BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Meeting for Week of October 31, 2005

 

The Board met in executive session regarding personnel with Commissioners Albert E. McKee, Chair, Paul Pearce and James D. Richardson present from 9:30 a.m. until 9:50 a.m., with no action taken.

 

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

 

Rich Curran inquired as to the status of safety concerns previously expressed to the Board regarding children walking along Metzger Road from Eyman Cemetery north to Big Foot Trailer Park and the need for a walking path and adequate lighting.  The Board advised that the Public Works Department recently submitted a grant application to the State for funding for this project.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve the Consent Agenda as follows, with the exception of item #5 that was removed for discussion:

1.       Minutes of October 24, 2005.

2.       Interagency Agreement with Administrative Office of the Courts to provide funding to increase the number of children served by court-appointed special advocates in dependency matters.

3.       Set public hearing for 10:00 AM Thursday, November 10, 2005 to consider Resolution 2005-51 Supplemental Budget #4 for 2005 to supplement budgets for various department funds due to unanticipated expenditures and revenues unknown at the time of passing the 2005 budget.

4.       Notice to Contractors calling for bids for 2005 Safety Improvement Project for placement or replacement of guardrail at various locations; set deadline to receive sealed bids for 4:00 PM Monday, November 14, 2005; set date to open sealed bids for 10:00 AM Tuesday, November 15, 2005.

5.       Request for authorization to purchase server for Sheriff’s Office Computer Aided Dispatch and Management System.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve item #5 from the Consent Agenda, request for authorization to purchase a server for the Sheriff’s Office Computer Aided Dispatch and Management System.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve an authorization to purchase from the Sheriff for various equipment for the Sheriff’s Department using unanticipated funds received from Washington State E911, reducing the Sheriff’s 2006 proposed budget by eliminating capital machinery and equipment by $36,000.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director to review a summary of the Board’s recommended revisions, from a workshop held on October 10, 2005, to the Planning Commission’s recommended draft of proposed Ordinance 2005-02, text amendments to Skamania County Code Title 21 – Zoning.

 

The meeting recessed at 10:20 a.m. Monday, October 31, 2005 and reconvened at 11:00 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce and Richardson present.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to acknowledge receipt of a letter from Stabler Community Council regarding Hemlock Dam removal.  Representatives from Stabler Community Council and several citizens expressed concerns with the USDA Forest Service Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Fish Passage and Aquatic Habitat Restoration at Hemlock Dam.  Discussion included dredging Trout Creek, water temperature, fish ladder, habitat issues, the need to look at alternatives to removal, cost to remove the Dam, and a request from Stabler Community Council to the County to appeal the EIS in hopes of keeping the Dam.  The Board advised they are not in favor of removal of the Dam and advised they would not make a decision on this request until a full Board is present.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:50 a.m. Monday, October 31, 2005 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce and Richardson present.

 

A public hearing was held to consider Ordinance 2005-02 text amendments to Skamania County Code Title 21–Zoning for creating criteria for temporary dwellings, creating criteria for communication facilities, and for minor text amendments such as to remove obsolete text and correct inaccurate text.  Karen Witherspoon gave a summary of the Board’s recommendations from an October 10, 2005 workshop and advised of correcting four typos to the Planning Commission’s draft ordinance.  No public was present.  The hearing was closed to public comment.  Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to adopt Ordinance 2005-02 as presented.

 

The meeting recessed at 1:45 p.m. Monday, October 31, 2005 and reconvened at 2:15 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Pearce and Richardson present.

 

The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss a request to allow the Fairgrounds Coordinator to work full time for the remainder of 2005, medical insurance for Senior’s Home-Care Workers, Medicare eligible retirees, postage machine, and Section .08 distressed counties sales tax dollars, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 2:40 p.m. Monday, October 31, 2005 and reconvened at 9:10 a.m. Tuesday, November 1, 2005, with Commissioners McKee, Pearce and Richardson present.

 

The Board interviewed Rose Goeres for a Fort Vancouver Regional Library Board of Trustees vacancy for Skamania County’s representative for position #3.

 

The meeting recessed at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 1, 2005 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee, Pearce and Richardson present.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to approve a Proclamation declaring November 17, 2005 as American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout Day in Skamania County.

 

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.

 

Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director reported on agenda topics for upcoming Columbia River Gorge Commission meetings, support letter for the Gorge-Wide Plan amendment for historic buildings, National Scenic Area funding from the State, Western Water Resource Inventory Area 29, impact fees, staff retreat, subarea plans, and enforcement issues.

 


Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner McKee and motion carried to ratify Commissioner Richardson’s signing of a contract amendment with the Military Department Emergency Management Division (E05-227 A Reissue) reducing the amount of funding for local terrorism preparedness.

 

The meeting recessed at 11:10 a.m. Tuesday, November 1, 2005 and reconvened at 11:25 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee, Pearce and Richardson present.

 

The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss budgets, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 1, 2005 and reconvened at 1:00 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee, Pearce and Richardson present.

 

The Board interviewed Bill Yee for a Fort Vancouver Regional Library Board of Trustees vacancy for Skamania County’s representative for position #3.

 

The Board interviewed Rachel Bryan for a Fort Vancouver Regional Library Board of Trustees vacancy for Skamania County’s representative for position #3.

 

The Board interviewed John Feliz for a Fort Vancouver Regional Library Board of Trustees vacancy for Skamania County’s representative for position #3.

 

The Board met in executive session regarding personnel from 2:25 p.m. until 2:30 p.m., with no action taken.

 

Representatives from the Port of Skamania County requested $100,000 in funds from the County’s Section .08 Tax Funds – Sales and Use Tax for Public Facilities in Rural Counties for fiscal year 2006 to expand the Tichenor Building to accommodate new business development.  Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner McKee and motion carried to acknowledge receipt of a letter of support for the proposal from Skamania County Economic Development Council (EDC).  Also present for discussion were representatives from Skamania County EDC and the City of Stevenson.  John McSherry, Project and Business Development Manager for the Port gave an overview of the proposed project, projected jobs and sources of revenue that could be created by the expansion of the building.  Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner McKee and motion carried to approve the request from the Port for $100,000 in sales tax dollars from Section .08 funds – Sales and Use Tax for Public Facilities in Rural Counties for fiscal year 2006 to expand the Tichenor Building.

 

The meeting recessed at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday, November 1, 2005 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, November 3, 2005, with Commissioners McKee and Richardson present.

 

Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner McKee and motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending November 3, 2005 in the amount of $407,763.12.

 

Evelyn Skaar advised that the County rock pit (parcel # 03-07-24-0-0-0701), conveyed to the County by John and Christina Skaar in 1921, is landlocked and fully surrounded by her properties, has not been used in several years, and requested the County to consider conveying the property back to the Skaar family.  The Board advised they would discuss this request with Public Works, would seriously consider her request and would contact her with their decision.

 

Evelyn Skaar advised of a recent fall she had and safety concerns for citizens walking in the area of Rock Creek Center and the Senior Services Building due to uneven pavement.  She requested the County consider repaving that portion of the Fairgrounds west parking lot to level out an area that was trenched and repaved at a grade lower than the rest of the parking lot.  The Board advised they would make a site visit to the location and would contact her after the visit.

 

The meeting adjourned at 10:40 a.m. Thursday, November 3, 2005.

 

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON