BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Meeting for Week of January 29, 2008

 

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners James D. Richardson, Chair, Paul Pearce and Jamie Tolfree present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance. 

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to approve the Consent Agenda as follows:

1.      Minutes for week of January 22, 2008.

2.      Special occasion liquor license for American Legion Post 122 for February 16 & March 15, 2008.

3.      Filming Permit for Twilights Productions, LLC for use of the County Road Prindle Shop for filming a movie.

4.      Filming Permit for Twilights Productions, LLC for use of the Blue Lake site as a filming location.

5.      Authorize payment of $13,464.41 to address Fair Labor Standards Act claims for employees represented by the Skamania County Law Enforcement Guild from May 27, 2004 through July 19, 2006.

6.      Voucher to Tri-Axis Engineering for Mike Beanland engineering services for Wind River Business Park metering evaluation.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to table Resolution 2008-08 enabling the closure of affected roads within Skamania County during freeze/thaw events, pending discussion with Public Works.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Pearce and motion carried unanimously to approve Resolution 2008-05 establishing a County Officials (Department Heads) Policy for Travel Reimbursement.

                       

The Board reviewed Resolution 2008-06 Personnel Policy Review and Clarification: dissolving the Personnel Committee, clarifying relationship between county and employees both represented and non-represented, and clarifying L&I policies and procedures.  Several elected officials, department heads, and employees were present.  Discussion included Labor and Industries claims and review, seniority structure with regards to program elimination, and dissolution of the Personnel Committee.   Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to approve Resolution 2008-06 as presented.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to award non-represented employees a 2% COLA, effective January 1, 2008.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to set the non-represented employee portion of health insurance premiums at $100.00 per month from $131.64, effective January 1, 2008.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to advance the Road Department Superintendent to Range 25, effective January 1, 2008.

 

The meeting recessed at 10:41 a.m. Tuesday, January 29, 2008 and reconvened at 10:48 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners Richardson, Pearce and Tolfree present.

 

The Board met in executive session regarding litigation from 10:48 a.m. until 11:29 a.m., with no action taken.

 

The Board participated in a workshop to discuss Wind River Business Park leases, with no action taken.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to acknowledge receipt of a letter from the City of Stevenson acknowledging the County’s termination of the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Piper Road/Rock Creek Landslide, and advising that the City has scheduled payment of $150,000 to the County for the end of January 2008.

 

Commissioner Pearce gave an update on an SR-35 Bi-State Group meeting regarding the SR-35 Columbia River Bridge Project and proposed memorandum of understanding between Washington and Oregon partner jurisdictions for funding of the SR-35 Final Environmental Impact Statement.

 

The meeting recessed at 12:08 p.m. Tuesday, January 29, 2008 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Richardson, Pearce and Tolfree present.

 

Commissioner Pearce moved, seconded by Commissioner Tolfree and motion carried unanimously to approve Resolution 2008-08 enabling the closure of affected roads within Skamania County during freeze/thaw events.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with several county departments to discuss code enforcement, with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 2:25 p.m. Tuesday, January 29, 2008 and reconvened at 2:35 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Richardson, Pearce and Tolfree present.

 

The Board participated in a workshop with representatives from Skamania County Public Health Department to discuss code enforcement, with no action taken.

 

The Board met in executive session regarding personnel from 3:35 p.m. until 4:15 p.m., with no action taken.

 

The meeting recessed at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, January 29, 2008 and reconvened at 9:38 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2008, with Commissioners Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending December 31, 2007 in the total amount of $50,907.30.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending January 31, 2008 in the total amount of $16,101.45.

 

Commissioner Tolfree moved, seconded by Commissioner Richardson and motion carried to ratify the Board’s action on January 30, 2008 approving a letter to Gifford Pinchot National Forest Supervisor regarding the Recreation Facility Analysis, Gifford Pinchot National Forest Proposed 5 Year Program of Work and  Programmatic Results of Implementation.

 

The meeting recessed at 9:54 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2008 and reconvened at 10:05 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

Dan Harkenrider, Area Manager and Greg Cox, Assistant Resource Manager of the National Scenic Area (NSA) Forest Service gave updates on various activities.  Discussion included, Pacific Crest Trail realignment, Department of Transportation realignment project on State Road 14, new NSA officer, use of off road vehicles in the NSA, structure demolition on acquired properties, upcoming air quality strategies public meetings, proposed county/forest service NSA partnership for routine road maintenance, and invasive weed treatment.

 

The meeting recessed at 10:47 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2008 and reconvened at 11:06 a.m. the same date, with Commissioners Richardson and Tolfree present.

 

The Board participated in a workshop to discuss revisions to the Drug and Alcohol Policy, with no action taken.

 

The meeting adjourned at 12:03 p.m. Thursday, January 31, 2008.

 

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON