BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

MEETING for WEEK of December 22, 2003

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Monday, December 22, 2003, with all Commissioners present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Brent Holman, Public Works Director/County Engineer, gave updates the on a slide on Cook Underwood Road and the Drano Lake project, advised of completing year-end reports, snow accumulation on Old Man Pass, and presented a copy of the technical memorandum from Wallis Engineering regarding stormwater management.

Consent Agenda Items were approved as follows:

A. Minutes of December 15, 2003.

B. WA State Liquor Control Board Special Occasion liquor licenses for American Legion Post 122 for December 27, 2003 and January 17, 2004.

C. Acknowledge Claim for Damages from Verizon/CMR

Resolution 2003-59 was approved, vacating a portion of St. Martin’s Springs Road from milepost 0.24 to 0.34 (end).

A contract was approved with Farwest Portable Crushing, Drilling and Blasting to provide services at Blue Lake Rock Pit for material to be used at Drano Lake.

An intergovernmental agreement was approved with Mt. Pleasant School District #29-93, Skamania School District #2, Stevenson-Carson School District #303, and Mill A School District #31 to provide swim lessons and water safety classes to grades K-12.

A contract was approved with Sound Resolutions for facilitation and plan writing for the Water Resource Inventory Area 29 Phase 3 watershed planning process.

A contract was approved with Votec Corporation to provide elections management/voter registration software and support services.

Bev Majors, Community Events and Recreation Office Assistant, reported on various events and activities.

A public hearing was held, continued from December 18, 2003, to consider Resolution 2003-56, adopting the 2004 Budget and Resolution 2003-55, setting 2004 Current Expense and County Road Property Tax Levies.

Marilyn Butler, Director of Administrative Services, advised of changes to the preliminary budget presented at previous hearings that included salary and benefit adjustments due to settlement with the Public Works Union, an increase in the Sheriff’s budget to include profit from the 2002 Search and Rescue Conference, and an increase in Emergency 911 to include new grant funding from the State Military Department. Discussion included the need to adhere to the travel policy, list priorities, review salaries and benefits, look at fee structures, review the use of buildings and vehicles, monitor timber monies especially at the state level, review continued use of the Underwood Transfer Site, and conduct a mid-year budget review. Resolution 2003-56 was approved unanimously, adopting the 2004 Budget.

Resolution 2003-55 was approved unanimously, setting 2004 Current Expense and County Road Property Tax Levies at 1% over the amount levied for collection in 2003.

The meeting recessed at 11:30 a.m. Monday, December 22, 2003 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with all Commissioners present.

Representatives from Public Works and Planning and Community Development gave a presentation on proposed stormwater regulations for Skamania County and requested direction from the Board as to how to proceed with the County’s course of action in regard to stormwater issues. Following the presentation and discussion of options, motion was approved to direct the Public Works Department to draft a county-wide stormwater ordinance with specific criteria applicable to Skamania County, that would be backed up by the Washington Department of Ecology Stormwater Manual for Western Washington for larger developments. The draft, if acceptable to the Board of Commissioners, would then be presented to the affected citizens in a series of public hearings for their review and comments.

Commissioner Quinn advised the Public Works Director of the need for a streetlight at the intersection of State Road 14 and Canyon Creek Road. The Director will research the cost of this request and report back to the Board.

The meeting recessed at 3:15 p.m. Monday, December 22, 2003 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 23, 2003, with Commissioners Talent and Quinn present. Commissioner McKee was on personal business.

Sharon Tiffany, Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Director, reported on exhibits, upcoming events, marketing, fund raising, and advised of successful completion of the 2003 audit.

Resolution 2003-61 was approved, distributing the 2003 Federal Forest Funds from the Treasurer’s Trust received from the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Marilyn Butler, Director of Administrative Services advised of an addition to the supplemental budget set for consideration on December 30, 2003, to include unanticipated expenditures for supplies for WSU Extension for the 21^st Century Bridges Program.

Vouchers for the period ending December 23, 2003 were approved in the amount of $76,112.58.

A voucher was approved to Elroy Prosch in the amount of $4,000 for the purchase of 0.31 acres of property from tax parcel 01-05-05-1-0-0300, to clarify boundary lines, adjacent to Prindle Park.

The meeting recessed at 10:50 a.m. Tuesday, December 23, 2003 and reconvened at 2:50 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners Talent and Quinn present.

The Board participated in a staff workshop to review the draft Skamania County Emergency Management Plan, with no action taken.

The meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, December 23, 2003.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON