LONG BEACH – A successful Fourth of July, the Lewis and Clark Discovery Trail and the announcement of the Long Beach Skatepark top the list of discussions at Monday’s city council meeting.

The skatepark, which will be located just east of the tennis courts located near the corner of Bolstad and Washington streets, will be ready for use by the second week of August, according to city Councilman Mike Unruh.

Three ramps that will be built by Northwest Ramp Builders at a total cost of around $22,000, should be ready for delivery on Wednesday, July 16, said ramp designer Min Lee.

“We are about 85 percent finished with the skatepark in Raymond,” said Lee from his office in Tumwater. “They have something to skate on now, so we wanted to start work in Long Beach so the kids would have a chance to use the park by the end of the summer.”

The projected cost of preparing the site for construction, building a 50- by 80-foot concrete slab, relocating some horseshoe pits, and adding a wind screen, should cost between $10,000 and $12,000. This means that the city will need to raise between $2,000 and $4,000 to add to its $30,000 nest egg put aside for the project. But Unruh is confidant the money will be raised in time to complete the project.

“I want to thank Jean Nitzel and The Picture Attic for getting involved in raising money,” said Unruh. “We still don’t have a total for the money that has been raised over the past couple weeks, but the city council is not worried about where the extra funds will come from. People want to get involved. They want to see a finished skatepark.”

Nitzel and her partner Linda Brown designed labels for coffee cans that area businesses can put out to raise money. The cans are still available and businesses that are interested in helping with this community project should contact either Nitzel or councilman Unruh.

Councilman raises trail concerns

The Lewis and Clark Discovery Trail hit a speed bump at Monday’s meeting as Councilman Gary Luethe raised concerns over the use of city workers on the project. Luethe believes the city is using too much of its own resources to work on the trail and didn’t feel the city should award a $5,000 contract to Rex Ziak for design and construction administration.

The city of Long Beach was awarded a $50,000 from the U.S. Forest Service for two components of the Discovery Trail, half for trail construction and half for the construction of the Compass Plaza Monument. As the contract reads, $5,000 of the money would go to Ziak for design and construction of the monument, and the project must be completed by the end of the year.

“We have drainage to do. We have other projects that need to be taken care of in the city,” said Luethe. “Why don’t we just give the contract to Ziak and keep the city out of it.”

The council then decided not to approve the contract and asked Shawa to go back to the Forest Service to ask for more money to complete the project. As it stands now, the Compass Plaza will be put on hold until the council can decide how to continue.

Police happy with July 4 weekend

Sgt. Flint Wright, acting chief of the Long Beach Police Department, wanted to thank Paul Jacobson and Tim Mortenson for their work during the Fourth of July holiday.

Officer Jacobson was blessed with a new baby girl on July 3, and it would have been understandable to ask for time off. Jacobson knowing the importance of safety on such a busy weekend, decided to work even though he knew if he had asked for time off it would have been granted.

In a letter of commendation acting police chief Wright wrote “Your dedication to duty, the department and the community went above and beyond what is expected of an officer, and you are a credit to the city.”

Similarly, a letter was written to officer Tim Mortenson who was thanked for his work over the weekend when he could have been at home sick.

“You did your duty in a way that makes me proud to be your supervisor,” wrote Sargent Wright. “He was sick and still came in to work because he understood how important it was.”