2010-04-05 Board Meeting Minutes 1
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEWIS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
April 5, 2010
The Board of County Commissioners for Lewis County, Washington met in regular
session on Monday, April 5, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. COMMISSIONERS P.W. SCHULTE,
RON AVERILL and F. LEE GROSE were in attendance. Chairman Schulte
determined a quorum, called the meeting to order and proceeded with the flag salute.
Commissioner Grose moved to approve the minutes from the 10:00 a.m. meeting held
on Monday, March 29, 2010. Commissioner Averill seconded the motion.
Motion carried 3-0
Notice
Commissioner Averill made a motion to approve Notice Item one. Commissioner
Grose seconded the motion.
1. Proclamation: Proclaiming April as “Disaster Preparedness Month”.
Commissioner Averill read the Proclamation into the record.
Sheriff Steve Mansfield stated the last 15 years we have had 29 disasters, four
presidential in the last five years, and over $214,000,000.00 in residential and business
damages and losses over the last five years. This is an important thing and it is not just
about earthquakes, it is about all hazard preparedness. There will be a lot of public
service announcements coming out this month. We have experienced a lot in the past
five years and we will continue to experience it in the future. Being prepared, taking the
time to listen and prepare you, your family, business, and County. He stated he
appreciates the County’s support and your participation. He noted that Code Red will
be doing some public service announcements, trying to get more people aware of what
Code Red is. There will also be announcements regarding the NOAA weather radio
systems; how we have layered things here so we can notify the public of what is
happening, what we are doing about it, and what you should do in an emergency or
disaster.
Commissioner Averill stated this is a very important area, one of emergency
management, as many of us have become aware the work toward flood mitigation is a
slow process and the chance that we will have another storm or other emergency
situation before we have any mitigation measures in place is relatively large. We in
Lewis County have gotten good at responding to emergencies, at least in the initial
phase of the emergency. We are still working on recovery. One of the areas the Flood
Authority, looking down the entire basin, has been concerned about is getting notice out
as quickly as possible. Many of you know in the 2007 flood we did not have a lot of
warning and it had been a long time before a previous flood, as a result the response to
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that was under duress and stress. On the 2009 flood we had about five days notice and
people were able to prepare for it. The difference in damage was,166 million in 2007
compared to about three to four million in the 2009 flood. The Flood Authority has spent
money on improving the warning system throughout the basin as the water comes
down.
Sheriff Mansfield stated most of what we focus on is natural disasters. However, we
face a huge threat in technological disasters and potential for technological disasters all
around us. We need to be aware of it and realize that all hazard planning will work for
this too.
Motion carried 3-0
Commissioner Averill made a motion to approve Notice Items two and three.
Commissioner Grose seconded the motion. Candace Hallom, Interim Clerk of the
Board, read the items into the record.
2. Notice of Hearing: Reviewing the CDBG applications for Planning Funds.
Hearing will be held on or after 10:00 a.m., on April 19, 2010.
Barb Kincaid, Community Development stated the purpose of this hearing is to
inform Citizens of the available Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds
and those eligible uses. At the time of the hearing, the Commissioners would consider
any Community Development or housing need proposals that benefit a low to moderate
income population. This hearing will also include a project proposal brought forward
from Community Development to receive authority to make application to use those
funds for the Packwood Sewer Project proposal.
Commissioner Averill stated we are seeing some of these things come up two or three
times because the process of funding often times requires that we go for a grant. W hen
we receive a grant we have to approve receipt of the grant and then we have to go out
and get someone to do it. This is announcing the hearing for the CDBG application and
it is a grant where the County can only approve one a year. It is a Grant that can be
available for others and those may be presented at this hearing.
Commission Grose noted in addition the CDBG grants may be applied for individually
in the different municipalities within the County. This is the county wide grant
application that can only be applied for by unincorporated jurisdictions within the
County.
3. Notice of Hearing: Regarding the 1st Budget Amendment for 2010. Hearing will
be held on or after 10:00 a.m., on April 19, 2010. Resolution No. 10-088
Dawna Truman, Budget stated the first draft of the Budget Amendment is $386,053.00
it will be noticed in the East County Journal on April the 7th and April 14th, and the
hearing is set for April 19th.
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Commissioner Averill noted that this is a 2010 budget amendment.
Motion carried 3-0
Consent
Commissioner Grose made a motion to approve Consent Items four through ten.
Commissioner Averill seconded the motion. Candace Hallom, Interim Clerk of the
Board read the items into the record.
4. Resolution No. 10-089 Bid award for the confiscated, forfeited and unclaimed
firearms in the possession of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
Belle William, Sheriff’s Office, stated the bid was awarded to Cascade Armory of
Arlington, WA. They bid eight glock sidearms for our deputies in exchange for 32
weapons that we had for trade.
Commissioner Averill noted the Sheriff’s Office confiscates weapons during the year
and once a year they are able to put these out to bid to qualified arms dealers. We had
four applicants and this was the best bid that we got.
5. Resolution No. 10-090 Bid award for the 2010-2011 County Legal Printing.
Commissioner Averill stated this approves the bid of DeVaul Publishing, Inc (East
County Journal), at a cost of $6.30 per column inch, as the official county newspaper for
legal notice publication. The contract runs from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011. The
County is legally required to designate an official county newspaper for legal notices;
however, notices are also published on the County website and notices impacting the
greater Centralia-Chehalis area are published in The Chronicle.
6. Resolution No. 10-091 Appo intment of a full time member to the Board of
Equalization.
Commissioner Schulte stated we are appointing Kathy Watson of Chehalis, WA to fill
a full time position on the Lewis County Board of Equalization. This is a three year
term. The position on the Board of Equalization is a Board with Lewis County Residents
who hear appeals on property valuation done by the Assessor’s Office. Kathy is
appointed for a term expiring June 30, 2012.
Commissioner Averill noted Kathy is replacing Lori Gartland who had been previously
appointed. Lori has taken a job outside of the County and no longer can serve on the
Board.
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7. Resolution No. 10-092 approving the extension of the closure of a portion of
Bunker Road to all through traffic.
Larry Unzelman, Public Works, stated The Department of Fish and Wildlife requested
Lewis County on November 4, 2005, to close a portion of unmaintained Bunker Road
due to water on, over and along the road. Vehicular traffic on the road is creating habitat
degradation and loss of fish life. Additionally, protection is needed for vehicular traffic
from the potential hazard caused by water over the road. The Public Works Department
requested the road to be closed to all vehicles seasonally, from October 15 through
April 15 of each year.
Resolution 06-014 passed by the BOCC on January 9, 2006 instructed Lewis County
Public Works Department to gate the end of Bunker Road, and keep it closed to all
vehicles during the seasonal closure. This seasonal closure was for a period of five
years ending on April 15, 2010.
There has been no change in the condition of this portion of unmaintained Bunker Road
and until the problem is cured, Public Works Department sees no alternative other than
to seasonally close the road as was proposed back in 2006. Therefore, this extends the
closure date for a period of five years ending on April 15, 2015.
Commissioner Averill state when Larry brought this up he asked him why we didn’t
just vacate the road. Unfortunately, the law says, if a road goes to a body of water or
crosses a body of water you cannot close it. This is not one of our high traffic roads, it
is basically unmaintained by the County and predominantly gravel. Putting a culvert in,
under the current rules, is not in the best interest of the County.
8. Resolution No. 10-093 In the matter of the necessary acquisition of additional
right of way on Chandler Road for the Chandler Bridge Rehabilitation Project.
Larry Unzelman, Public Works, stated Resolution 10-069, passed by the Board of
County Commissioners on March 15, 2010, instructed the Public Works Department to
proceed with all necessary notifications and publications of final action required by RCW
8.25.290 to acquire the remaining parcel of right of way necessary for the Chandler
Bridge Rehabilitation Project. Since that date all notifications and publications required
by law have been met.
This resolution would direct the Prosecuting Attorney to initiate condemnation action to
acquire the right of way. He stated we are still negotiating with the property owner and
there are a couple people involved but at least one has verbally accepted the County’s
offer. The owners at times have been unresponsive and since time is of the essence it
is Public Works recommendation that we continue with the process of condemnation,
but at the same time the Public Works Department will continue negotiating with the
property owners in the hope of bringing this acquisition together outside of the court
room.
Commissioner Averill stated we the County Commissioners prefer not to use this
route and we have instructed our staff to do everything they can to negotiate without
having to go through this. This really serves notice to the property owners that we are
serious and we need to get this piece of right away so we can serve the public good.
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9. Resolution No. 10-094 ratifying a consultant contract for the Coughlin Bridge
Deck Replacement Design.
Larry Unzelman, Public Works, stated Coughlin Bridge is a one lane bridge over the
Newaukum River about three quarters of a mile east of Onalaska. The wood deck on
the bridge shows sign of deterioration and the planned replacement is with a steel deck.
Engineering will be needed to determine the load rating for the bridge with the steel
deck and to furnish design specifications for that deck. Pursuant to the On-Call Roster
Resolution 07-092 requirements, four consulting firms, Otak, Inc., David Evans, Nicholls
Engineering, and Sargent Engineering, were selected for telephone interviews to
determine who was best qualified for bridge deck replacement design for the Coughlin
Bridge Deck Replacement Project. Telephone interviews were conducted and Otak, Inc.
was determined best qualified to provide the needed services. A contract was negotiated
and signed with Otak, Inc. on March 18, 2010. The requested action would be for the
approval of the Resolution to ratify the executed contract between Otak, Inc. and Lewis
County Public Works for design services needed for the Coughlin Bridge Deck
Replacement project. He noted this is County Road Project #2130.
Commissioner Averill stated we will see this later because this is the design specs for
the bridge and not the actual building of the bridge. The winning bid contract was for
$38,705.00.
10. Resolution No. 10-095 approving an amendment with the WA State
Department of Commerce.
Michaelle Sorlie, Social Services stated this is an amendment; this has been
previously approved as a contract for the American Recovery Reinvestment Act funds.
It is called Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing program (HPRP). This contract
provides homeless prevention assistance to people who are affected by the economy,
this group of people that this money serves is a group that had not been previously in
the system of homelessness and this is to prevent them from becoming that or getting
them rapidly re-housed. The only thing that changes are the categories. After the
reports from the first quarter Commerce readjusted where the funds were distributed.
More money is going to the relocation stabilization ser
vices and also more is going into prevention rather than rapid re-housing because that
is what the need turned out to be.
Motion 3-0
Hearing
Hearing RESOLUTION NO. 10-096
Amended STIP and Annual Contruction Program
Chairman Schulte announced the hearing and asked for a staff report.
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Larry Unzelman and Mike Kroll were in attendance for the hearing.
Larry Unzelman, Public Works stated Pursuant to RCW 36.81.121, all cities and
counties are required to prepare, adopt and submit a Six-Year Transportation
Improvement Program (STIP). The Lewis County 2010 STIP and Annual Construction
Program were adopted by Resolution 09-376 on November 16, 2009. Since that time
the Jobs Bill, Rural Arterial Program (RAP), and other updates make it necessary to
amend our adopted 2010 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program and Annual
Construction Program. A hearing for the adoption of the Amended 2010 Six-Year
Transportation Improvement Program and Annual Construction Program must be held
prior to adoption. The notice of this hearing had been published in the Chronicle and the
East County Journal on March 24th and March 31st.
Mike Kroll, Public works addressed the specific changes to the program.
In the County wide miscellaneous safety and guard rail program we moved $5,000 out
of the construction funds into right of way to accommodate any potential right of way
purchases for this project.
In the Lewis County Low Cost to Run-Off Road Safely Improvement the funding was
adjusted due to carry over from 2009.
In, the Chandler Road Bridge #55, we adjusted the funding to match FEMA Project
Worksheet #111 and we adjusted the construction cost estimate due to a recent
favorable bid submittal on the Newaukum Bridge.
Three projects were added due to the potential Jobs Bill Fund; Rehabilitation Project
on Bishop Road, Jackson Hwy, and Salzer Valley Road.
Due to a delayed payout scheduled for RAP funding by the CRAB Board we have
moved Koontz Road widening, King Road rehabilitation, and Hwy 603 stabilization.
The funding has remained the same they just got moved out a little further as a delay
by the CRAB Board.
Commissioner Averill asked what the difference between page one and two.
Mike Kroll stated page one is the schedule and page two are the funding and sources.
Chairman Schulte opened the question and answer period & asked if there were any
questions. There were none.
Chairman Schulte closed the question and answer portion and opened the formal
hearing.
Mr. Unzelman asked that their previous comments be adopted into the record.
Chairman Schulte asked if there was anyone who would like to speak for or against
this resolution. There were none. He closed the hearing and asked for a motion to
approve Resolution 10-096.
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Commissioner Averill moved to approve Resolution 10-096. Commissioner Grose
seconded the motion. Candace Hallom, Interim Clerk of the Board, read the resolution
into the record.
Commissioner Averill thanked the Public Works Department and County Engineer.
Putting together the 6 year Transportation and Improvement Program is a difficult
process, particularly with funding changing rapidly. More than likely we will see another
change because there may be some supplemental ARRA money coming in part of
which we applied for. We do this quite often and appreciate the effort on the part of the
staff to keep track of these things to keep us straight.
Motion carried 3-0
There being no further business, the Commissioners’ public meeting adjourned at 10:40
am on April 5, 2010. The next public meeting will be held Monday, April 12, 2010, at
10:00 a.m.
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: P.W. Schulte, Chairman
Clerk of the Board Ron Averill, Commissioner
Lewis County Commissioners
F. Lee Grose, Commissioner