BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Meeting for Week of September 26, 2005

 

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Monday, September 26, 2005 at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners Paul Pearce and James D. Richardson present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.  Commissioner Albert E. McKee was attending a National Schools and Counties Coalition Board of Directors Meeting in Washington, DC.

 

Mary Repar advised of concerns regarding the County’s public record request form, Planning and Community Development fee schedule, and Fair Board issues.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to remove item #11 from the Consent Agenda for further discussion and approve the remainder as follows:

1.       Minutes of September 19, 2005.

2.       Acknowledge submission of grant application to Dept of Transportation for funding for Salmon Falls Park & Ride.

3.       Set public hearing for 1:30 PM Monday, October 10, 2005 to consider a request from Jerry Sauer for a variance to Skamania County Private Road Standards for Sasquatch Way  (private), located off of Forest Service 25 Road (private) at milepost 43.60, to allow a road grade in excess of 8% to exceed the minimum 100-foot guideline length.

4.       Resolution 2005-46 amending launch fees at Wind River & Drano Lake.

5.       Letter of agreement with Health Force Workplace Health Solutions amending the County’s drug & alcohol program to meet state requirements for employee testing.

6.       Contract with Ever-Green Tree Care, Inc for removal of hazardous trees and/or limbs at various County facilities and parks.

7.       Agreement with Partners In Careers to be a training site for qualified citizens.

8.       Intergovernmental agreement with Office of Crime Victims Advocacy to provide funding for improvement of criminal justice & community response to violence against women.

9.       Contract amendment D with Military Dept Emergency Division (E05-028) increasing funding for eligible 911 Wireless Operation reimbursable costs.

10.    Contract amendment D with Military Dept Emergency Division (E05-050) increasing funding for eligible 911 Wireline Operation reimbursable costs.

11.    Personnel Committee Recommendations for Auditor’s Lead Recording Deputy new classification; Clerk’s Collection Assistant exceptional qualification for Patti Midland; Senior Case Manager reclassification.

12.    Letter to Washington Counties Risk Pool providing notice of the County’s conditional intent to leave the Risk Pool as of October 1, 2006.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve an exceptional qualification for Patti Midland for the Clerk’s Collection Assistant position and a new job description for Senior Services Case Manager position, as recommended by the Personnel Committee.

 

Following clarification of the education and experience requirements, Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve a new job description for the Auditor’s Lead Recording Deputy position, as recommended by the Personnel Committee.

 

John Carlson, Emergency Management Coordinator reported on monitoring of Mount St. Helens, Community Emergency Response Teams training activities, Search and Rescue missions, National Incident Management System compliance, and Emergency Operations Center Region IV funded exercises.

 

Rick Jessel, Counseling Center Director, reported on programs for mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities.

 

The Board discussed a recommendation from the Fire Marshall to extend the closure of outdoor burning on private lands in Skamania County, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:15 a.m. Monday, September 26, 2005 and reconvened at 1:40 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce and Richardson present.

 

District Court Judge Ron Reynier addressed concerns with increased staff workload.  Discussion included budget concerns, revenues, increased caseload, and staffing.

 

The Board met in executive session regarding personnel from 1:55 p.m. until 2:10 p.m., with no action taken.

 

The Board continued their previous discussion with District Court Judge Ron Reynier regarding increased staff workload.  Following discussion, the Board advised that no additional overtime would be authorized for District Court staff, but was in agreement to supplement the District Court budget to fund a full time Office Assistant III position for the remainder of the year, and to reimburse District Court budget from the Trial Court Improvement Fund when the County receives these funds.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve Resolution 2005-47 extending the closure of outdoor burning on private lands in Skamania County until October 15, 2005 unless otherwise terminated or extended by the Board.

 

The meeting recessed at 2:40 p.m. Monday, September 26, 2005 and reconvened at 9:35 a.m. Tuesday, September 27, 2005, with Commissioners Pearce and Richardson present.

 

The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss 2005 and 2006 budgets, health insurance, and public health, with no action taken.

 

Tod LeFevre, Public Works Director/County Engineer reported on activities for the Road Department, Solid Waste, Building Department, engineering, bridges, and equipment, rental and revolving fund.

 

John Ostenson, Safety Committee Chair, reported on the September 6, 2005 Safety Committee meeting and presented accident/incident reports reviewed by the Safety Committee.  Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to concur with the Safety Committee’s findings for the following reports: 2005-E-10, 2005-E-11, 2005-19, 2005-2-IH and 2005-3-IH.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:10 a.m. Tuesday, September 27, 2005 and reconvened at 1:40 the same date, with Commissioners Pearce and Richardson present.

 

The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss Safety Committee reports and Malfait Park, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 27, 2005 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, September 29, 2005 with Commissioners Pearce and Richardson present.

 

Stevenson Elementary School teacher Mike McCrary and students from his 5th Grade class gave a presentation on the School’s Veteran Education Program to honor veterans, and invited the Board to their Program at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 10, 2005 at Stevenson Elementary School.  Mr. McCrary advised that his 5th Grade class would like to adopt the County’s veteran memorials and plaques at the Courthouse to make improvements and enhancements to honor all wars and veterans, and advised that the children would also be doing service projects.  Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve the request to allow Stevenson Elementary School to adopt the County’s veteran memorials and plaques on display at the Courthouse to make improvements and enhancements.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending September 28, 2005 in the amount of $53,923.68.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve a request from Skamania County Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to tie purple ribbons on the antennas of County vehicles of Departments under the Board, with the caveat that Elected Officials would make their own decision, in recognition of October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

 

Commissioner Richardson gave an update on a request from Cascade Sportsman’s Club to use the Blue Lake Rock Pit area as a practice/sighting area for firearms.

 

Commissioner Pearce gave an update on the Malfait Park project.

 

The meeting adjourned at 10:50 a.m. Tuesday, September 29, 2005.

 

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON