BOARD OF
SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Meeting
for Week of January 17, 2005
No meeting was held on Monday, January 17, 2005 in
observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 18, 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.
Public Works Director Brent Holman, Sheriff Dave Brown, and
Buildings and Grounds Director Tony Estey reported on damages from the recent
weather related ice storm, which included numerous downed trees, coordinating
with the City of Stevenson for clearing streets and sidewalks, clearing blocked
roads, power outages, minimal damage to county facilities, concern with falling
ice and potential for flooding, and the designation of Rock Creek Center for
citizens without power or heat.
Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and
motion carried to allow all county residents to dispose of storm debris at the
old mill site at the Rock Creek cove area through the end of February 28, 2005.
Ole Helgerson, WSU Extension Agent, reported on 4-H
activities, forestry, gardening and pest management, Forest Youth Success
program, Forest Explorers program and the Firewise project.
Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner
Richardson and motion carried to approve the Consent Agenda, as follows:
1.
Minutes
of January 10, 2005.
2.
Liquor
license renewals for Bungalow Bar & Grill and Eagle’s Cliff General Store.
3.
Certification
of Property Tax Levy from Home Valley Water District.
4.
Contract
renewal with Senior Services, Inc of North Bonneville to operate a senior
services center in North Bonneville.
5.
Contract
renewal with Skamania County Economic Development Council for business
recruitment & retention & community development activities.
6.
Contract
renewal with the Chamber of Commerce to promote tourism and provide visitor
information.
7.
Contract
renewal with City of Stevenson for incarceration services for municipal
inmates.
8.
Contract
renewal with City of Stevenson for law enforcement services within City limits.
9.
Contract
amendment #2 with Kennedy/Jenks Consultants to extend contract period for Wind
River Nursery Water Project.
The
Board met in executive session from 10:55 a.m. until 11:35 a.m. regarding
litigation, with no action taken.
The meeting recessed at 11:35 a.m. Tuesday, January
18, 2005 and reconvened at 1:35 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee,
Pearce and Richardson present.
The
Board participated in a staff workshop with Central Services Director Terry
Blaisdell to review department services and goals, with no action taken.
The meeting recessed at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, January
18, 2005 and reconvened at 3:05 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee,
Pearce and Richardson present.
Dan
Peterson, Development Specialist for the Southwest Washington Tribal Health
Alliance gave a presentation on a proposed Community Nursing Center, possibly
in Skamania County, to serve the Chinook Tribe and other low-income residents,
and the Southwest Washington Tribal Health Alliance. The presentation included a brief history and overview of the
Alliance, projects currently in the planning and development stages, health
issues, and Southwest Washington Tribal Community Nursing Centers Project. Discussion with the audience included
available health services, costs for health care and prescriptions,
transportation to health care facilities, project funding, partnership with
local health care facilities, and training opportunities for nurses.
The
meeting recessed at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, January 18, 2005 and reconvened at 10:00
a.m. Thursday, January 20, 2005, with Commissioners McKee, Pearce and
Richardson present.
Sealed
bids were opened for one 10-12 yard dump truck as follows:
1.
Roberts
Motors, Portland, OR No
bid.
2.
Brattain
International Trucks, Portland, OR $115,499.01
Commissioner
Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to refer
the bids to Public Works for review and recommendation.
Jeannie
Smith of Carson Builders Supply addressed the Board with concerns regarding
limited purchases from their store by County departments, billing costs that
exceed the purchase amounts, and asked the Board to support equitable purchases
among local businesses. Discussion
included convenience and cost for purchases, limited department budgets, and
disparity between hardware store purchases.
Scott
Pineo, Community Events and Recreation Director, gave updates on the recreation
program, Teen Adventure program and hold harmless agreements for teen dances,
Fairgrounds activities, swim center activities, Rock Creek Recreation Center
activities, host recruitment for parks and boat launches, and the Underwood
Park rental. Commissioner Richardson
moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried to nominate Scott
Pineo as Skamania County’s representative for Skamania/Klickitat Community
Network.
Prosecutor
Peter Banks advised of two references to Boundary Line Adjustments (BLA) in
Skamania County Code and problems experienced by title companies in cases of
foreclosure by lending institutions of properties involving boundary line
adjustments. Jim Copeland of Skamania
County Title Company explained that if a BLA is approved by the County for a
parcel secured by a lending institution and the lending institution forecloses
on the parcel, an illegal lot is created unless the lender signs a partial
reconveyance or amends the legal description at the time of the BLA. Following discussion with several County
departments, recommendation was made to amend the BLA language in Skamania
County Code to require documentation from the property owner that the lender
has approved the BLA and access to the parcel exists prior to approval of a
BLA.
The
meeting recessed at 11:45 a.m. Thursday, January 20, 2005 and reconvened at
1:25 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee, Pearce and Richardson
present.
Karen
Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director, gave updates on the
pending application list, end of the year report for 2004, County ordinance
updates, upcoming meetings for Water Resource Inventory Area 29 and Columbia
River Gorge Commission, and presented a report on water and fish related groups
active in Skamania County prepared by Watershed/Shorelines Planner Charly Boyd.
The
Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss the Legislative Rally,
reclassifications, and position approval, with no action taken.
The
Board advised that they would be making a site visit to Griffing Road (private)
at 3:30 p.m. today.
The
meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m. Thursday, January 20, 2005.
BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS
SKAMANIA
COUNTY, WASHINGTON