BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Meeting for Week of March 15, 2004
The Board met in executive session from 9:10 a.m. until 9:55 a.m. regarding personnel, with no action taken.
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Monday, March 15, 2004, with all Commissioners present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Bob McCollum advised of safety concerns at Drano Lake regarding ingress and egress, and width of the parking stalls for large vehicles towing trailers. The Public Works Department advised they would look into the concerns.
Brent Holman, Public Works Director, gave updates on the Forest Service 90 Road snowplowing contract, completion of private well surveying for the Wind River Nursery well test program, Drano Lake project, and advised of an upcoming Pavement Management Conference.
Ole Helgerson, WSU Extension Agent, reported on the 4-H Program, Forest Youth Success Program, forestry activities, gardening and pest management, and gave an update on the Firewise Project.
Bev Majors, Community Events and Recreation Office Assistant, reported on various events and activities.
Motion was approved to set the salary for the Community Events and Recreation Director position at a Range 24.
Exceptional qualifications for Scott Pineo, new Community Events and Recreation Director, was approved at Step C of Range 24, effective March 15, 2004.
Consent Agenda items were approved as follows:
§ Minutes of March 8, 2004.
§ Notice to Contractors calling for bids for 2003 Safety Improvement Project, set deadline to receive sealed bids for 4:00 PM April 2, 2004, set date to open sealed bids for 10:00 AM April 5, 2004.
§ Notice of Completion of Public Works contract with Fosburg Enterprise.
§ Liquor license renewal for Bonneville Hot Springs Resort.
Resolution 2004-18, increasing the change fund for Wind River Boat Launch fee machine and Resolution 2004-19, creating a change fund for Drano Lake Boat Launch fee machine were tabled pending additional information.
A contract was approved with TDJ CPA, Inc. to prepare balance sheet worksheets for 2003 financial statements.
A contract with Greater Columbia Behavioral Health to provide emergency and outpatient mental health treatment was tabled pending additional information.
A contract was approved with T-Mobile for installation and implementation of Phase I of enhanced 911 emergency communications service.
A cooperative law enforcement agreement was approved with USFS Gifford Pinchot National Forest to provide funding for law enforcement services on national forest lands.
The Board discussed a request from Central Services of March 8, 2004 to purchase Support Plus software program for the Eden Financial System, with no decision made.
Commissioner Talent advised of attending a sound check at the Wind River Nursery site for a proposed music festival.
The meeting recessed at 11:20 p.m. Monday, March 15, 2004 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with all Commissioners present.
A public hearing was held to consider a Shoreline Substantial Development permit application from Cowlitz County PUD for Swift #2 Hydroelectric Project. Charly Boyd, Shoreline Planner, presented a staff report and advised that the basic project is for repair and maintenance of the power canal due to erosion and to install a fishing access site for physically impaired persons adjacent to the power canal where Forest Service Road 90 crosses the canal. Bill Pfleeger, Senior Engineer for Cowlitz County Public Utility District, gave a presentation on the project proposal. Motion was approved to grant the Shoreline Substantial Development with conditions, as recommended by the Planning Department.
The meeting recessed at 2:00 p.m. Monday, March 15, 2004 and reconvened at 2:30 p.m. the same date, with all Commissioners present.
The Board reviewed a request to consider the purchase of Win-Cams Cost Accounting Management Software for Public Works and Buildings and Grounds Departments. Following a review and discussion of the software program, motion was approved to purchase the Win-Cams Cost Accounting Management Software Program for Public Works and Buildings and Grounds Departments based on the information presented.
Tod LeFevre, Assistant County Engineer, gave an update on parking and ingress and egress concerns at Drano Lake Boat Launch. He advised that the approach design was approved by Washington State Department of Transportation and further advised he would test the facility with a County vehicle and trailer and report his findings to the Board.
Resolution 2004-18 was approved, increasing the change fund for Wind River Boat Launch fee machine.
Resolution 2004-19 was approved, creating a change fund for Drano Lake Boat Launch fee machine.
The Board met in executive session from 3:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. regarding litigation, with no action taken.
The meeting recessed at 4:00 p.m. Monday, March 15, 2004 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 16, 2004, with all Commissioners present.
Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director, gave updates on the pending application list, completion of the Stabler Water Quality and Quantity Study, Water Resource Inventory Area 29 Oversight Committee, the West End Community meetings, and the National Scenic Area Management Plan.
Charly Boyd, Watershed/Shorelines Planner, reported on various water and fish related meetings.
Following discussion regarding program funding, a contract was approved with Greater Columbia Behavioral Health to provide funding for emergency and outpatient mental health treatment.
Steven Andersen, of Cascade Planning Associates, gave a presentation on Advocates of Common Sense (AOCS). He explained that AOCS is an organization of property owners who advocate the exercise of common sense in land use planning and advised that this group was created because the Columbia River Gorge Commission closed the door to the Management Plan amendment application process after it decided it didn’t have the staff resources to process the applications.
The meeting recessed at 11:35 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, 2004 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date with all Commissioners present.
The Board participated in a workshop with elected officials and department heads to discuss the need for a policy for electronic access of public records. Issues discussed included who should have the authority to determine when and how public records are accessed and the need for a countywide confidentiality policy for employees. The Prosecutor advised he would draft a policy for the Board’s consideration. Also discussed was the need for an email retention policy. The Prosecutor advised he would work with Central Services regarding this discussion.
The Board met in executive session from 3:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. regarding real estate, with no action taken.
The meeting recessed at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, 2004 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 18, 2004, with all Commissioners present.
Debi Van Camp presented accident and incident reports on behalf of the Safety Committee. Review and discussion of reports presented included the need for the Board to meet with Buildings and Grounds to set priorities during icy weather to prevent accidents. Motion was approved to concur with the assessments and recommendations of the Safety Committee.
Vouchers were approved for the period ending March 18 2004 in the amount of $73,108.07.
Mike Garvison, Auditor, advised of his uncertainty of the procedure used for increasing the salary range of the Community Events and Recreation Director position and advised he felt the policy was not followed correctly.
The meeting recessed at 11:10 a.m. Thursday, March 18, 2004 and reconvened at 11:45 p.m. the same date, with all Commissioners present.
A proclamation was approved, proclaiming the month of April 2004 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
The meeting recessed at 12:00 p.m. Thursday, March 18, 2004 and reconvened at 1:30 p.m. the same date, with all Commissioners present.
The Public Works Department presented a summary of the redesign proposal for Carson Frontage Road and recommendation from Washington State Department of Transportation. Leroy Goodrich and Don Reed, local property owners, expressed concern with safety issues of current traffic on Carson Frontage Road and at Wind River Market. Following review and discussion, motion was approved to authorize the Public Works Department to proceed with the redesign proposal as presented and to confer with the Prosecutor regarding options for parking on county right-of-way.
The Board met in executive session from 2:10 p.m. until 2:20 p.m. regarding personnel, with no action taken.
The meeting adjourned at 2:20 p.m. Thursday, March 18, 2004.
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON