Suess presents 150 signatures on junk vehicles

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Oct 25, 20180

Steptoe resident Kirk Suess presented to county commissioners Monday a list of 150 signatures as part of a request for an ordinance on unlicensed vehicles, yard debris and trash in unincorporated areas.

Suess brought in a notebook with five pages of names as a follow-up after a Sept. 4 appearance in front of commissioners Michael Largent, Dean Kinzer and Art Swannack.

The commissioners have held no specific discussion on the matter nor is one scheduled.

“We simply received this request,” Largent said. “How much public support there is cannot be determined by 150 signatures. There may be 150 or more people on the other side. This is not an official polling of public sentiment.”

Suess said the signatures were from residents of Steptoe, Pine City, St. John, Rosalia, Malden, Lamont, Ewan, Dusty and Garfield.

Monday marked the third time since 2016 Suess has come to Colfax to speak to commissioners on the topic.

On Sept. 4, Suess told them he thought “a good, silent majority” wants certain (stationary) vehicles removed, particularly along the state highway through Steptoe. In discussion that day, Swannack noted Suess was the only person that commissioners had heard from on the matter, prompting Suess to ask how many signatures he would need to bring in.

In the fall of 2016, after he spoke to commissioners on junk cars and yard debris, the Steptoe Fire Department sponsored a large construction dumpster to be brought in for solid waste, during Whitman County’s annual week of discounted rates at the waste transfer station.

The commissioners have the option to ask the planning commission to consider Suess and the signers’ cause – a common path that changes to county code take.

The planning commission could evaluate the issue, hold public hearings and later make a recommendation to commissioners.

“One wants to avoid unintended consequences,” Largent said. “How one does that, there appears to be some question. In ag land, open space, what about older farm equipment parked in the wrong place? That kind of thing.”