2011-07-25 Board Meeting Minutes 1
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
July 25, 2011
The Board of County Commissioners for Lewis County, Washington met in regular
session on Monday, July 25, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Commissioners Ron Averill, P.W.
“Bill” Schulte, and F. Lee Grose were in attendance. Chairman Averill determined a
quorum, called the meeting to order and proceeded with the flag salute. Commissioner
Schulte moved to approve the minutes from the 10:00 a.m. meeting held on Monday,
July 18, 2011. Commissioner Grose seconded the motion.
Motion carried 3-0
NOTICE
Commissioner Grose made a motion to approve Notice Agenda item one and two.
Commissioner Schulte seconded the motion. Karri Muir, Clerk of the Board read the
items into the record.
1. Request for Qualifications: For a hydraulic modeling service in support of the
Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority. RFQ will be opened on or after 10:00
am, on August 8, 2011. Resolution No. 11-234
Bob Johnson, Community Development, stated Lewis County acts as the fiscal
agent for the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority. This item is a notice for Request
for Qualifications for a qualified individual or team to complete hydraulic modeling from
Grand Mound to the mouth of the Chehalis River. The existing model has data gaps
and was done primarily for the upper portion of the river. Funding for the selected
qualified applicant comes from the Flood Authority. Statements of qualifications are to
be opened on August 8, 2011 and will need to be submitted by 9:00 am to the Clerk of
the Board.
Chairman Averill stated the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority is a loose inter-local
agreement between the ten government jurisdictions. Hydraulic modeling is a very
important process for Lewis County as we look at flood mitigation in the basin. The
Twin Cities Project, under the Corp of Engineers, would have built some levees and
improved the water retention at the Skookumchuck dam. At the Flood Authority
meeting on Thursday the Corp announced that they have subjected that project to a
new risk based model of cost verses benefits and it no long pencils out therefore they
are recommending termination of the project. We have always said that that particular
project had huge holes in it and would not do the things we needed within the basin to
protect people in the upper and lower basin. Before we can do a project that will
provide that protection we need to know what the hydrology is down the river. We
have very good hydrology in the upper basin for Lewis County that was part of the
original design of the twin cities project. In a parallel process, Grays Harbor County
has been working with the Corp of Engineers to do some hydraulic modeling from
Porter to the mouth within Grays Harbor County but not from Porter to Grand Mound.
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If we did not have this particular hydraulic model for which we are asking for we would
have a huge gap even if the Grays Harbor project goes.
2. Notice: Closure of Garrard Creek Road to all through traffic. Resolution No. 11-
235
Larry Unzelman, Public Works, stated the replacement of a failing culvert located at
mile post 2.4 on Garrard Creek Road will necessitate closing the road between
Independence Road and the Lewis County line to through traffic during the period of
work. The closure will be from August 22, 2011 through October 7, 2011, starting at
7:00 A.M. on the first day of closure and ending 5:00 P.M. on the last day of the closure.
The road will be open from either side up to the point of closure and there are alternate
routes around the area of closure. The Public Works Department will post the required
advisory signs on both sides of the closure, and will notify 911 Communications and the
local fire department of the closure. Additionally, the department will coordinate with
adjoining Grays Harbor County since Garrard Creek Road does run north into that
County.
Motion Carried 3-0
CONSENT
Commissioner Schulte made a motion to approve Consent Agenda items three
through six. Commissioner Grose seconded the motion. Karri Muir, Clerk of the Board,
read the items into the record.
3. Resolution No. 11-236 Approval of warrants and payroll for payment.
Chairman Averill stated this approves 263 warrants issued by the Auditor’s Office for a
total of $678,406.91. In addition approves 262 Payroll Benefits warrants for draws on
pay totaling $350,542.00.
4. Resolution No. 11-237 Appointing a member to the Lewis County Planning
Commission.
Commissioner Grose stated Rachel Jennings was on the Planning Commission and
resigned to move to Louisiana. We solicited for a new member on the Lewis County
Planning Commission and got no response. Commissioner Grose mentioned to Russell
Prior one day that he thought he would make a good candidate. Russ is a hydro
geologist who has lived in Seattle but has ties to Lewis County. After talking with
friends and neighbors Russell agreed to come on board to the Planning Commission.
5. Resolution No. 11-238 Appointing a member to the Distressed Counties
Fund/Rural Economic Development Public Facilities Advisory Committee.
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Commissioner Grose stated as many know we have several commissions and boards
that we ask residents to sit on. The Lewis County Distressed Counties Fund/Rural
Economic Development Public Facilities Advisory Committee has representatives from
Centralia and Chehalis cities and ports and the East Lewis County Public Development
Authority (ELCPDA). Over the course of the years a member on that board Dave Linder
has chosen to step down and The ELCPDA has asked us to replace him with Beth
Thames of Morton. This term will end on December 31, 2011 as appointments to this
advisory committee are for one year terms.
6. Resolution No. 11-239 Approving an inter-local agreement with Cowlitz-Lewis
County Fire District #20 (Ryderwood-Vader).
Michael Strozyk, Central Services, stated Fire District #20 is the newest fire district in
Lewis County and was formed by a merger of the Lewis County Fire District #7 in Vader
and Cowlitz County Fire District #4 in Ryderwood. This agreement will allow for our
Radio Services Division to provide radio repair and maintenance services to Lewis
County Fire District #20 on an “as needed” basis. In exchange for this service, Lewis
County Fire District #20 agrees to pay an hourly fee of $50.00 billed in half hour
increments for service provided during normal business hours. Nonbusiness hour rate
of $75.00 billed in half hour increments shall apply for all hours worked outside of
normal business hours. In addition, .50 cents per mile will be billed for all mileage
outside normal business hours.
Ross McDowell, Fire Chief, stated he is a very big supporter of this and knows the
work the Radio Service division does is very good. It is a good idea to have one group
working on the radios instead of having several organizations trying to do the same
thing. He stated he appreciates Lewis County giving the Fire District this opportunity.
Motion Carried 3-0
Chairman Averill stated there was a possibility of one more item being added to the
agenda this morning. During the last session of the Legislature, there was a large bill
that came up on medical marijuana. It provided for dispensaries, local collective
marijuana gardens, and other things. Most of that bill failed to make it through the
legislature but in the extended session they took a look at the bill again and the
collective marijuana gardens made it through. That bill became effective last Friday. It
is a concern to the Commissioners, and respectively the Law and Justice System about
the possibility of establishing such gardens in Lewis County. For that reason we are
looking at establishing a moratorium at least long enough for us to run this issue
through our Planning Commission to determine whether we need to have some
restriction on this in Lewis County.
There being no further business, the Commissioners’ public meeting adjourned at 10:27
am on July 25, 2011. The next public meeting will be held Monday, August 1, 2011, at
10:00 a.m.
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Please note that minutes from the Board of County Commissioners’ meetings are not
verbatim. A recording of the meeting may be purchased at the Commissioners’ office.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
ATTEST: Ron Averill, Chairman
Karri Muir, Clerk of the Board P.W. Schulte, Commissioner
Lewis County Commissioners
F. Lee Grose, Commissioner