BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Meeting for Week of January 31, 2005

 

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 31, 2005 at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners Albert E. McKee, Paul Pearce and James D. Richardson present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Ann Lueders advised of concerns regarding a contract on the Consent Agenda with Jacobs Services, Inc.  Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to removed item #11 contract renewal with Jacobs Services, Inc. from the Consent Agenda.

 

Jeannie Smith of Carson Builders Supply advised of limited purchases from their store by County departments

 

Brent Holman, Public Works Director/County Engineer, presented options for clean up of the disposal area from the ice storm, and gave updates on Road Crew winter maintenance activities, employee attendance at a professional development session sponsored by Washington Association of County Engineers, and recent meeting with the Forest Service regarding Wind River Nursery water/sewage system.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to authorize the purchase and installation of partitions and window barriers for the jail transport vehicle.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve the Annual County Road Administration Board Certification of the 2004 County Roads Engineering.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve the Certification of the 2005 Road Levy and Estimated Revenue Produced.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve the Certification of 2004 Road Fund Expenditures for Traffic Law Enforcement.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve the Certification of Road Fund Expenditures for Fish Passage Barrier Removal.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve vouchers to Elan Financial Services for VISA cards purchases for the period ending December 31, 2005 in the amount of $869.79 and January 31, 2005 in the amount of $150.05.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve the

Consent Agenda as follows, with the exception of Item #3 - letter to Assessor from Kenneth Wieman/Anna Peterson regarding building encroachment on County property and Item #11 - contract renewal with Jacobs Services, Inc to provide janitorial services at Wind River Nursery offices.

1.  Minutes of January 24, 2005.

2.  Acknowledge receipt of Claim for Damages from Aaron J. Blouin.

4.  Contract with Connie Davis to facilitate an energy medicine video course.

5.  Contract amendment #6 with Dept of Ecology to extend scope of grant to include funding Watershed     Plan adoption process.

6.  Contract amendment #1 with Sound Resolutions to provide SEPA and plan adoption Watershed Plan services to County.

7.  Contract renewal with IBM Business Partner for hardware maintenance to Sheriff Office server running Spillman software.

8.  Contract renewal with Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center to display & maintain Skamania County artifacts.

9.  Contract renewal with City of Stevenson to provide animal control services within City limits.

10.Contract renewal with City of North Bonneville to provide animal control services within City limits.

 

Ann Lueders expressed concerns regarding a proposed contract renewal with Jacobs Services to provide janitorial services at Wind River Nursery offices, which included the lack of process for awarding small contracts and the need for support for local businesses.  Discussion included the need to refer to the small works roster for contracts under $2,500, hourly rate for the Jacobs Services contract, and the cost for a County employee to provide janitorial services at this site.  Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve the contract with Jacobs Services, Inc. to provide janitorial services at Wind River Nursery offices.

 

The Board directed the Clerk to refer the letter from Kenneth Wieman and Anna Peterson regarding building encroachment on County property to the Prosecutor and Public Works Director.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve a contract with Ever-Green Tree Care, Inc for tree pruning and removal services for trees damaged during the recent ice storm.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve the Fairgrounds Facilities Coordinator revised job description, effective January 31, 2005, as recommended by the Personnel Committee.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve a revision to Section 6.6.3 Exceptional Qualification Rate of the Personnel Policy, effective February 1, 2005, as recommended by the Personnel Committee.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to forward a letter from Cherry Day requesting to deed 0.03 acres along Berge Road to the County to the Public Works Department for review and recommendation.

 

The Board met with members of the Forest Service for an annual meeting as required in the Wind River Nursery conveyance agreement.  Those present included Claire Lavendel, Forest Supervisor; Tom Knappenberger, Public Affairs Officer; and Nancy Rike, District Ranger.  Topics and issues related to Skamania County included reauthorizing Public Law 106-393 The Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self Determination Act of 2000, accepting project proposals for Title II, Ice Caves cattle allotment, federal highways project, expected timber harvest for 2005, Mount St. Helens, federal relicensing for dams, Forest Service budget, and ongoing downsizing and reorganizing of the Forest Service.  Other discussion included the proposed removal of Hemlock Dam, which included costs to maintain the dam, fish issues, and silt buildup.

 

The meeting recessed at 12:10 p.m. Monday, January 31, 2005 and reconvened at 1:35 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee, Pearce and Richardson present.

 

The Board interviewed Tracy Wyckoff for a Planning Commission vacancy for position #3A, with no decision made.

 

The Board interviewed Harold Bagnall for a Planning Commission vacancy for position #2B, with no decision made.

 

The meeting recessed at 2:10 p.m. Monday, January 31, 2005 and reconvened at 2:40 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee, Pearce and Richardson present.

 

The Board met in executive session from 2:40 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. regarding personnel, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 4:00 p.m. Monday, January 31, 2005 and reconvened at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 1, 2005, with Commissioners McKee, Pearce and Richardson present.

 

The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss the annual leave implementation schedule and legislative priorities, with no action taken.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve Resolution 2005-04, Ordering the Cancellation of Uncollectible Personal Property Taxes.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to award the bid for the purchase of one 10-12 yard dump truck, to include a trade-in and deleting the Pup package from the bid specification, to Brattain International Trucks of Portland, OR for the total amount of $114,519.96.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to award the bid for supply and delivery of crushed aggregate to Mid-Columbia Asphalt Company of The Dalles, OR for the total amount of $242,676.00.

 

Tony Estey, Buildings and Grounds Director, reported on repairs and maintenance of various County buildings and grounds, presented a report on underground storage tanks at the Wind River Nursery site and advised of filling the vacant Fairgrounds Facilities Coordinator position.  Other discussion included a request to replace plum trees with dogwood trees along the northwest side of the Courthouse parking lot because of damage sustained during the recent ice storm and an ongoing problem of the fruit falling on parked cars.  The Board advised they would look at the trees before making a decision.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to adopt the revised Vacation Schedule for the Public Works Bargaining Unit OPEIU Local 11, with implementation effective July 1, 2005.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to adopt the revised Vacation Schedule for all non-bargaining employees, with implementation effective July 1, 2005

 

The meeting recessed at 10:50 a.m. Tuesday, February 1, 2005 and reconvened at 9:55 a.m. Thursday, February 3, 2005, with Commissioners McKee and Pearce present.

 

The Board met in executive session from 9:55 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. regarding personnel, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 3, 2005 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee and Pearce present. 

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner McKee and motion carried to approve vouchers for the periods ending December 31, 2004 in the amount of $ $409,669.52 and February 3, 2005 in the amount of $ 97,897.84.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner McKee and motion carried to acknowledge receipt of a worksheet from Gary Martin, Assessor for Consolidated Levies for 2005 taxes. 

 

Mr. Martin requested that a tree on the northwest corner of the Courthouse parking lot be trimmed or removed.  The Board advised that Buildings and Grounds had already scheduled a time to trim the flowering trees bordering the Courthouse parking lot. 

 

The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss the Auditor’s proposed remodel plan and cost, Wind River Nursery water project, and equipment, rental, revolving fund, with no action taken.

 

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, February 3, 2005.

 

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON