Board Meeting Minutes 07/06/20151
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
July 6, 2015
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for Lewis County, Washington, met in
regular session on Monday, July 6, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. Commissioners Edna J.
Fund, Gary Stamper, and P.W. “Bill” Schulte were in attendance. Chair Fund, called
the meeting to order, determined a quorum, and proceeded with the flag salute.
Commissioner Stamper moved to approve the minutes of the 10:00 a.m., Monday,
June 29, 2015 Business Meeting. Commissioner Schulte seconded the motion.
Motion Carried 3-0.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Ron Averill, Centralia, stated the Legislature has passed the funding for the Voluntary
Stewardship Program (VSP). He explained what the VSP plan is and stated the Lewis
County Farm Bureau will continue sharing information with the BOCC.
NOTICE
Commissioner Schulte moved to approve the Notice Agenda item one.
Commissioner Stamper seconded the motion.
1. Notice of Hearing: Regarding a Budget Amendment for the Criminal Drug
Investigation Fund No. 160. Hearing will be held on or after 10:00 a.m., on
Monday, July 20, 2015. Resolution No. 15-200
Steve Walton, Budget Manager, stated this is a Notice of Hearing to consider an
amendment to the 2015 budget for the Criminal Drug Investigation Fund, No. 160. This
amendment increases expenditures in the amount of $52,000 for the purchase of
Tasers, Increases revenue in the amount of $12,000 for proceeds from the sale of
confiscated and forfeited property and uses fund balance in the amount of $40,000.
Motion Carried 3-0.
CONSENT
Commissioner Schulte moved to approve the Consent Agenda items two through four.
Commissioner Stamper seconded the motion.
2. Resolution No. 15-201 Approval of warrants and payroll for payment.
Grace Jimenez, Auditor’s Office, stated this Resolution approves 256 regular
warrants for a total payment against the County in the amount of $1,311,067.20. This
Resolution also approves 192 payroll warrants and 473 automatic deposits dated May
5, 2015 is approved for a total payment against the County in the amount of
$3,327,500.56.
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3. Resolution No. 15-202 Authorizing a contract with the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum
Council of Governments (COG) for costs of transportations planning worked
performed.
Tim Elsea, Director of Public Works, stated this would authorize the Chair of the
BOCC to sign executed contract between COG and Lewis County for cost of
transportation planning work performed. This is a contract for $25,000 which we enter
into with the COG every year. It goes to offset the cost for Transportation Planner in the
Public Works Department.
4. Resolution No. 15-203 Approving a Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) with the Washington State Department of Commerce.
Danette York, Director of Health and Social Services, stated this is our 2015-2016
CDBG public services grant. Lewis County will receive $100,874.00 of which $3,500.00
will be maintained by Health and Social Services for administrative services for the
grant. The rest will be subcontracted out to the Community Action Council of Thurston,
Mason, and Lewis County.
Motion Carried 3-0.
HEARING
Hearing: Traffic Ordinance No. 217- lowering the speed limit on a portion of
Airport Road
Commissioner Fund announced the hearing and asked for a staff report.
Tim Elsea, Director of Public Works, stated there are packets at the front of the room
if anyone would like further information. During the design of Airport Road a decision
was made not to replace a bridge structure at approximately M.P. 1.420 which did not
meet minimum Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) width
requirements for a joint project between the State and County. This reduced project
costs by $750,000.00. Several mitigating measures were proposed in a deviation
submitted to and approved by WSDOT. Included in the measures was a reduction of the
posted speed limit from 50 mph to 35 mph. A subsequent engineering and traffic
investigation has found that 35 mph is consistent with the American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials standards.
Eric Martin, Traffic Engineer, stated looking at the radius and design plans it shows
the radius is 500 feet which corresponds with a 35 mph speed limit.
Commissioner Schulte asked how many changes in speed limit do you put on a short
stretch of road if conditions vary.
Tim Elsea stated this is not an unusual situation.
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Eric Martin stated the manual for uniform traffic control devises also recommends you
do not transition speeds on local road and rural roads by more than 15 miles per hour in
a chunk. The distance between those signs are going to vary depending the speed limit
and the speed of the traffic.
Ron Averill, Centralia, there is a speed limit sign at the Mellen Street Bridge. What is
the speed?
Eric Martin stated originally WSDOT had posted that at 45 mph. The sign has been
changed to 50 mph.
Ron Averill asked what is the distance from the turn of the bridge to the point the City
of Chehalis puts a warning of a 30 mph speed limit.
Eric Martin stated the distance from the bridge to the city limits is 3/10s of a mile.
Chair Fund asked if there were any questions. There were none. She closed the
question and answer portion of the hearing and opened the formal hearing.
Tim Elsea and Erik Martin asked that their previous comments be adopted into the
record.
Ron Averill stated when they designed the system from Harrison through the airport
they put in some collector distributor lanes. Those lanes are currently at 45 mph. He
supports the reduction of the speed limit. He doesn’t feel it makes much sense to go
from 50 mph to 35 mph to 30 mph. He would recommend going to 30 immediately.
Chair Fund asked if anyone else would like to testify, and no one responded. She
closed the hearing and asked for a motion.
Commissioner Schulte moved to approve Traffic Ordinance No. 217. Commissioner
Stamper seconded.
Traffic Ordinance No. 217 An Ordinance fixing the maximum speed at which
vehicles may be operated over Airport Rd. in Lewis County, Washington: defining
offenses and providing penalties for the violations thereof.
Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, the BOCC’s business meeting adjourned at 10:27 a.m.
on July 6, 2015. The next public meeting will be held Monday, July 13, 2015.
Please note that minutes from the BOCC’s meetings are not verbatim. A recording of
the meeting may be purchased at the BOCC’s Office.
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BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
ATTEST: Edna J. Fund, Chair
Karri Muir, CMC, Clerk of the Board P.W. Bill Schulte, Vice-Chair
Lewis County Commissioners
Gary Stamper, Commissioner