BOARD OF SKAMANIA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Meeting for Week of August 30, 2004
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. Monday, August 30, 2004 at the Commissioner’s Meeting Room, 240 NW Vancouver Avenue in Stevenson, with Commissioners McKee, Quinn and Talent present, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Sealed bids were opened for the Wind River Road Grind and Overlay Project as follows. Commissioner Quinn moved, seconded by Commissioner Talent and motion carried to forward the bids to Public Works for review and recommendation.
1. Lakeside Industries - $161,047.00
2. Mid-Columbia Paving Co. - $171,353.00
Brent Holman, Public Works Director/County Engineer, reported on completion of a spill response plan for operations in pits and quarries, gave updates on Drano Lake project, bridge inspections, Road Division maintenance, installation of digital sign making equipment, and solid waste disposal, and advised that the Department of Natural Resources is considering ending the burn ban.
John Carlson, Emergency Management Coordinator, reported on the Strategic National Stockpile Table Top Exercise, gave updates on Community Emergency Response Teams activities, an exercise proposal for volunteer firefighter training, evaluating a possible evacuation signs project, status of upcoming visit by Washington Emergency Management Division to assist in the design of the County Emergency Operations Center, and status of the installation of computers donated from Benton County.
Commissioner Quinn moved, seconded by Commissioner Talent and motion carried to approve the Consent Agenda as follows:
§ Minutes of August 23, 2004.
Commissioner Quinn moved, seconded by Commissioner Talent and motion carried to approve submission of the Rural Arterial Program Prospectus to the County Road Administration Board for road project funding.
Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve a contract with Kpani Addi to provide African drumming and dancing instructions through the Community Events and Recreation program.
Commissioner Quinn moved, seconded by Commissioner Talent and motion carried to approve a contract with AVNET, Inc./Data Pro Solutions to provide IBM hardware maintenance for dispatch and jailing system 911 support.
Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve a contract with the Secretary of State to provide funding for election equipment and services.
Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve a Title III Community Wildfire Protection Plan Project. The goal of the Plan is to outline measures for reducing the risk of fire damage to property and structures throughout Skamania and Klickitat Counties by identifying and prioritizing federal land for hazardous fuel reduction treatments, as well as provide recommended methods for achieving hazardous fuels reduction.
A public hearing was held to consider Resolution 2004-34 Supplemental Budget #2 for 2004 for various funds due to unanticipated expenditures and revenues for several departments. Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve Resolution 2004-34 Supplemental Budget #2 for 2004 as presented.
The Board discussed a request from the Cemetery District to be considered in the distribution of PUD Privilege Tax Funds and a request to reduce the salvage value for the purchase of surplus vehicle #206. Following discussion, the Board advised they would consider including the Cemetery District in the distribution at the same amount proposed to be distributed to the six fire districts, which would give the Cemetery District enough funds to purchase surplus vehicle #206 if they so choose.
Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to approve Resolution 2004-35 for distribution of PUD Privilege Tax and to include the Cemetery District at the same amount proposed to be distributed to the six fire districts.
Commissioner Quinn moved, seconded by Commissioner Talent and motion carried to approve Resolution 2004-36, creating a Nuisance Control Fund for the purpose of conducting nuisance control cleanup activities and related administrative costs.
The meeting recessed at 12:00 p.m. Monday, August 30, 2004 and reconvened at 1:40 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee, Quinn and Talent present.
The Board participated in a workshop to discuss Region IV Public Health Emergency Preparedness Governing Council, 2005 Preliminary Budget, State Audit exit conference, surplus vehicles, Sheriff’s evidence storage, reclassification requests/market study, review of ER&R rates, Gorge legislative issues, and employee training, with no action taken.
The meeting recessed at 3:45 p.m. Monday, August 30, 2004 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 31, 2004, with Commissioners McKee, Quinn and Talent present.
Commissioner Quinn moved, seconded by Commissioner Talent and motion carried to approve a contract with the Department of Social and Health Services to provide funding for juvenile disposition alternatives.
Karen Witherspoon, Planning and Community Development Director, reported on the pending application list, Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 29 upcoming meeting, West End Community Comprehensive Subarea Plan, and Steigerwald Lake, Franz Lake and Pierce National Wildlife Refuges.
Charly Boyd, Watershed/Shorelines Planner, reported on various water and fish related meetings. She also reported on WRIA 27&28 and WRIA 25&26 stream closures, instream flows, exempt wells and water reservations, advising that the Washougal basin is currently administratively closed to the issuance of new surface water rights, which includes any groundwater that may be in connection with surface waters. Two solutions were presented for the Board’s consideration. Solution #1, proposed by Planning Units, is to craft a rule specifically allowing exempt well uses in closed basins, which the Department of Ecology contends could be overturned in court. Solution #2, proposed by the Department of Ecology, is that an amount of water be reserved for exempt well use within rule language, and the Planning Unit has suggested the reservation be made so large as to accommodate full buildout in each County multiplied by a factor of two. Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to support proposed Solution #2, if the County can be granted an amount equal to two times the maximum buildout, specifically designated for the Skamania County portion of the Washougal River Basin.
The Board discussed a petition submitted from West End residents regarding West End Community Comprehensive Subarea Plan maps. Discussion included lot sizes and proposed zoning maps.
The meeting recessed at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 31, 2004 and reconvened at 6:30 p.m. the same date, with Commissioners McKee, Quinn and Talent present.
The Board participated in a workshop at Camp Wa-Ri-Ki Dining Hall, 17051 Washougal River Road to discuss issues and suggest solutions regarding ongoing problems at Dougan Falls. Present for discussion was Sheriff Dave Brown, Ronn Shuttie, Scott Robinson, Jim Hotvedt, and Jim Shank from the Department of Natural Resources and Denny Mohan of Longview Fibre. Problems discussed included increased out of County use of Dougan Falls area, dumping litter, noise, use of alcohol, and speeding on Washougal River Road. Suggested solutions included negotiate a land trade with State Parks, return management back to the County, stricter enforcement, limit use to day use only, impose use restrictions, charge a toll to cross the County bridge to the area (would generate revenue for enforcement), control access to limit number of people in the area, increase parking area to eliminate congestion on roadway, full time camp host, and explore funding sources for full time deputy during peak season. The Board advised they would evaluate suggested solutions and would schedule another meeting in the area prior to Memorial Day 2005 to advise residents of proposed solutions to be implemented.
The meeting recessed at 8:50 p.m. Tuesday, August 31, 2004 and reconvened at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, September 2, 2004, with Commissioners Quinn and Talent present. Commissioner McKee was attending a Chamber of Commerce Board Retreat at North Bonneville Hot Springs.
Commissioner Talent moved, seconded by Commissioner Quinn and motion carried to award the bid for Wind River Road Grind and Overlay Project to Lakeside Industries of Vancouver, WA in the amount of $161,047.00.
Commissioner Talent moved, Commissioner Quinn seconded and motion carried to approve vouchers for the period ending September 2, 2004 in the amount of $272,561.65.
The Board considered a request from Ole Helgerson, WSU Extension Agent, for an exception to the Personnel Policy to allow an employee to accumulate 10 hours of compensatory time in excess of 24 hours allowed by the Policy for the month of August due to overtime worked during the Fair. Commissioner Talent moved, Commissioner Quinn seconded and motion carried to deny the request and directed the Extension Agent to pay the employee for 10 overtime hours worked on the August payroll, per the Policy.
Receipt was acknowledged of a Notice of Authorization to conduct a physical sampling for an environmental assessment report from John Crumpacker for tax parcel 02-07-02-0-0-3100, pursuant to the Purchase and Sale Agreement.
The meeting adjourned at 10:35 a.m. Thursday, September 2, 2004.
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON