WARRENTON – A budget adjustment approved by the Warrenton City Commission at Tuesday’s meeting jumpstarts the hiring process for a third full-time firefighter. “You won’t have to respond to every call,” Mayor Gil Gramson told Fire Chief Ted Ames, only half in jest.

Ames and Capt. John Shepherd, the department’s training officer, are the only paid members of the primarily volunteer fire department, which must respond to an ever-increasing number of calls. Most of the calls are for medical emergencies and car crashes rather than fires.

In January, the Commission voted to implement a 3 percent franchise fee on city water, sewer and sanitation services that’s expected to raise about $94,000 annually while adding only about $2.50 per month to the average customer’s utility bill. Only residents within the city limits are affected. The budget adjustment resolution approved Tuesday simply moves the $17,723 collected so far from the general fund to the personal services part of the budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

After the resolution passed, City Manager Bob Maxfield gave Ames the green light. “You can hire that third person sooner, rather than later,” Maxfield assured the grateful fire chief.

The city’s public works department, without a director since Marc Howatt left late last year, will also get some more manpower. On Tuesday, Maxfield introduced Hugh Kalani, a retired public works director from the Portland area, who will serve as interim director for several months while the city conducts another search to fill the vacancy. An earlier search attracted a number of applicants and produced three finalists, but ended without a new director being hired. Maxfield said Kalani, who starts work Monday, is a board member in the Oregon Chapter of the American Public Works Association. He serves as the Oregon chapter’s national delegate. He is also on the board of the Oregon Adult Soccer Association.

In other business Tuesday, the Commission awarded a contract to North Pacific Excavation, of Warrenton, to improve the parking lot at the Hammond Marina. The contract amount is not to exceed $55,496. The work will consist mainly of putting gravel on the parking lot, which is now just a grassy field. “Next year we may be able to get it paved,” Harbormaster Keith Pinkstaff said.

Funding comes from the Oregon State Marine Board, with a local match from the city. The vote was 3-0 in favor. Frank Orrell was absent and Terry Ferguson abstained because of a conflict of interest.

Among the items on the consent calendar Tuesday was the detailed 22-page Warrenton Water Facility Annual Report, written by the water facility’s superintendent, Bob Bingham.

At the end of the report, after thanking city leaders, staff and private contractors for their support and trust throughout the past year, Bingham wrote: “My No. 1 goal is to create a safe, efficient operating water system and providing the necessary tools and maintenance records needed for any operator who in time takes my place, for whatever reason, to do the job successfully.”