BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

MEETING for WEEK of March 24, 2003

The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. Monday, March 24, 2003, with all Commissioners present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.

A presentation of the documents to be prepared, which include a resolution, charter, and by-laws, for the development of the Wind River Nursery Public Development Authority (PDA) was given by Humaira Faulkenberg, Consultant for the Economic Development Council. Documents will be presented for review on March 31, 2003, with final documents to be considered on April 7, 2003.

A plaque was presented to County Road Department Mechanic Kim Peters for 25-years of distinguished service to Skamania County.

Brent Holman, Public Works Director/County Engineer, advised that Norm Wurzer attended and passed Bridge Inspection training. He reported on a draft letter to a property owner on Bone Road regarding drainage, Rock Creek Cove bank stabilization, Hamilton Creek, Carson storm water update, completion of Duncan Creek Road project, and Wind River bank erosion above Birkenfeld property on Wind River Road.

Consent Agenda Items were approved as follows:

A. Minutes for week of March 17, 2003.

B. Notice to contractors to call for sealed bids for Washougal River Road Improvement Project, set deadline to receive bids for 4:00 p.m. Friday April 11, 2003 and set date to open sealed bids for 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 14, 2003.

C. Acknowledge receipt of Timber Land application from Scott Maytubby and set for public hearing at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, April 10, 2003.

The Annual Certification of the County Road Engineering was approved and forwarded to the County Road Administration Board.

A contract was approved with Dennis Snyder Contractors for the County to provide a stockpile site at the the County’s North Bonneville property for concrete removed from Stevenson Elementary School Project.

Contract amendment #3 was approved with the Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Alcohol & Substance Abuse, to increase funding for the prevention program for the Counseling Center.

A revised classification description was approved for the Undersheriff position, as recommended by the Personnel Committee.

Motion was approved to set salary range classifications for swim pool employees, set salaries for Community Events & Recreation instructors, and set pay ranges for temporary Fair employees.

Sheriff Dave Brown advised of numerous local burglaries and reported on evaluating and exploring the possibility of reconditioning current Sheriff’s vehicles in lieu of purchasing new vehicles. He also advised of a town hall meeting on April 3, 2003 to discuss housing out of county inmates.

The Board met in executive session from 11:05 until 11:35 a.m. to discuss real estate, with no action taken.

The meeting recessed at 11:35 a.m. Monday, March 24, 2003 and reconvened at 1:40 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Talent and Quinn present. Commissioner McKee was attending an economic development meeting and tour with representatives from our local Economic Development Council and Southwest Australia.

Larry Mulcihy, Safety Committee Chairman, reported on the Safety Committee meeting of March 10, 2003 regarding accidents and incidents.

An application for a Title II Project for Snow Plow for Recreation, presented by Brent Holman, Public Works Director/County Engineer, was approved for submission to the Resource Advisory Committee.

The Board discussed the County Engineer’s recommendation regarding a request to vacate a portion of Skamania Mines Road. The Board directed the County Engineer to provide additional information prior to making a decision, which included a list of property owners on Mabee Mines Road, a report on options with recommendations, and an opinion on county liability from the Prosecutor.

Contract amendment #1 was approved with Greater Columbia Behavioral Health to increase funding for the regional support network prepaid health plan for the Counseling Center.

The meeting recessed at 2:30 p.m. Monday, March 24, 2003 and reconvened at 1:55 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2003, with all Commissioners present.

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

Resolution 2003-13 was approved, amending the boat launch annual pass for Wind River only, reducing the annual pass from $55.00 to $25.00 for Skamania County residents 70 years and older.

The Board met in executive session from 3:35 p.m. until 4:40 p.m. regarding personnel, with no action taken.

The meeting recessed at 4:40 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2003 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 27, 2003, with all Commissioners present.

Vouchers for the period ending March 27, 2003 were approved in the amount of $115,233.19.

Rick Jessel, Counseling Center Director, reported on programs for mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities, and advised of the decline in referrals for enrollment in the Rock Creek Daycare Program.

The Board discussed issues regarding use of the horse barn during the fair, with no decision made.

Commissioner Quinn advised of a request from residents in the North County (Swift Creek Reservoir area) to the Public Utility District No. 1 of Skamania County (PUD) to provide power to their area. The PUD has advised they do not want to serve the North County, but will ask Cowlitz County if they would consider providing service to that area.

Receipt was acknowledged of letters from Klickitat County Commissioners and Public Utility District No. 1 of Skamania County requesting a meeting of the Initialing Governments in the Water Resource Inventory Area 29 (WRIA 29).

The meeting recessed at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, March 27, 2003 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with all Commissioners present.

Alice Meyers, Program Coordinator for the Forest Youth Success Program and Ole Helgerson, WSU Cooperative Extension Agent, presented a proposed change to the structure of the Forest Youth Success Program for 2004. The proposal would provide structural follow-up support to high school students in math and science using employed student tutors, with emphasis on forestry education. The Board supported further review of this proposal and directed Alice Meyers to continue working with the school district on this concept and report back to this Board prior to the May 2003 deadline for submittal of 2004 Title III Project applications.

The meeting adjourned at 2:10 p.m. Thursday, March 27, 2003.