2021-11-23 BOCC Business Meeting Minutes LEWIS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS(BOCC)
Business Meeting minutes
November 23,2021
Present: Commissioner Pollock, Commissioner Swope, Commissioner Grose
Recorder: Rieva Lester
Commissioner Pollock called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m., determined a quorum and then
proceeded with the flag salute.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No comments.
PRESENTATION
Commissioner Swope made a motion to approve a proclamation recognizing November as Home Care
& Hospice Month. Commissioner Grose seconded.
Proclamation: Recognize November 2021 as Home Care &Hospice Month.
Assured Hospice Account Executive Lindsay Giberson read the proclamation into the record.
Motion passed 3-0.
NOTICE ITEMS
Commissioner Grose made a motion to approve Resolutions 21-395 through 21-398. Commissioner
Swope seconded.
Resolution 21-395: Call for bids for the Community Development Tenant Improvement Project, Project
#31-2102. Bids are due to the Clerk of the Board by 2 p.m. Dec. 16, 2021.
Capital Facilities Manager Doug Carey discussed the resolution. Doug said the project was going out for
a re-bid following a miscommunication between the consultant and bidders.
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Resolution 21-396: Notice of public hearing to consider Ordinance 1331,an ordinance to repeal and
replace Chapter 03.30, Management and Disposition of Property, of the Lewis County Code.The
hearing will take place in the Commissioners' Hearing Room at or after 10 a.m. Dec. 7, 2021.
Capital Facilities Manager Doug Carey discussed the resolution. He said the ordinance will streamline
the county's procedures for disposing of surplus property.
Resolution 21-397: Notice of public hearing to consider Ordinance 1332, an ordinance to amend
Chapter 2.11, Planning Section and Commission,of the Lewis County Code.The hearing will take place
in the Commissioners' Hearing Room at or after 10 a.m. Dec. 14,2021.
Senior Long-Range Planner Mindy Brooks discussed the resolution. She said the ordinance will clean up
language in the ordinance and clarify the composition of and appointments for Lewis County Planning
Commission members. Mindy said the amendments also add a new provision that addresses what
happens when a member moves out of the district for which they were appointed to represent.
Resolution 21-398: Lewis County budget for 2022,and notice of hearings.The hearings on the 2022
budget and property tax levies will take place in the Commissioners' Hearing Room at or after 10 a.m.
Monday, Dec. 6,2021.
Budget Services Manager Becky Butler discussed the resolution.She said the board will set the 2022
budget and 2022 property taxes.
Motion passed 3-0.
CONSENT ITEMS
Commissioner Swope made a motion to approve minutes from the November 9,2021, Business
Meeting as well as Resolution 21-399. Commissioner Grose seconded.
Resolution 21-399: Approval of warrants/claims against the various county departments.
Chief accountant Grace Jimenez, representing the Auditor's Office,said warrants numbered 848,345
through 848,515 and 848,558 through 848,784 as well as direct disbursements numbered 4153,
4154,and 4156 through 4159 were issued in November for payments against the county totaling
$2,804,974.50.She said payroll/tax deposit warrants numbered 795,869 through 795,872 and
Automatic Deposits numbered 32,708 through 33,290 also were approved for payments against the
county totaling$1,143,606.16. Grace noted a skip in sequence for warrants 848,321 through
848,344 and 848,516 through 848,557,which were issued on behalf of Special Purpose Districts.
Motion passed 3-0.
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DELIBERATION ITEMS
Commissioner Grose made a motion to approve Resolutions 21-400 through 21-411. Commissioner
Swope seconded.
Resolution 21-400: 2022 Medical Rates to be paid by Lewis County for non-union employees.
HR Director Chris Panush discussed the resolution. He said the resolution increases by up to $50
employer contributions for 2022 insurance premiums, including increases that take effect in December
2021 for January 2022.
Resolution 21-401:Accept a grant award from the Department of Archaeology and Historic
Preservation for the Repair and Rehabilitation of the Historic Lewis County Courthouse.
Capital Facilities Manager Doug Carey discussed the resolution. He said Lewis County will use in-house
labor toward its grant match.
Resolution 21-402: Direct the Lewis County Floodplain Manager to sign the letter of map change
application and submit floodplain map amendments for the Cowlitz River at Packwood to FEMA for
review and approval.
Floodplain Manager Doyle Sanford discussed the resolution. He said the amendments will benefits
residents in East Lewis County, especially for those in the downtown Packwood area. He said the maps
had last been updated in 1981 and that a lot of better information was available for the recent
floodplain study.
Resolution 21-403:Adopt a Categorized Schedule of Fees Effective January 1, 2022.
Community Development Director Lee Napier discussed the resolution. She said the schedule sets fees
for permits, etc. She noted that the updated version provides information on refunds in Public Health
and Social Services. Lee noted that very few fees in the schedule increased.
Resolution 21-404 Approve an agreement between Lewis County and The Salvation Army to provide
funds through the housing assistance unit Eviction Rental Assistance Program Grant(ERAP 2.0) in the
amount of$5,854,553.
Deputy Director of Operations&Social Services Meja Handlen discussed the resolution. She said the
ERAP program is similar to eviction help that was available under"TRAP" but that ERAP is less stringent
on timelines. She said the contract with The Salvation Army will run from Oct. 21, 2021, through June
30, 2023, and that the funds will go directly to the property owners/ landlords. She said the
reimbursement grant also includes assistance for utilities, including power and water.
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Resolution 21-405:Approve an agreement between Lewis County and Equity Institute to provide
funds through the housing assistance unit Eviction Rental Assistance Program (ERAP 2.0) in the
amount of$325,254.
Deputy Director of Operations&Social Services Meja Handlen discussed the resolution. She said the
Equity Institute will reach out to non-English speakers and other marginalized populations within Lewis
County to ensure they have access to the ERAP 2.0 funds, which are designed to help prevent evictions.
Resolution 21-406:Approve Josh Metcalf, Public Works Director, as Applicant Agent and Robin Saline,
Public Works Administrative Assistant/Grants Administrator, as the Alternate Applicant
Agent/Contact for open,federally declared disasters and any future disasters that may occur between
December 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022.
Public Works Director Josh Metcalf discussed the resolution. He said the designees are effective Dec. 1,
2021, though Dec. 31, 2022.Josh noted that the county has eight open disasters.
Resolution 21-407: Approve the Lewis County Water District#3 Water System Plan.
Community Development Director Lee Napier discussed the resolution. She said Public Works, Health
and Social Services and Community Development have reviewed the plan and suggest the
commissioners approve it.
Resolution 21-408: The proposed vacation of portions of 1st and Pine Streets and adjacent alleys in
Dryad.
Real Estate Services Manager Martin Roy discussed the resolution. He said property owners have
requested that the commissioners consider vacating portions of 1st and Pine Streets.
Resolution 21-409:The proposed acquisition of additional right of way for Shorey Road, Chehalis.
Real Estate Services Manager Martin Roy discussed the resolution. He said Public Works acquired a
permit for an emergency on Shorey Road that allowed the county to fix the problem but that the county
now has to finalize the project and pay for the needed permits and easements.
Resolution 21-410:Approve a contract with DELTAWRX for 911 Communications Strategic Planning
and Governance review services.
County Manager Erik Martin discussed the resolution. He Lewis County had hired DELTAWRX to conduct
a consolidation feasibility study. He said the county would like to extend its contract to provide a
strategic planning and governance planning services.
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Resolution 21-411:Approve an amendment to the grant agreement with the Washington State Office
of Public Defense for representation of eligible individuals seeking to obtain orders to vacate felony
convictions or have felony resentencing hearings pursuant to State V. Blake,481 P. 3d 521(2021).
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Eric Eisenberg discussed the resolution. He said the amendment fills a
funding gap in the county's previous contract.
Motion passed 3-0.
HEARING
Resolution 21-412: Adopt the 2022-2027 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program(TIP)and
2022 Annual Construction Program (ACP).
Commissioner Pollock introduced the hearing. He said the 2022-2027 Six-Year Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP) and 2022 Annual Construction Program (ACP),which are required by
statute, provide information about how the county plans to use its roads funding.Tim noted that a lot of
what the county does is dependent on the county's ability to secure grant funding.Tim listed some of
the projects included on the ACP and TIP.
County Engineer Tim Fife gave the staff report.
Commissioner Pollock asked if there were any questions.There were no questions.
Commissioner Pollock then closed the question-and-answer portion of the hearing.
Tim Fife asked that his previous comments be adopted into the record.
Commissioner Pollock asked if anyone wanted to speak for or against the resolution.
No one chose to speak.
Commissioner Pollock closed the hearing.
Commissioner Swope made a motion to approve Resolution 21-412. Commissioner Grose seconded.
Motion passed 3-0.
COVID-19
Meja Handlen said Public Health and Social Services will provide its update Nov. 25.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Commissioner Pollock encouraged the public to participate in the Polco survey about how the county
should allocate the funding it receives under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
PRESS CONFERENCE
No questions.
ADJOURNMENT
The BOCC Business Meeting adjourned at 11:25 a.m.,with the next Business Meeting scheduled for
10 a.m.Tuesday, November 30, 2021, in the Commissioners' Hearing Room (Room 223).
Minutes from the BOCC Business Meeting are not verbatim. Video footage can be viewed online at no charge at
https://lewiscountywa.gov/offices/commissioners/bocc-meetings/. The BOCC's weekly Business Meeting is
streamed live on Facebook and YouTube. (Search for"Lewis County Commissioners"on Facebook or go to
https://www.facebook.com/LewisCountyCommissioners/. For YouTube footage,search for"LewisCountyWa"on
YouTube or go to https://www.youtube.com/user/LewisCountyWa/featured.)
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