Washougal Centennial ornaments remain available

‘Tis the season for some individuals to be adorning Christmas trees with ornaments. As it turns out, the city of Washougal has 270 ornaments to spare.

Finance Director Jennifer Forsberg said the ornaments – created to celebrate the city’s 100th birthday – have been sitting in boxes in the basement at City Hall.

Two years ago, a design by Elida Field, of Washougal, was incorporated into collector’s edition ornaments and posters. Both items were set on a background of a 1910 map of Washougal. The artwork was also transferred onto street banners, which were placed on light poles in downtown Washougal.

During the city’s centennial year, the ornaments sold for $20 each. Forsberg said the city purchased 500 ornaments for $7,000.

The Washougal City Council voted 6 to 0 last night, in favor of declaring the remaining ornaments as surplus items. Council member Jennifer McDaniel had an excused absence.

Forsberg said some of the ornaments could be sold in the gift shop at the Two Rivers Heritage Museum, in downtown Washougal.

“We’re going to find a better, more historical use for them, rather than sitting and collecting dust,” she said.

Two years ago, the sale of the centennial ornaments was handled by the Downtown Revitalization and Implementation Committee, which was mentioned in a 2009 audit of city finances. The audit’s findings included the city not being able to account for approximately $100,000 in revenue generated from city-sponsored festivals — including Washougalfest in 2008 and Riverfest in 2009.