Fate of youth camp property back in legislature’s hands
By BRANDON CLINE Chinook Observer Dec 12, 2024
NASELLE — The Washington State Legislature kicks off its 2025 session next month, the first time legislators are meeting since a task force it commissioned released a report recommending how the state should deal with the vacant Naselle Youth Camp property.
Convened in July 2023, the task force recommended in its final report published over the summer that ownership of the facility be transferred from the state to the Chinook Indian Nation for the creation of a tribal headquarters.
Now, just weeks before the upcoming legislative session gets underway, a 19th District lawmaker is gunning to make that recommendation a reality. State Sen. Jeff Wilson (R-Longview) told the Observer last week that he plans to reintroduce a bill he first proposed in 2023 that would transfer ownership of the property to the Chinook.