2021-12-21 BOCC Business Meeting Minutes LEWIS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS(BOCC)
Business Meeting minutes
December 21,2021
Present: Commissioner Pollock, Commissioner Swope,Commissioner Grose
Recorder: Rieva Lester
Commissioner Pollock called the meeting to order at 10:01 a.m., determined a quorum and then
proceeded with the flag salute.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
TOUR OF LIGHTS
After a violin performance by special guest Finley Swope,the commissioners presented the following
2021 Tour of Lights Christmas awards:
• Notable Nutcracker: Public Health and Social Services
• Tinsel Town: DEM
• Winter wonderland: HR/Risk/PDR
• The Grinch: Public Works(led by the Grinch himself,Josh Metcalf)
• Santa's Wrappers: BOCC
• Candy Cane Lane:Auditor's Office
• Christmas Tree: Fairgrounds/Parks and Rec
• Ugliest Sweater:The PA's Office (led by the atrociously dressed Jonathan Meyer) and Grace
Jimenez
• Joy to the World: Finley Swope
• Home for the Holidays: Family Support Services
• Hanging the Stocking with Care:Assessor's Office
• It Takes a Village: Community Development
• It's a Small World: Public Health and Social Services
• To Grandma's House we go:Juvenile Community Service & Detention
NOTICE ITEMS
Commissioner Swope made a motion to approve Resolution 21-447. Commissioner Grose seconded.
1
Resolution 21-447: Establishment of 2022 county road construction projects by County Forces.
Public Works Director Josh Metcalf discussed the resolution. He said 2022 projects totaling$10,000 or
more include the county's chip seal program, safety program,trail improvements and emergency
projects. He said $885,000 has been budgeted for the 2022 County Forces construction projects.
Motion passed 3-0.
CONSENT ITEMS
Commissioner Grose made a motion to approve minutes from the December 14,2021, Business
Meeting as well as Resolution 21-448. Commissioner Swope seconded.
Resolution 21-448:Approval of warrants/claims against the various county departments.
Chief accountant Grace Jimenez, representing the Auditor's Office, said warrants 849,541 through
849,739 and direct disbursements 4259 through 4264 were issued in December for payments against
the county totaling$2,845,210.10. She said payroll/tax deposit warrants numbered 795,877 through
795,879 and Automatic Deposits 33,872 through 34,456 also were approved for payments against the
county totaling$1,116,711.50. Grace noted a skip in sequence for warrants 849,513 through 849,540,
which were issued on behalf of Special Purpose Districts.
Motion passed 3-0.
DELIBERATION ITEMS
Commissioner Swope made a motion to approve Resolutions 21-449 through 21-457. Commissioner
Grose seconded.
Resolution 21-449:Approve interlocal agreements with area emergency response agencies for
technology services.
IT Director Matt Jaeger discussed the resolution. He said the agreements cover the technology services
Lewis County provides for area police,fire and American Medical Response (AMR) departments.
Resolution 21-450: Ratify an agreement with HDR Engineering Inc.for preparation of a combined
water and sewer infrastructure needs assessment.
2
Public Works Director Josh Metcalf discussed the resolution. He said American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
funding is being used to pay for the needs assessment.
Resolution 21-451: Reject all bids for the 2022 Liquid Asphalt Rebid.
Public Works Director Josh Metcalf discussed the resolution. He said he fielded a protest from an
asphalt supplier regarding a technicality in the bid process and therefore decided to reject all bids and
put the project out for a rebid.
Resolution 21-452:Accept agreements for Use of Jail Facilities between the Lewis County Sheriffs
Office/County and Thurston County Sheriff's Office and City of Olympia/Jail.
Chief Chris Sweet discussed the resolution. He said the agreement allows for use of the jail by Thurston
County and the City of Olympia.
Resolution 21-453:Accept interlocal agreements for use of Jail Facilities between the Lewis County
Sheriff's Office/County and the Cities of Centralia,Chehalis, Napavine, PeEll,Winlock,Toledo,
Mossyrock, Morton and Tenino.
Chief Chris Sweet discussed the resolution. He said the agreement allows for use of the jail by the cities
of Centralia,Chehalis, Napavine, PeEll,Winlock,Toledo, Mossyrock, Morton and Tenino.
Resolution 21-454: 2022 medical rates to be paid by Lewis County for union-represented employees in
the Sheriff Support Services Guild and Teamsters 252 representing the Assessors, Combined,Juvenile
Detention,Juvenile Probation, Prosecuting Attorney's Clerical,and Supervisors groups; and AFSCME
(American Federation of State,County and Municipal Employees) representing Community
Development and Public Works employees.
HR Director Chris Panush discussed the resolution. He said the agreements increase the county's
contribution for medical by up to$50 per employee.
Resolution 21-455:Approve a financial contribution agreement between Lewis County and Lewis
County Seniors organization for senior nutrition program support during calendar-year 2022.
Budget Services Manager Becky Butler discussed the resolution.She said the county is providing a
$50,000 one-time cash grant to cover Senior Nutrition services and a one-time cash grant of$8,000 to
cover the cost of the group hiring a certified public accountant to perform an audit. Becky said the
county is also agreeing to provide up to $50,000 in additional funding for 2022.
3
Resolution 21-456:Approve 2022 "lodging tax"contracts with various organizations for funding from
Tourism Promotion Fund No. 1980 for tourism-related activities.
Clerk of the Board Rieva Lester discussed the resolution. She said the resolution is the final step in
awarding$650,000 in 2022 lodging tax grant funding to various entities that had applied to receive the
funding.
Resolution 21-457: Establish the Chair and Vice Chair for the Lewis County Board of County
Commissioners for 2022.
Clerk of the Board Rieva Lester discussed the resolution. She said the commissioners typically establish
who will serve as chair and vice chair of the BOCC annually.
Motion passed 3-0.
HEARING
Resolution 21-458:Alter voting boundaries in Lewis County.
Commissioner Pollock introduced the hearing.
County Manager Erik Martin introduced GIS Manager Matt Hyatt and gave the staff report.
Erik said that under the provisions of RCW 29A.76.010 and RCW 36.32.020, the Lewis County Board of
County Commissioners(BOCC) is required to divide Lewis County into three commissioner districts,with
each district comprising—as nearly as possible—one-third of the population of the county. He said the
commissioners held a hearing on the matter Dec. 14 and that the second hearing was being held Dec.
21. Erik and Matt noted that the commissioners had narrowed their options for redistricting from four
possible choices to two during their Dec. 21 meeting.
Commissioner Pollock asked if there were any questions.There were none.
Commissioner Pollock then closed the question-and-answer portion of the hearing.
Erik Martin asked that his previous comments be adopted into the record.
Commissioner Pollock asked if anyone wanted to speak for or against the resolution.
Centralia resident Peter Lahmann said he feels the Option 1—not making any changes—would be best
due to potential cost savings.
The commissioners weighed the pros and cons of the two remaining options(Option 3 and Option 4).
Commissioner Grose and Commissioner Swope said they favor Option 3, while Commissioner Pollock
said she favors Option 4.
4
Commissioner Pollock closed the hearing.
Commissioner Swope made a motion to approve Resolution 21-458 with Option 3. Commissioner
Grose seconded.
Motion passed 3-0.
COVID-19
No updates.
Commissioner Grose discussed the spread of the omicron variant in Washington state. He said it he feels
it is surging in Washington despite high vaccination rates and that it is not surging in states with lower
vaccination rates.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Peter Lahmann said the Historical Society will hold its board meeting later in the day. Peter said Solid
Waste has pick-up tools and garbage bags available for volunteers who provide litter cleanup efforts
along the freeway on-and off-ramps, etc. He urged locals to volunteer to help with cleanup efforts.
Peter also said he'd like to set up a PacMountain meeting with the board for 2022.
PRESS CONFERENCE
No questions.
ADJOURNMENT
The BOCC Business Meeting adjourned at 10:43 a.m., with the next Business Meeting scheduled for
10 a.m.Tuesday, December 28, 2021, in the Commissioners' Hearing Room (Room 223).
Minutes from the BOCC Business Meeting are not verbatim. The weekly Business Meeting streams live on YouTube
(search for"LewisCountyWa"on YouTube or go to https://www.youtube.com/user/LewisCountyWa/featured).
Video footage also is available at no charge at https://lewiscountywa.gov/offices/commissioners/bocc-meetings/.
[signatures on next page ]
5
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEWIS COUNTY,WASHINGTON
.•COUNTY, k,••
• 0• .. • •
Lis
0' )., SrSCE ,^•
•J •
•a� Linds R. Pollock, D M, Chair
• •, ''
•
roe_ ¢is.
ATTEST: ' •• "•' Sea D. S ope,Vice Chair
Rieva Lester,Clerk of the Board F. Lee Grose, Commissioner
6