little bit of help. Because I can’t keep repairing my building every year,” he said.
Gary proposed the council consider enacting an outright ban on launching fireworks on city streets, or having the Morton Police Department enforce existing state laws if possible.
