At last night’s Kelso City Council meeting, Public Works Manager Devin Mackin presented the 2024 Public Works annual report.

Mackin stated that the department currently has 22 full-time employees, with plans to add a few more this year. They also aim to focus more on training in the coming year.

In the parks department, Mackin highlighted the great work done on the Lads and Lassies ADA Park. He also mentioned the Catlin Spray Park but noted that, as of now, there is no available date for its reopening.

In the Water/Sewer division, Mackin reported that they completed 3,070 work orders last year. A significant increase was seen in water main repairs, with 12 completed—up from 8 the previous year. One issue that was particularly emphasized in the sewer division was the importance of stopping the flushing of wipes down the toilet, even if they are labeled “flushable.”

Mackin stated that wipes have become a major problem in the sewer system and that continuing to flush them will only result in higher costs for ratepayers.