2022-11-07 Legislative objectivesLegislative objectives
November 7, 2022
11:21 a.m.
Present: Commissioner Pollock, Commissioner Swope, Commissioner Grose, County Manager Erik
Martin, Josh Weiss, Troy Nichols, Eric Eisenberg, Todd Chaput, Nic Scott, Lee Napier, Mindy Brooks, Kate
Chatterton
Recorder: Rieva Lester
Josh Weiss said the Legislature will adopt the first year of its two-year legislative biennial budget, which
will include Capital, transportation and operating budget.
Troy Nichols discussed tapered-down expectations regarding revenues. The group reviewed the county’s
possible objectives:
• Broadband
• Improving energy efficiency
• Dig Once
• Culvert funding
• Forest resource designation
• Forest regulatory issues
• Indigent defense
• Homelessness
• Jail medical
• Local Areas of More Intense Rural Development (LAMIRDs)
• Rural housing alternatives
• Senior services
• Property tax fees and penalties
• Sewer service in Packwood
• Turf fields for sports complex
• Transportation, including the I-5 corridor that’s two lanes, the Rush Road interchange and
Highway 12, a corridor study in Packwood and the Move Ahead Washington list
• Voluntary Stewardship Program
• Water banking
The commissioners narrowed the lobbying efforts list to the following:
• Energy
• Dig Once
• Water banking
• Senior services
The group discussed monitoring and sharing the county’s thoughts on:
• Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP)
• Forestry regulatory issues
• Indigent defense
• Jail medical
• Homeless services (with a plan to coordinate with local groups on a plan for braided services
then work with a legislator to have a bill drafted)
• Broadband
Josh said the group will provide weekly reports as well as highlights of topics in the queue that may
interest the BOCC.
Meeting ended at 12:35 a.m.