BOARD OF
SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Meeting
for Week of
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,
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
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
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
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
The meeting recessed at 10:20 a.m. Monday,
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,
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
The meeting recessed at 1:45 p.m. Monday,
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,
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,
Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and
motion carried to approve a Proclamation declaring
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,
The Board participated in a staff workshop to discuss budgets, with no
action taken.
The meeting recessed at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday,
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,
Commissioner Richardson moved, seconded by Commissioner McKee and
motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending
Evelyn Skaar advised that the County rock pit (parcel #
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,
BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS
SKAMANIA
COUNTY, WASHINGTON