The Hood River City Council is set to make a decision on awarding the 129-unit affordable housing project at 780 Rand Road tonight at its regular meeting at 6 p.m. tonight.

James and Molli Martin are proposing a large-scale hotel development and resort at the east entrance to the historic The Dalles. The proposed project would include 80 rooms within the iconic silos, offering 4- or 5-star accommodations to attract affluent travelers and corporate retreats.

Stantec Consulting is being recommended to Council for a $455,899 contract to work on former commercial and industrial sites in The Dalles containing underground fuel tanks, and contaminants such as asbestos, and other hazardous substances.

The significance of the decisions will have long-lasting effects on the direction of development in The Dalles while also providing intense capital to ensure safe drinking water for the next 75 years. 

Local room tax is currently relied on to pay for basic maintenance at local parks. Its loss could lead to having to cut services. The suggested change, which would require annual money requests from city council is coming at a time when local surveys show that residents put parks at a high priority, wanting more, not less.

The group will discuss how to use Strategic Investment Program money from Google through recent agreements for the two new data centers being built on former aluminum smelter property in The Port of The Dalles.

“Some identified options include: • restricting the personal use of fireworks within City limits; • prohibiting the commercial use of fireworks within City limits; and • prohibiting the sale of fireworks within City limits.” 

Commissioners also heard from Washington State Parks Commissioner Holly Williams, who said she met recently with Gorge Commission Executive Director Krystyna Wolniakowski about adding electric vehicle charging stations to parks in the gorge and made a startling discovery: "They are not expressly permitted in the 2020 Gorge Plan," she said.

The board is seeking to elect new board members to step in for the following positions: Volunteer Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, and Project Coordinator. Click here to learn more.

The meeting held at City Hall drew about 25 audience members, 19 in person, and brought comments from seven different neighbors. Some were concerned The Dalles was going the way of Hood River who logged numerous complaints about short-term rentals until changes were made in their codes. 

Mosier Community School Board to hold a meeting about school security after a teacher receives a threat and the school is shuttered for two days.

A new grant program for reutilizing older buildings in The Dalles downtown has property owners making upgrades as Urban Renewal looks to breath new life into the commercial district. Also updates on the Recreation Building, Blue Building, Tony’s Town & Country and First Street upgrades.

North Wasco County School District had to fill 47 teaching positions over the summer - this came at a time when districts were struggling nationwide to fill positions. Oh, it also filled three vacant principal positions. This occurred at a time when it seems impossible.

The Dalles City Council gave the green light on the purchase of equipment and lease of computers costing in total some $440,000 at their regular meeting on Monday, July 11.

The Dalles City Council approved a contract to replace the Dog River Pipeline, saw insurance costs jump and decided to bring an attorney on City Staff.

PowderPures’ Will Parkki told Councilors that COVID and labor shortages had led the plant to operate at 28 percent capacity. The Company has turned over 34 employees in the last year. He also pointed out that the company currently offers $26.44 an hour and offers 401k matching, dental and health benefits.

Council will hear about or consider items that total more than $1.9 million tonight, April 11th, at their regular meeting. The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce’s budget, a new contract for future City Manager Mathew Klebes, and money requests from Parks and Rec. as well as Mid-Columbia Community Action Council are in the mix.

While facility improvements could eventually enter the conversation, the School District on Tuesday began a holistic approach to gather information and find what is needed to provide a good education to local students. And it’s waiting for input from the community to guide those decisions.

The Dalles City Council is poised to approve near $1 million on purchasing materials for the long-awaited Dog River Pipeline replacement project at their regular meeting set for 5:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, Monday, Feb. 14.

TD Urban Renewal Agency Board is moving forwards with plans to demolish the Tony’s Town and Country building, and the Recreation building will get another year to finish construction. The board also discussed financial incentive programs, affordable housing, and elected new officers.