2022-08-30 Business Meeting1
LEWIS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (BOCC)
Business Meeting Minutes
August 30, 2022
Present: Commissioner Pollock, Commissioner Swope, Commissioner Grose
Recorder: Rieva Lester
Commissioner Pollock called the meeting to order at 10 a.m., determined a quorum and then proceeded
with the flag salute.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Lewis County resident Joy Promise discussed Eagle’s Nest, a nonprofit food and health services program
she helped found in King County. Joy said she would like to expand her services to Lewis County.
Lewis County resident Lakita Sullivan discussed Touched by One, Touched by All, a nonprofit that
provides services, such as mobile diaper delivery, to families in need.
Commissioner Grose made a motion to add a Skate Creek Road discussion to the agenda.
Commissioner Swope seconded. Motion passed 3-0.
Commissioner Grose said he has been talking to the Forest Service about the condition of Skate Creek
Road for 20 years. He said he learned the previous day that substantial funding would be available if the
county were to take over ownership of the road from the Forest Service.
Commissioner Pollock voiced concerns about ongoing costs of maintaining the road. Commissioner
Grose echoed those concerns, though he noted that the county resurfaced a portion of the road about a
decade ago and that the section has held up well.
Commissioner Grose said the road measures 22 miles long and that the middle 15 miles will require
considerable work.
Public Works Director Josh Metcalf discussed the road’s value but expressed concerns about having the
county take on additional financial responsibility for more roads than it already oversees. Commissioner
Swope echoed interest in the project coupled with the need for additional details about ongoing costs.
The commissioners directed staff to look into the benefits and potential risks of taking over ownership
of Skate Creek Road.
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NOTICE ITEMS
Commissioner Swope made a motion to approve Resolution 22-271. Commissioner Grose seconded.
Resolution 22-271: Notice of a public hearing for Ordinance 1336, which would amend Chapter 17.30,
Resource Lands, of the Lewis County Code. The hearing will take place in the Commissioners’ Hearing
Room at or after 10 a.m. Sept. 20, 2022.
Long-range Planner Mindy Brooks discussed the proposed code amendment. Commissioner Pollock
expressed concern that the move could yield approval authority to the state. Mindy noted that the
Planning Commission was not asked to again review the matter after county staff discussed approval
processes used by the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) with EFSEC representatives.
Motion passed 2-1, with Commissioners Swope and Grose in favor and Commissioner Pollock
opposed.
Commissioner Grose made a motion to approve Resolution 22-272. Commissioner Swope seconded.
Resolution 22-272: Notice of hearing regarding a franchise to Northwest Pipeline LLC to construct,
operate, and maintain pipelines for purposes of transmission of natural gas products in Lewis County
rights-of-way. The hearing will take place in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room at or after 10 a.m.
Sept. 20, 2022.
Public Works Director Josh Metcalf discussed the resolution. He reviewed the franchise coverage area
and noted that the hearing would take place Sept. 20.
Motion passed 3-0.
CONSENT ITEMS
Commissioner Swope made a motion to approve minutes from the August 23, 2022 Business Meeting
as well as Resolution 22-273. Commissioner Swope seconded.
Resolution 22-273: Approval of warrants/claims against the various county departments.
Chief accountant Grace Jimenez, representing the Auditor’s Office, said warrants 858,969 through
858,994 and 859,011 through 859,224 and direct disbursements numbered 4739, 4794, 4853, 4921,
5145, 5146, 5154 through 5162, 5165 through 5172, 5176, 5178, 5179, 5181, 5184, 5193, 5197 through
5199, 5211, 5218, 5235 through 5237, 5247, 5255, 5256 and 5650 through 5654 were issued in August
for payments against the county totaling $4,094,700.62. She said payroll/tax deposit warrants
numbered 795,919 through 795,942 and Automatic Deposits numbered 43,903 through 44,526 are were
approved for payments against the county totaling $1,195,245.84. Grace noted a skip in sequence for
warrants 858,995 through 859,010, which were issued on behalf of Special Purpose Districts.
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Motion passed 3-0.
DELIBERATION ITEMS
Commissioner Grose made a motion to approve Resolutions 22-274 through 22-279. Commissioner
Swope seconded.
Resolution 22-274: Approve contract #R01-0173-22 between Reliable Enterprises and Lewis County
Public Health and Social Services.
Public Health and Social Services Interim Director Meja Handlen discussed the resolution. Meja said
the contract is for $44,032.77 to help individuals move toward more permanent housing. Commissioner
Swope noted that the county is working with Commerce to ensure there is accountability and that
individuals are working toward permanent solutions to homelessness.
Resolution 22-275: Approve contract H02-0175-22 between Housing Resource Center and Lewis
County Public Health and Social Services.
Public Health and Social Services Interim Director Meja Handlen discussed the resolution. Meja said
the contract covers the emergency shelter services the Housing Resource Center provides.
Resolution 22-276: Approve Amendment B to Contract HRCES2023 between Housing Resource Center
and Lewis County Public Health and Social Services.
Public Health and Social Services Interim Director Meja Handlen discussed the resolution. Meja said
the agreement adds additional funding and sets the contract termination date as Oct. 31, 2022.
Resolution 22-277: Approve Amendment A to Contract #GatherShelterCM with Gather Church.
Public Health and Social Services Interim Director Meja Handlen discussed the resolution. Meja said
the amendment adds additional funding to a contract with Gather Church and extends the group’s
contract with Lewis County through Aug. 31, 2022. The group noticed an error in the packet as
presented.
Commissioner Swope made a motion to amend Resolution 22-277 to correct the contract end date to
Aug. 31, 2022. Commissioner Grose seconded. Motion passed 3-0.
Resolution 22-278: Approve Amendment A to contract G03-0112-22 between Gather Church and
Lewis County Public Health and Social Services.
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Public Health and Social Services Interim Director Meja Handlen discussed the resolution. Meja said
the amendment adds funding totaling $36,644.00 to a contract with Gather Church to provide
coordinated entry and homeless prevention services.
Resolution 22-279: Approve Amendment A in the amount of $311,342.64 to contract H02-0141-21
between Housing Resource Center and Lewis County Public Health and Social Services.
Public Health and Social Services Interim Director Meja Handlen discussed the resolution. Meja and
Housing Resource Center Director Ruth Gutierrez discussed the Department of Health and Social
Services’ guidelines in place to determine eligibility.
Meja discussed the auditing that takes place before vouchers are reimbursed.
County Manager Erik Martin discussed the need for contractual or internal policy language that sets
expectations for staff, the board and the providers.
Ruth said individuals must be homeless and pending application to Social Security to receive funding for
rent and utilities.
The group noticed an error in the packet as presented.
Commissioner Swope made a motion to amend Resolution 22-279 to correct the amount of funding
being added to $342,895.64 and correct the total contract amount to $1,442,414.00. Commissioner
Grose seconded. Motion passed 3-0.
The motion to approve Resolutions 22-274 through 22-276 and 22-278, as presented, and Resolutions
22-277 and 22-279, as amended, passed 3-0.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.
PRESS CONFERENCE
No questions.
ADJOURNMENT
The BOCC Business Meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m., with the next Business Meeting scheduled for
10 a.m. Tuesday, September 6, 2022, 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/.
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BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
__________________________________
Lindsey R. Pollock, DVM, Chair
__________________________________
ATTEST: Sean D. Swope, Vice Chair
__________________________________ __________________________________
Rieva Lester, Clerk of the Board F. Lee Grose, Commissioner