City staff are still looking for any interested residents to apply for consideration to be appointed to a current Mossyrock City Council vacancy, Mayor Randall Sasser announced to begin the council’s regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
The vacancy came after former Mossyrock City Councilor Shannon Mcarron submitted a letter of resignation for Position 3 on the council on Jan. 1, citing family issues.
Following Mcarron’s resignation, the city council has 90 days to appoint Mcarron’s replacement following the date of her resignation, according to state law.
“Nobody has applied yet. We need somebody,” Sasser said.
If unable to find an appointee, members of the Lewis County Board of Commissioners are required to appoint someone qualified to fill the vacancy.
Mossyrock city staff are still accepting letters of intent from any residents interested in being appointed to the council. Applicants must have lived within city limits for at least one year and be a registered voter.
Letters will be reviewed by councilors, who will then hold an open public meeting interview process before selecting an appointee to serve out the remainder of Mcarron’s term.
Tax return service at Mossyrock Grange
Also mentioned during the meeting was the availability of IRS-certified volunteers at the Mossyrock Grange to help residents from Mossyrock and beyond with filing their 2025 tax returns.
According to Mossyrock Grange member Paulette Myers-James, federal tax return preparation volunteers will be at the grange on the second Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of March and April.
Spanish translators are available, and those looking for federal tax return assistance are asked to bring their tax return statement from the previous year, photo ID for all family members, the last paycheck stub from an employer, and all applicable current year tax forms, such as a W2, 1099 NEC, stock bonds 1099B and others.
“We do income tax for the elderly and the low-income. We do it through an organization called VITA — Volunteer Income Tax Assistance,” Myers-James said.
VITA is an IRS program paired with tax counseling for the elderly, aimed at providing free income tax filing preparation for qualified individuals generally making $69,000 a year or less, according to the IRS website. Myers-James stated she decided to start offering VITA services in Mossyrock four years ago to give East County residents a closer alternative and save them a trip to a tax specialist in the Twin Cities or beyond.
“The very first year, we did 90 returns. We were so excited. Last year, all the returns that we did, there were 498 returns,” Myers-James added.
Volunteers will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 11, 13 and 14, and on April 8, 10 and 11. Volunteers will be available from noon to 5 p.m. on March 15 and April 12. The Mossyrock Grange is located at 152 Isbell Road.
Other council business
Additionally, a number of ordinances were discussed — but tabled — concerning guidelines for livestock and dangerous animals in city limits, RVs and shipping containers on private properties, as well as pass-through deposits, fees, charges providing severability and waivers to match the new fee schedule approved last month.
Sasser explained he wanted more guidance from both the city attorney as well as the Mossyrock Planning Commission, which had not met recently as Planning Commission Chair Marcia Manley recently underwent surgery and is still recovering.
Mossyrock School District Board President Mitch Townsend also spoke during the meeting in an effort to strengthen the relationship between the city and school district in order to help address some issues the school district is facing.
“Traffic, being one of them,” Townsend said. “There are several issues coming up that we’re working with that will need some cooperation and some coordination with the city.”
He added a representative from the school board will be in attendance at all future Mossyrock City Council meetings.
Residents are also invited to visit Mossyrock City Hall to vote on a new design for the East Lewis County community’s new logo. The proposed new designs, all made by local artists, can be seen on the city’s official Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/3nwx7pf6.
Votes for the new logo will be collected through April 1. Mossyrock City Hall is located at 231 E. State St. in Mossyrock. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but closed for lunch each day from noon to 1 p.m.
