Members of the La Center City Council unanimously voted May 9 to repeal a $14 million sewer agreement with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
The agreement, approved by council members on Dec. 14, would have paved the way for the City of La Center to extend a sewer line from the City to the Interstate 5 junction and also to the 152-acre site nearby where the Cowlitz Tribe plans to build a mega casino.
That agreement was appealed before the Growth Management Hearings Board by the owners of La Center’s existing card rooms. The base of the appeal was that La Center would be extending sewer service beyond its Urban Growth Area and into a rural area in contravention of the Growth Management Act as well as the City’s own Comprehensive Plan policy.
The City of La Center then filed a motion to dismiss the appeal. At the May 9 City Council meeting, City of La Center Attorney Daniel Kearns informed council members that the Growth Management Hearing Board denied the City’s motion to dismiss the appeal and that the Growth Management Hearing Board does have jurisdiction to review the City’s sewer agreement with the Cowlitz Tribe.
Facing the likelihood that the appeal would be granted, La Center council members voted to repeal the resolution approving the agreement.
La Center Mayor Jim Irish responded to a request by The Reflector for an interview with a text message that read (in part) “there is nothing more that I can add to your inquiry.’’
La Center council member Al Luiz, who along with Irish and other City officials has participated in the negotiations with Cowlitz Tribe on the sewer agreement, said that he wasn’t comfortable talking about the issue because all discussions by council members on the repeal to this point have taken place in executive session.
Vancouver-based consultant John Bockmier, who represents the owners of the four La Center card rooms, said his clients have not dropped their appeal as of May 14 but were gathering that day to discuss further plans on the matter.
Several sources involved in the matter expressed an expectation that the City of La Center will now seek to resolve SEPA issues, which could allow them to re-enter into an agreement to provide sewer to the Cowlitz Tribe site.
“It may require the City to do some more due process,’’ said Phil Harju, vice chairman of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. “The Tribe negotiated the sewer agreement in good faith and we will continue to work the City of La Center. I know we will have another meeting with the City of La Center and try to work out what we’re doing and what they’re working on. The Tribe is perfectly willing to work out a deal with La Center to make sure this works.’’
