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What we're going to do is each of us
commissioners are going to give a uh

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quick rundown of what's going on in our
districts because the way we treat the

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districts is each commissioner is
responsible for their district and I'll

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put up a map here in a moment showing
what those districts look like, but each

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of us have the boundaries for our
districts and those are our folks that

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we represent. So, uh Kevin represents
those out there in district 1 and I

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represent district two, which is the top
of Wanche and up to Stevens Pass. And

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then Commissioner Hawkins does the north
end of Wanche all the way to Steaken. So

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each of those areas are broken up in
areas of population. So each of us

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represent the same number of people in
the county, but the square miles. Kevin

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is small but mighty out there in Malaga.
And then Commissioner Hawkins and I both

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have pretty big districts up there that
don't have a lot of road systems in them

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sometimes. So it's focused on the
population base. Okay. With that, uh, if

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you would hold your questions, write
them down and let us go through our

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presentations, and then if you have
questions, we're going to open this up

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for a very long question and answer
period so that you can share with the

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commissioners what's going on or if you
have questions about the government, uh,

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the local government here. So with that
uh we will go first to a slideshow

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that will give a couple talking points
here to go over talking about of course

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that's our beautiful courthouse
Jill. We just had our 100redy year

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anniversaryund

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» 102. Yeah.

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Oh, there we go. Okay, so this is back
to the districts and you can see right

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there, uh, they're broken out in colors.
So, Commissioner Hawkins is up there in

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the third and then I'm there in the
second and, uh, Commissioner Overbeay is

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down there in the bottom first. And if
you're not quite sure what district

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you're in, the very easy way to do that
is to look at your ballot and see what

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commissioner is on the line for a
primary, and that will tell you who your

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commissioner is. or you can go to our
GIS mapping system we have here at the

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county. Type in your address and it'll
pop right up which one of the three of

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us you're going to call when you have a
question or a comment or whatnot. I kind

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of uh share that we feel like air
traffic controllers oftent times because

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the they go straight to the top, get
their commissioner on the line and then

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we're able to direct it out to a
department that can answer a question

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little more better than we can
sometimes. So we always uh fall back on

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that. Um let's see. Number two.
So, one of the things that uh we have to

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remind people is we have a lot of
elected officials here in the county

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that are all equals to us commissioners.
And oftentimes they'll call and say, "I

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have a problem with this person or that
person." We say, "Well, they're their

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own elected official." So, we have the
auditor, Skip Moore. We have the

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assessor, Wes Cornelius. We have the
treasurer, Dave Griffiths. We have, of

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course, the sheriff Mike Morrison back
there and the coroner Earl Crowe. Then

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over in the clerk's office, we have
Marty Young. In the prosecutor's office,

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we have Robert Sealby. And then district
court judges, we have two of them, Alan

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Blackman and John Bolan. And the
superior court judges is uh Robert

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Jordan, Travis Brent, and Kristen
Ferrer. So when we're talking about what

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it is that the county commissioners
actually have access to, those elected

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officials are responsible for their own
jobs that they're elected to do. And

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they say, "Well, why can't you call the
assessor and get my taxes down? Why

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can't you call the auditor and check on
my my election stuff? Well, those those

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elected officials have their own
departments. The one thing that we do

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have influence on is the budgets because
the budgets for the Schlan County, each

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of those departments have their own
budget, but us commissioners are the

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ones that are responsible for tightening
the budget up or getting it closer to a

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balance or making it so that it works
effectively so that we spend your

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taxpayer dollars the most intelligent
way that we possibly can. And that's

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what us three commissioners take very
very seriously. Once a year we go

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through the budget. We start picking it
apart in about October, get it finalized

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the end of December so that we know
where we're going for in this case 2027.

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So as we go down through there, we look
at some of the things that the county

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administrator or the county
commissioners are directly responsible

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for. And we have the county
administrator, of course, and we have

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economic services, community
development, natural resources, regional

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justice center, and public works. And
then from there, you go all the way down

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to the bottom and the commissioners have
a whole bunch of boards that we sit on

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that is part of our job duties that we
do on a monthly basis, weekly basis, or

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a quarterly basis depending on what
those are. And we divide those boards up

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between the three commissioners.
Sometimes it's district specific as to

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where a majority of that action goes in
those boards. And some of them are just

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where our interest points are, uh,
things that we're interested in in the

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county and the boards that we sit on.
So, we split those up between us

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commissioners.
One of the things that I also like to uh

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remind people when we're talking about
county government, our jurisdiction

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stops at city limits. So, if you have a
mayor, you live inside of an

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incorporated uh area like Wanche,
Cashmere, Levvenworth, Annatalam.

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Did I miss any?
>> Yeah, I think I got them all. outside of

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those areas that are incorporated that
have a mayor and a city council. That's

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where our jurisdiction starts. So the
unincorporated areas of like uh we're

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going to go Chalan Falls, Manson,
Staken, Pashastan, Dryen, Lake Wanche,

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Plane, and I can't forget Malaga, Vicki.
I never can.

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That that is our jurisdiction and that's
where we end up doing our work. We don't

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stay out of the cities. Sometimes we
work with the cities as we're touching

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borders or issues that are going to
affect the county and the city. So we do

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have work that we do inside of Chalan
and Levworth and Cashmere and Wanche.

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But that you have to remind yourself
that bump in your sidewalk is a city

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issue. It's not a county issue.
Sometimes the calls come in, our road

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didn't get plowed. We look it up and we
find out where it's at. We're actually

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in the city limits. My garbage didn't
get picked up. Well, it's waste

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management. We have no control over
that. The dogs barking out loud all

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night long. Well, we do have a little
bit influence at animal control. So,

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that's some of the some of the
differences between city government and

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county government. We have a much
broader um uh coverage area.

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One of the things that I also learned
coming into this early as a new

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commissioner is the fact that way back
in the old days, county commissioners

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were actually road commissioners and
that was the that was the main uh

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authority and obligation of a county
commissioner was roads and bridges. As

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you can see, as you go down through our
org chart here, it has grown into so

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many other things that the county does
now that we as commissioners are not

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only responsible for, but we have
guidance in and we have discretion in uh

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when you're looking at the different
departments of the county.

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So, with that, I'm going to hand off to
district one commissioner Kevin

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Overbade. He has a few slides he'd like
to show and share some things going on

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out there in District One. Take
>> Thank you, Sean. Appreciate it. So, uh,

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welcome everybody and those folks that
are online. Uh, Kevin Overbay. I am

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actually starting the second year of my
third term and so I've been been doing

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this job for a little while. Uh, as Sean
said, I am the commissioner representing

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District 1. We are small, but we are
mighty. And you can actually see that I

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actually have that on my door there, uh,
you know, from my office. But, uh, a lot

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of things going on in the Malaga area.
And I do see some familiar faces here

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from my district. Uh, so we'll just kind
of jump right into it. But I've got

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really four areas that I'm going to
cover. Uh they're giving us about 10

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minutes or so just to kind of share out.
The first one that I wanted to talk

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about was actually the tiff and and
that's tax increment financing area. A

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lot of folks have heard a lot of
information over the last year or so

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with regards to the regional port in the
tax increment area in the Malaga uh

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area. So basically
this really kind of shows the 3,300 plus

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acres that the uh is the boundary of the
tax increment area that the port has uh

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has decided that they were going to take
action on and move forward with. Uh just

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to give you a little bit of background,
we uh received information from the port

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around April of last year that they were
thinking about doing this and uh we had

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a meeting with them in June and then
worked throughout the course of the

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summer to try to reach a resolution of a
partnership or something where you know

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we're in the middle of our comprehensive
planning update right now. Uh I'll talk

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a little bit more about UG urban growth
area a little bit later in my

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presentation but basically it asked uh
for a little bit of a pause for them to

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kind of come to the table with us kind
of work some things out and uh see what

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would be in the best interest of folks
not only today but well into tomorrow

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considering that tax increment area is
good for 25 years that's the longevity

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of a tax increment area and uh so as we
move through that process uh we uh we

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found that we weren't really kind of
agreeing on the direction and so forth.

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The statute allowed for the port as well
as a PUD or even a county or even a city

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to implement a a tax increment area. And
so as we went through that, we decided

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that we would go ahead and impose a
moratorum on tax increment areas in

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unincorporated Chalan County. That was
challenged by the port. Uh they did get

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a judgment in their favor. Uh but we I
will tell you that we are in the process

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of the appeal of that uh of that
superior court of the trial court. uh

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judgment on that particular case. So
that is still pending.

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So that will f I'll fast forward to uh
basically December 23rd. We had

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requested that they wait until January
27th to impose the uh tax increment

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area. Um because we wanted to really get
we we're talking about an interlocal

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agreement. There was a couple of offers
made back and forth and we thought that

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we'd basically kind of landed on one
that would work for everybody. And it's

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not and the reason why we want to do
that is this. Tax income in areas take

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two forms of funding. They take the
differential of property value as it

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improves and improvements are made. It
takes that differential and it also what

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it does is it takes new construction and
I'm not going to go into a lot of detail

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with regards to that. If you want to
know more, please catch me after the

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meeting or send me an email. But
basically what it does is when we look

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at property taxes, the county for the
services that we provide in any other J

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taxing district or junior taxing
district like a fire department

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basically can increase that by 1% on the
aggregate. So if we were to take in $16

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million in property tax, we can increase
that by $160,000.

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Doesn't even keep up with inflation. The
other thing that we get with the

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property taxes though is we get uh new
construction. And that new construction

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sometimes is two to $500,000. uh that
basically is additive to create that new

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lawful legal limit or basically highest
leg legal limit. And with regards to tax

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increment areas, what the county will
lose is not only the differential and

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the tax elements, but we will also lose
the new construction. And so basically,

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when we talk to communities and say we'd
like to bring an industry in to your

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community, it will create jobs. It will
create sales tax revenue that helps keep

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taxes low. But what it also does is
offset the property tax. And when the

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with the offset of the property tax,
what that means is your per thousand

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rate goes down. Reason being is let's
say we have an overall value in the

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county of $20 billion. And you have an
entity that comes in and they basically

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are now worth $5 billion of that. So
basically the increase is a 25. They now

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take on one of the tax burden. So if
you're paying a dollar a thousand, they

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would take on one fifth of that. your
tax rate would then go down to 80 cents

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a thousand because they're picking up
the other 20. It doesn't add. A lot of

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folks think that new construction and
new businesses add to the value of what

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the county has. It is the value, but
it's not to the tax base because we're

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capped at that 1%. So with a tax
increment area, what happens is we lose

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that differential. So you, the taxpayer,
actually still continue to pay the same

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amount that's locked in. you don't get
the tax break and that funding funding

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is then siphoned off to then use for
infrastructure improvements

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and there's no offset. So if there's new
roadways that are built there's no

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offset to maintain those there's no
offset to plow those that becomes an

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additional burden to the county you the
taxpayer and then we if we don't have

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the funding either have to raise taxes
to get the funding just to meet minimum

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services or we don't meet those minimum
services. Thus you can see the position

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of the county. So basically in uh we had
asked they had made their decision

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December 23rd went ahead and imposed a
tiff by resolution. We did have a joint

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meeting with them on the 13th of January
went through an interlocal agreement

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with them that we had been talking about
for a couple of weeks and basically came

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to what we felt was an agreement. Now,
the downside to the law is the law

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required us basically 90 days or excuse
me, 30 days after they imposed the tax

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increment area that if we wish to
challenge it, we had to file a lawsuit

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within that 30-day period. That 30-day
period was January 22nd.

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So, we had asked to wait. They did not
wait. We did not come to a resolution as

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far as a signed document on the 13th of
January. So the 22nd of January, we had

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no choice but to at least protect and
hold our position in the courts by

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filing a lawsuit. We did it jointly with
uh the Wache Fire Department as well as

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Douglas County because they also are
impacted by a tax increment area.

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On the 27th or excuse me, on the 26th,
we requested a copy of the interlocal

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agreement that we had all agreed to.
They sent us their copy. It was all the

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language is done. We signed it the next
day and Commissioner Smith delivered it

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and delivered six wet copies to the port
and the response was they had not

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reviewed it. And so we basically gave
the last 60 days that went up until last

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Tuesday for the port to respond to the
signed interlocal agreement. Built into

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that interlocal agreement was section 7.
And basically I will go ahead and

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forward the slide. There's three QR
codes here. One of them is the

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interlocal agreement. One of them is our
court complaint to the port. And then

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the other one's a video of Commissioner
Smith last week

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basically um presenting to the port
during the public comment period asking

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the port what their position was with
regards to signing the interlocal

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agreement only to be told that the
interlocal agreement was not going to be

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signed by the port that they were at an
impass because we had filed a lawsuit

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against them. Throughout the course of
from January to this point, there was a

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couple of conversations that they
basically wanted us to talk Douglas

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County out of a lawsuit, get the fire
district to drop their lawsuit. The

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downside to that is if we drop the
lawsuit without a signed under local

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agreement, we lose our ability to then
challenge the the uh tax increment area.

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So, where we're at right now is
basically we uh there was a provision in

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the interlocal agreement in section 7
and if you do get the QR code and read

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that in that section 7 we basically had
agreed that if we filed a lawsuit they

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knew we were going to that we would
dismiss the lawsuit with a signature of

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the interlocal agreement and basically
they now want us to now dismiss the

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lawsuit before they'll sign it and
that's something that we can't do. We

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will not give up our standing in the
courts and we will not do that to the

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citizens of Schlank County. So
unfortunately we're right now according

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to a quote from one of the commissioners
in the video apparently we're at an

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impass and so we have no op, you know,
basically uh option but to go ahead and

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move forward with litigation. That's was
the last thing that my seatmates and I

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wanted to do. So we tried every effort
we could to get to a resolution because

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I do know that me as a citizen I don't
want my governments arguing and fighting

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with my taxpayer dollars and it's not
the best use. But unfortunately, we do

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have to basically take our stand on this
to protect the taxpayer in in Schlank

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County. So that's kind of where we
currently stand with regards to the

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tiff.
The next item that uh I'll talk about is

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regional pathways master plan. About two
years ago, there was funding that we uh

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had provided uh out of a federal grant
that was extra dollars that we were able

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to secure into the area as well as some
uh private funding. And we actually uh

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the Schlan Douglas Transportation
Council hired Alta as the uh consultant

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and basically looked at five different
pathways to connect communities. So

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basically the hub being the city of Wan
that a connected pathway all the way

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from Wanachi to Levvenworth, one from
basically Rock Island to East Wanache,

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one from Malaga to Wan that one from uh
Chalan to Manson. All that work has been

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done and completed. the on I will say
that on March 12th the transportation

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council adopted the pathways plan. And
what does that mean? The adoption of the

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pathways plan does not mean that it's
going to automatically be built. What it

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means is now the communities that want
to build those pathways, want to do the

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work to do that can now identify their
pathways, move along. What came out of

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that work was uh the most reasonable
alignments with regards to cost as well

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as the ability to basically get the
pathway built without incurring a lot of

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encroachment on private properties
mostly on rideways. It may not be the

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most scenic route but what it does is
does provide that access and that

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connectivity at a lot lower cost but
also something that we have not had in

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the past. So the QR code here basically
will lead you to the uh pathways master

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plan. You can take a look at that. What
I will tell you is the Malaga uh

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pathway. We are moving forward with
that. Um uh as far as the funding

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element, um our natural resources
department has applied about 3 weeks ago

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for a build grant. They had applied last
year. We were I think in the top 10, but

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didn't didn't make the money. This year
hopefully we've uh were able to to get

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into the money to maybe actually do a
multimotal pathway for pedestrians and

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bicyclists to safely get off the Malaga
Alcoa Highway to traverse from Malaga to

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Wanachi. So,
and happy to answer questions uh when it

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comes to the Q&A time on this. The next
item I wanted to discuss that's going on

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in Malaga is the Malaga Waterfront Park.
Uh this has been about four years in the

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in the process. We've worked with the
Malag clock community council. Um when

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we did our shoreline master program,
Malaga was identified as the only

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community in Schlan County that don't
have public access to water. And so over

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the course of the last four years, we've
looked at different park concepts. The

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county uh with uh uh assistance from the
recreational conservation office, state

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of Washington has received grant funding
as well as used other county funds and

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in partnership with the PUD under their
early investment program for the

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relicensing of Rock Island Dam has been
able to acquire currently 48 acres and

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we have an additional 4 acres we're
looking to acquire. So it' be a total of

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52 acres that will have been acquired by
Schlang County equaling almost a mile

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and a half of waterfront along the
Malaga waterfront there for a riverfront

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park for the community of Malaga. So
we're right now in the process of of

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looking at the uh park planning as far
as the design as well as uh identifying

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some additional funding to build out the
park. Uh one of the things that I will

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say that we were able to achieve and
again hats off to Mike and his uh his

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department. they're really good at grant
writing and bringing dollars into the

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community was the ability for us to get
a federal rail grant uh to the tune of $

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1.5 million. And so, uh we'll receive
that funding within the next three

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months. And we're actually going to
start to do some work on uh uh the

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intersection at West Maliga Road,
Malagalcoa Highway, and Goose Rock Lane,

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which would be the entrance into the
park area. And what that will be is that

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will be some intersection improvement
there, decelerate or excuse me, a turn

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pocket and acceleration lane as well as
a um updated grade crossing with

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crossarss and so forth. And so that way
uh we're going to be putting that safety

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mechanism in place. So uh a lot of great
things happening with regards to that.

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And then the last do uh item I wanted to
touch on was a Malaga urban growth area.

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In 2006, the Malaga community went
through a planning uh visioning

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statement which was now 20 years ago. Um
it it seems like it was just yesterday.

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I was actually part of that group that
did that when I was on the Malaga

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council and you know basically created
Lambert designations within the

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community with all the growth that is
going on and everything that is

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occurring in Malaga. We've now had
conversations with the Malaga Council as

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well as community members about an urban
growth area. Currently, right now,

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Chalan County has three unincorporated
urban growth areas. Um, excuse me, two

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two unincorporated
urban growth areas. Uh, community of

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Manson and the community of Bashton are
the uh other unincorporated growth

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management areas. So, basically what
this does is this allows for uh greater

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opportunity in the Malaga area uh
greater density with regards to if

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wastewater is then brought in with
regards to sewer system. It also uh

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allows for better opportunity for
commercial space. Currently, right now,

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we're limited because uh we are within
10 miles of the Wachi UG to 5,000 square

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feet of retail space. That's all we can
have in uh in our area under commercial

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um um zoning. So, basically, this will
open up a greater opportunity not only

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for additional housing opportunities,
but also business opportunities in the

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Malaga area as well as services and
amenities. So the Malaga Clock Community

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Council has actually formed a
subcommittee made up of council members

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as well as members of the community. Uh
they we actually asked them to take a

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look at the Manson as well as the
Pashastan codes as far as the zoning

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codes and they kind of have I think uh
moved more towards the Pastan to kind of

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adopt similar codes to what they have as
far as their zoning uh opportunities.

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They are actually holding uh council
meetings are going to be held April 14th

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as well as May 7th and those will be at
4 402 Dixie Lane which is actually the

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intersection of Dixie Lane and Sard
Avenue the crossroads mission that

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church that is located there and then
the county will actually uh have our

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meeting on the 18th and that location
and time is yet to be determined. So

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basically uh there's doing a lot of work
uh with regards to that but I'm just

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going to take just another couple of
minutes. I want to ask Mike if he has

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anything he wants to provide either on
the pathways or the Malaga Park a little

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information and then I'll go to Dena
just to maybe give any additional UG

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updates. So Mike
>> and I want to say I will stay around

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after the commission presentation
covered every single point that we

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talked about this morning presentation.
So I don't have anything else to add.

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» Okay. Would you put a picture back up of
the parking? My camera wouldn't work.

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» Of the
>> park.

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» Would you warn us so we can smile? Say
one, two, three.

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» What if I want to be in it?
>> And understand this is a conceptual

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drawing. It's not the actual planning
that's happening there. So Dina,

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anything you want to talk about UG?
>> No. Again, yeah, you pretty much covered

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everything. The only thing that's a
little bit outstanding is the

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justification for growth area um is the
need for additional commercial space.

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There's some inherent issues with septic
systems in the uh well protection radius

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for the Malaga water district. So we're
starting the process to look at a sewer

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system planning
project. It probably won't be

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implemented even if approved for
numerous years. But this is the first

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step to being able to grow community.
So, and I'll stay around for any

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questions afterwards also.
>> Yeah. And the one thing that I did not

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mention is the reason why we're looking
at this, the county and as well as with

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our moratorum, the county is actually in
the middle of its comprehensive planning

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update that is due by the end of this
year. The UG will probably not be

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00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:44,880
completed by this year, but probably
we're shooting for the end of the first

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quarter of next year. So, but uh there
will be a lot of opportunities for folks

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in the Malaga area to weigh in on this
process, take a look at what the

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00:23:49,919 --> 00:23:56,640
boundary is of the UG, and then take a
look at the zoning elements within the

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00:23:54,480 --> 00:24:00,240
uh confines of the boundary. So, and
that's all I have for you all tonight.

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00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:04,320
I'll turn it over to my uh seatmate,
Commissioner Smith from uh District 2.

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00:24:02,159 --> 00:24:08,000
» Great. And like I said, we're just
>> Sorry.

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00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:12,080
» Oh, no. You can hit the QR code for the
movie. I thought about putting the movie

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00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:14,240
in and I will let you go ahead and do
that at your pleasure. I didn't want you

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00:24:13,279 --> 00:24:17,520
all out there on your phones watching
the movie while we were trying to talk.

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So,
>> all right. Well, thank you everyone.

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00:24:19,039 --> 00:24:25,520
Appreciate that. Uh, Commissioner
Overbay, District Two, moving on to my

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district. Um, have three topics I want
to bring up tonight. Uh, the first one

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is something very exciting for the
community of Plane. Plane, of course, is

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the small town just outside of
Levvenworth up over Beaver Hill. And

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00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:39,039
they're kind of isolated and they're
kind of have their own identity up

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00:24:37,279 --> 00:24:42,080
there. and they're feeling some of the
same pressures that we're feeling in

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other parts of the county when it comes
to tourism.

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As I know, you know, those that are
watching the news and even watching the

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00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:53,919
Seattle news, there are areas of our
county that are just being loved to

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00:24:51,919 --> 00:24:58,159
death by the tourists and the residents
as well, but the tourists because of the

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00:24:55,600 --> 00:25:02,880
impact and the massive numbers that come
to just certain areas, whether it be up

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00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:08,080
in the enchantments, whether it be uh
Lake Chalan, whether it be Alala Canyon

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for the balsam uh uh flowering that's
about to happen. So what we're doing uh

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part of our impact study that we had for
our tourism impact study was to find

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areas where we could point overcrowding
to and spread out through the county and

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share not only where the load goes but
also where that revenue dollar goes and

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help out the other communities in Chelan
County that don't necessarily get that

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tourism impact dollar. So we have uh
pretty exciting news to share. Um, we

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are currently working on a purchase sale
agreement for a piece of property up in

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Plane that is going to end up being the
Plain Community Park. They have nowhere

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00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:51,039
up in Plane to gather together for their
winter sports, for their summer sports,

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for their spring and and fall sports.
The tourists that come through there,

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they're like, "Well, what else do we do
here?" So plane is really wanting to

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capitalize on that traffic coming
through and saying hang out here for a

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00:25:59,919 --> 00:26:06,240
little bit, stay, and of course spend a
little money in our community. So we

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00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:09,520
don't quite have the announcement ready
to let you know where that is going to

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be, but Schlank County plans on owning
about 18 acres of uh Plane central area

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00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:20,400
that we can actually build a park up
there for the residents of Plane. It'll

376
00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:23,600
uh take in part of their uh
cross-country skiing, which has become

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00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:27,200
very popular up there with their ski
teams that they have for the kids, and

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00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:31,679
the trails that are connected not only
to private land, but also public lands

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00:26:29,679 --> 00:26:36,799
uh through cooperation and easements to
get to the public lands to go up and

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00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:40,799
explore in that upper upper valley up
there. So, uh, that outcome of that

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00:26:39,279 --> 00:26:44,799
study was the need for more trail heads
and be able to spread out that

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00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:48,080
recreation so that we don't get crushed
in certain small pockets of the

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community because the tourists are going
to come. This is a unbelievably

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00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:56,400
beautiful place to come and visit and
recreate and some end up staying here

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because they fall in love with it just
like some of you probably have as well.

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So, um, stay tuned and we'll be ready to
share more of that as we get the

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00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:09,200
purchase and sale agreement, uh,
finalized and we're currently doing the

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00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:12,960
homework on the property to make sure
that we're, you know, environmentally

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00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:16,240
and culturally sensitive to what is in
that area so that we're able to build

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upon that and make it a place that
everyone up in plane can be proud of.

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00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:24,960
So, stay tuned for that one. Um the
second uh topic I want to share with you

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is something that we have coming up.
It's actually in the corner of district

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00:27:27,120 --> 00:27:30,120
three,

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00:27:31,039 --> 00:27:35,760
our new old station campus. This has
been how many years?

395
00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:41,200
» Four.
>> Four years of Kevin's uh time here at

396
00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:46,799
the county. And uh Ron came in at just
exactly the right time. We found a piece

397
00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:50,240
of land out there um that was not for
sale at the time. It had a different use

398
00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:54,080
intended for it. and then the owners of
the property offered it up and said, "We

399
00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:57,520
hear you guys want to build a campus
where you can take and consolidate some

400
00:27:56,080 --> 00:28:01,600
of the things that you have going on
here at the county." So, the coroner and

401
00:27:59,919 --> 00:28:04,720
emergency management services are going
to be moving out there. Actually, those

402
00:28:03,279 --> 00:28:08,720
two are actually moving in right now.
And I know the sheriff is helping out

403
00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:14,640
with that with his emergency management
services, which is currently tenants out

404
00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:18,960
at the uh old station uh fire hall fire
station on the north end of town. So

405
00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:22,640
it's just down the road from that. On
this side of the picture over there is

406
00:28:20,559 --> 00:28:26,640
where Weinstein Beverages and
Countryside Vets and then on the other

407
00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:31,279
side is the Mini Storage and then goes
out towards the roundabout there at

408
00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:34,880
Still. It's uh the address is 425 Omi
Garden Road. And uh like I say, it's

409
00:28:33,919 --> 00:28:39,360
going to be the new home for the
motorpool operations and the offices

410
00:28:37,039 --> 00:28:44,480
emergency management and the county
coroner. Um just some stats on that. The

411
00:28:42,399 --> 00:28:49,200
buildings are 18,000 square foot a
piece. And there's three of the

412
00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:55,039
buildings out there. ABC. Yeah. Just
ABC. And then on this side over here is

413
00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:57,919
the covered um uh
>> bullpen.

414
00:28:55,679 --> 00:29:01,440
» Bullpin for uh vehicles that are
impounded. That was one of the things

415
00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:04,880
that we really needed here in the county
was the fact to be able to lock up a

416
00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:09,200
vehicle. They needed to get a search
warrant on it where they were currently

417
00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:12,240
stored. It's easy to hop the fence in
the middle of the night, get out of

418
00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:16,320
whatever that car you don't want to be
caught with when the inspection starts.

419
00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:19,840
And so we have a place to lock up
vehicles now and protect them because we

420
00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:23,520
are responsible for those vehicles until
the owner is able to either get the car

421
00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:28,240
out of impound or if they're
incarcerated, we're responsible for that

422
00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:32,080
vehicle. So if it gets trashed in an
unprotected area, the county is now

423
00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:35,440
responsible for that. So we have a nice
bullpen out there that's protected with

424
00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:42,000
fencing, lots of lights, lots of
cameras. Um the construction cost was

425
00:29:39,039 --> 00:29:49,039
about 7.8 million and it took about a
year to go from dirt to uh uh roofing

426
00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:54,159
and uh the move in is already started.
The ground was an additional $1.8

427
00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:59,120
million and so we were budgeting at
about $8.6 million for the construction

428
00:29:56,559 --> 00:30:02,720
on this and we came in at 7.8 because
Ron is a miser over there and he did a

429
00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:07,200
really good job keeping track of the
expenses on this building and kept it

430
00:30:04,399 --> 00:30:12,399
going. So, we're very proud of that. Um,
it was paid for by county funds so that,

431
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:18,640
uh, we were able to build this entire
complex here, uh, with the community in

432
00:30:14,799 --> 00:30:24,320
mind. Um, the groundbreaking event for
this is Thursday, April 16th at 10 a.m.

433
00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:27,919
if anybody, not groundbreaking, ribbon
cutting, the ribbon cutting,

434
00:30:26,159 --> 00:30:33,039
» so that you can come out and see all of
these areas that uh are going to be uh

435
00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:36,799
utilized at a much greater use than
being spread out all around the county.

436
00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:41,840
This is kind of a central hub out there
at the north end where the sheriff's

437
00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:45,440
department and EM can dispatch from and
uh get to all corners of the county much

438
00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:50,320
quicker than being spread out three or
four different locations. Equipment

439
00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:54,159
stored in city garages and uh other
places where they have to do a lot of

440
00:30:52,159 --> 00:30:59,760
gathering before they can get out. So,
we're very proud of that. Um the uh

441
00:30:57,679 --> 00:31:04,960
motorpool is getting ready to move out
there and they are currently across the

442
00:31:01,919 --> 00:31:09,520
street over here. That old building over
there is going to actually be demolished

443
00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:13,760
once the move is totally done. And we
currently have uh the lift equipment for

444
00:31:12,159 --> 00:31:19,360
the vehicles and all the maintenance
equipment that's necessary for the motor

445
00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:22,320
pool to be uh installed and then they
can make the final move out there. And a

446
00:31:21,039 --> 00:31:29,520
lot of the cars that are parked down
here in between us and the central uh

447
00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:33,120
library will be moved out to that area
as well. So, we're going to increase

448
00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:37,519
some additional parking out here. But
part of that 20-year capital plan calls

449
00:31:35,039 --> 00:31:42,720
for that building once it's vacated to
be actually demolished. And hopefully in

450
00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:47,039
the future, maybe one of the three of us
will still be around when a new building

451
00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:51,039
is constructed and additional uh space
is created here at the county to uh

452
00:31:49,279 --> 00:31:57,120
serve the other departments, including
the prosecuting office and the uh county

453
00:31:53,360 --> 00:32:04,159
jail as well. So, um, with that, I'm
going to jump next to

454
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:09,279
something that has been very, very,
uh, a very big desire for more fire

455
00:32:06,799 --> 00:32:14,240
protection up in district 2. I know
there's other areas in districts one and

456
00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:21,039
three that also have concerns, but
district two is the ranked the highest

457
00:32:17,679 --> 00:32:25,039
fire risk in the Pacific Northwest. And
if any of you are familiar with that

458
00:32:22,799 --> 00:32:28,799
chumstick all the way to Lake Wanche and
Stevens Pass, it is a tinder box up

459
00:32:27,279 --> 00:32:36,240
there. It's not a matter of if, it's a
matter of when. So, two fire marshals

460
00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:42,960
ago or one two one one ago started this
uh investigation as to how could we get

461
00:32:38,399 --> 00:32:48,320
some water in those uh far outreaching
areas where it takes 20 30 minutes to

462
00:32:45,679 --> 00:32:52,399
get back to town to fill up a a tender
truck in order to be able to go back out

463
00:32:49,760 --> 00:33:00,720
and start working on a fire again. So
this uh this idea was uh hatched

464
00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:06,159
five years ago, maybe six years, Mike,
at least to where if we were to get some

465
00:33:03,919 --> 00:33:11,840
portable water out there that could be
backfilled by city trucks or contract

466
00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:16,320
trucks and let the firefighters continue
to go out and work on the fire, but have

467
00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:20,720
a place to go back and refill their
truck that is not a 40minut run back to

468
00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:27,760
town.
So, this idea of placing at least 10 of

469
00:33:24,399 --> 00:33:32,320
them up in the upper valley uh locations
around Nason Ridge and Koh's Corner and

470
00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:35,440
the Chumstick area would make it so that
that turnaround trip to get back to the

471
00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:41,760
fire and keep working on it is much
faster. So, we're very grateful for uh

472
00:33:38,559 --> 00:33:45,919
congressional uh investment and uh
Representative Kim Shrier was

473
00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:51,120
instrumental in this, but uh she came up
with about $860

474
00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:54,080
$893,000
to start this project out for Chalan

475
00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:58,640
County.
>> We don't have a desire to own these

476
00:33:55,760 --> 00:34:02,880
tanks. we are the intermediary in
between the funding and the placement

477
00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:07,600
and then on to an owner that would then
take over the maintenance of that uh for

478
00:34:04,799 --> 00:34:10,800
its life cycle. So we have uh several
locations that are already picked out

479
00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:14,240
and we're working on agreements with
that and we're hoping to get them

480
00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:17,359
installed spring and summer of this
year. So if we can if we can beat the

481
00:34:15,919 --> 00:34:21,119
fire season that we all think is
probably coming with the pretty light

482
00:34:18,720 --> 00:34:27,040
winter that we had, that'll be a huge
bonus. And for those that are in that

483
00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:31,520
upper valley, um we have all experienced
outrageous homeowners insurance on our

484
00:34:29,599 --> 00:34:35,119
homes. And many of us have gotten
cancelled and have to go out and shop

485
00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:39,440
new insurance. One of the main reasons
behind that is the fire rating up in

486
00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:44,399
those areas is so high that if there's
not a fire station close by, they say

487
00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:47,520
that you're too high of a risk. So,
we're really hoping that as we place

488
00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:50,000
these around the community, the
insurance companies will then realize

489
00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:53,200
and go, "Wait a minute, these
communities are firewise. They're

490
00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:56,639
actually getting ahead of this and
they're making it so that we don't have

491
00:34:54,560 --> 00:35:01,520
such catastrophic losses if a fire does
break out." So, this is a great uh

492
00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:04,640
investment for the community and those
upper valley folks, including myself,

493
00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:09,520
are going to be very appreciative of
having copious amounts of water, 20,000

494
00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:12,400
gallons at a time per tank. And these
tanks are mobile. They have a set of

495
00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:16,480
wheels on the back, so they can be
moved. They can be relocated. They can

496
00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:20,079
be permanently affixed, but everything
will be set up and hooked up so the fire

497
00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:24,800
trucks have the exact attachments to go
in, refill their trucks, liquidity

498
00:35:22,079 --> 00:35:28,079
split, back out on the fire. So, and
there's also additional tanks planned

499
00:35:26,720 --> 00:35:31,359
for other locations. I know that
Commissioner Hawkins has a couple

500
00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:35,920
locations up there that he needs to
focus on as well where water is just too

501
00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:38,880
tough to get back to town to get.
Commissioner Overbeay has a couple areas

502
00:35:37,599 --> 00:35:43,440
out there that he would like to have
some tanks as well. So, as this program

503
00:35:41,599 --> 00:35:46,880
launches, moves forward, and we see the
success rate on it, it'll be much easier

504
00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:51,280
to go out there and try and find more
grant money for this so that we can keep

505
00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:56,079
the project going.
And with that,

506
00:35:54,400 --> 00:36:00,400
I will turn it over to Commissioner
Hawkins for his District 3 update. And

507
00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:05,119
then, like I say, we will be coming back
around and allowing plenty of time for

508
00:36:03,280 --> 00:36:08,079
questions to be asked of all the
department heads and electives that we

509
00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:12,079
have here tonight. So, take it away,
Commissioner. Thank you, Commissioner

510
00:36:09,359 --> 00:36:16,960
Smith, and thanks everybody for coming
and for participating via Zoom. I'm Brad

511
00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:21,920
Hawkins, Commissioner for District 3.
I'm our newest commissioner, so I've

512
00:36:19,359 --> 00:36:28,640
only been doing this for just over a
year now, so uh so bear with me, but I

513
00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:36,400
have three things to discuss uh tonight.
one is a future Rivercom 911 center uh

514
00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:40,880
that is in the works and I'll also be
discussing the Chalane County Regional

515
00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:50,480
Justice Center which is also known as
the jail and a flood protection project

516
00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:55,520
in Staken. Uh this is um a picture of
the future facility. Um, so as

517
00:36:53,839 --> 00:37:00,160
Commissioner Smith mentioned, we all
serve on different boards in addition to

518
00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:04,960
our role as county commissioners. So,
Commissioner Overbeay serves on the uh

519
00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:08,960
transportation council and link transit
with Commissioner Smith and Commissioner

520
00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:16,240
Smith and I both serve on the health
board. Uh but I serve uh on Rivercom and

521
00:37:14,079 --> 00:37:21,520
uh if you might not be aware, Rivercom
is um an operation where local

522
00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:27,920
jurisdictions have sort of partnered
together, but it is the 911

523
00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:33,520
um operation for both Chalan and Douglas
counties. Um, and currently and for many

524
00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:39,359
years it's been operating out of the
city of Wanchi's, you know, t top floor

525
00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:43,520
there and it's really sort of overgrown
and we need to expand because our

526
00:37:41,119 --> 00:37:50,800
twocounty area is growing and the city
of Wanchi police department needs its

527
00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:54,960
space back and so uh went ahead and
purchased this facility which I'm not

528
00:37:53,520 --> 00:38:01,280
sure if you recognize I think is
formerly CMI

529
00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:06,960
uh for apples but it's located on Uklid
Avenue close to the Confluence State

530
00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:11,280
Park and the facility I'll actually it's
it's two buildings but they're

531
00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:15,599
connected. One will be for the Rivercom
administration and sort of office

532
00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:21,440
functions and the other will be for the
operational center. Uh the total cost is

533
00:38:18,640 --> 00:38:26,960
about $12.5 million.
Um, a good portion of that is the

534
00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:33,200
purchase price of the facility itself.
And so about $4 million has been spent

535
00:38:29,599 --> 00:38:37,040
so far to acquire the facility um
throughout. And you probably think,

536
00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:41,760
well, what more do you have to do? But
there are a lot of specific standards

537
00:38:39,599 --> 00:38:48,560
and earthquake readiness and all these
different things associated with having

538
00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:53,920
a 911 control center. So throughout the
the end of this year and next year is

539
00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:58,480
when the construction will actually take
place. So we're going through the design

540
00:38:55,440 --> 00:39:04,720
and permitting now and hopefully if all
goes well uh we're scheduled to be

541
00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:08,800
completed uh by the end of 2027. And I
also serve on the Rivercom board with

542
00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:13,599
Sheriff Morrison. He's chaired the board
recently and done a great job. So it's

543
00:39:11,119 --> 00:39:18,720
fun to serve on that board with so many
different people in the 2count area.

544
00:39:16,160 --> 00:39:22,160
Um each of those we have two different
buildings but they also have two

545
00:39:20,240 --> 00:39:26,240
different floors and we'll also have
room to actually have our board meetings

546
00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:32,400
there and in and public space. And
recently voters approved overwhelmingly

547
00:39:29,119 --> 00:39:38,160
in both counties um a small sales tax
adjustment for Rivercom which will help

548
00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:42,880
fund continued and growing operational
support as well as uh some capital

549
00:39:40,320 --> 00:39:47,200
needs. We do currently have a a funding
gap in this facility and we're just

550
00:39:45,119 --> 00:39:51,359
trying to figure out
what's the best way to close that gap.

551
00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:56,079
We did get the approval from the voters.
We might be able to utilize some of that

552
00:39:53,200 --> 00:40:01,920
revenue and we're also seeking some uh
federal uh congressional support. And uh

553
00:39:59,839 --> 00:40:06,720
this is just kind of another look at
some of the features which will include

554
00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:11,200
parking and visitor parking and secured
access. We have a lot of facilities,

555
00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:17,359
radio towers, and things that go along
with RiverCom as well. Um, and the next

556
00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:22,640
item is our Schlank County Regional
Justice Center. Uh, a lot of people

557
00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:27,599
refer to it sometimes as the regional
jail, but that's not actually

558
00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:32,160
technically precisely accurate. Uh, and
I'll tell you a little bit more about

559
00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:37,520
why, but it is a 267
bed facility. It's located just across

560
00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:40,400
the street. And actually, I can see it
through Commissioner Smith's window

561
00:40:39,119 --> 00:40:43,200
right now. So,
>> that's both of our views out of our

562
00:40:41,839 --> 00:40:47,920
» Yeah, our view is the jail.
>> They're beautiful views of the jail.

563
00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:54,160
» Yeah. So, it's it's right there.
>> Our thing, Chris. No offense.

564
00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:58,800
Um, but the jail building, you know, is
owned and and the jail is operated by

565
00:40:56,400 --> 00:41:03,520
Chalan County and it is a costly
operation and those costs have increased

566
00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:06,880
recently due to the growing fentanyl
epidemic and some of the other

567
00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:11,520
challenges that we have with, you know,
the inmates that we're now hosting

568
00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:16,400
there. But one thing that's important to
point out about the regional justice

569
00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:21,760
center is that it functions separately
from our general fund budget and

570
00:41:18,880 --> 00:41:27,119
functions as a standalone budget. Um,
and we do have Chris Sharp here who's

571
00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:30,960
our jail director. And uh, thanks to
Chris and the hardworking men and women

572
00:41:29,119 --> 00:41:37,119
of our regional justice center. They've
won national awards and the

573
00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:44,400
commissioners over recent years uh well
before me have invested significantly in

574
00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:50,400
our regional jail. Uh cameras, sensors,
K9 units, nursing staff, body scanners,

575
00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:56,160
a lot of different things to to keep
that population safe. Uh we have

576
00:41:53,599 --> 00:42:01,520
different user groups. Uh that's kind of
how we refer to it at the jail. So

577
00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:07,760
Chellane County, we're one because we
host our inmates there. Douglas County,

578
00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:11,920
Wanchi, East Wanche. Uh those are the
major user groups that represent the

579
00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:18,640
vast majority of the population of the
jail inmates. But we also have Cashmere,

580
00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:23,040
Chalan, Levvenworth, INEAT, and uh some
inmates from the Department of

581
00:42:20,079 --> 00:42:27,599
Corrections. And and basically the way
this works is that each jurisdiction uh

582
00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:34,000
that participates
does so under their own contract that

583
00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:37,359
their jurisdiction uh approves. And you
may hear a little bit about this. This

584
00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:42,160
is why I wanted to make sure to get this
slide in the presentation is because the

585
00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:47,359
contracts are sometimes like three years
or whatever and they're scheduled to

586
00:42:43,839 --> 00:42:51,040
expire this year. So December 31st of
this year. Uh so we're we're already in

587
00:42:49,599 --> 00:42:57,760
the process of reaching out to the
participants to to to talk about that.

588
00:42:54,160 --> 00:43:04,079
Um but it is important that the revenues
from the participating jurisdictions

589
00:43:00,560 --> 00:43:08,880
offset the cost um of the jail
operations. So we need to make sure that

590
00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:15,040
those revenues equal the expenditures or
else basically the Chalan County

591
00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:20,400
taxpayers are in a sense subsidizing the
other jurisdictions. So, um, we look

592
00:43:18,079 --> 00:43:26,720
forward to kind of working with those
jurisdictions as we look forward to

593
00:43:23,119 --> 00:43:32,800
potential contracts in in future years.
And the last thing for me is a flood

594
00:43:29,359 --> 00:43:40,400
protection project that we are sort of
helping to facilitate in a sense uh, up

595
00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:47,119
in Sthein. and uh you know the I think
it was the early December flood events

596
00:43:43,599 --> 00:43:52,800
that came through um fortunately did not
have widespread impacts in Chalan

597
00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:57,839
County. We we definitely had some a lot
of impacts in western Washington and

598
00:43:54,800 --> 00:44:03,920
other areas, but uh up lake in Lake
Chalan, we did have some impacts. uh one

599
00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:09,920
to the road up to Holden Village uh
which is a US Forest Service owned and

600
00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:15,520
operated road and then also we had a lot
of impacts to National Park Service

601
00:44:12,079 --> 00:44:19,839
facilities in and around Steaken
including like a wastewater facility

602
00:44:17,920 --> 00:44:25,359
that the National Park Service owns and
some of their housing but in particular

603
00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:31,599
the Steaken River sort of adjusted
itself during this process and uh this

604
00:44:28,560 --> 00:44:36,079
is an image that our natural resources
director Mike Caputo put together with

605
00:44:34,160 --> 00:44:41,359
his team and Mike has been doing
exceptional work

606
00:44:38,319 --> 00:44:47,920
helping communicate with the folks in in
Stan and with the National Park Service

607
00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:51,920
but um basically at the top I don't know
that I can point with this but you'll

608
00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:58,079
see that white line across the river it
says Company Creek Road and that was

609
00:44:55,040 --> 00:45:03,680
sort of where the road once was before
the flooding event and now the river has

610
00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:10,160
adjusted itself completely over the top
of that in one area and actually this

611
00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:16,800
image was taken like a couple months ago
I believe and so the the

612
00:45:13,599 --> 00:45:22,480
river has adjusted even further so um
but basically the National Park Service

613
00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:29,520
this is their property and their project
um the flooding compromised a levey uh a

614
00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:35,359
dyke that was constructed there some
years ago. So, we're looking to

615
00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:41,359
encourage the National Park Service to
uh rebuild that. And that's what that

616
00:45:37,680 --> 00:45:46,000
green bright green line is is what uh
where the National Park Service on their

617
00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:52,319
property proposes to build essentially
an elevated road that'll also hopefully

618
00:45:48,880 --> 00:45:57,599
serve to protect some of the water
during spring runoff um and other events

619
00:45:55,440 --> 00:46:03,040
throughout the year. and it's already
sort of starting to happen now. So,

620
00:45:59,920 --> 00:46:07,680
Chalang County sort of in our role, not
just with Mike, but we helped kind of

621
00:46:04,720 --> 00:46:13,200
facilitate some rocks to get barged up
to Steakin and uh just this week, the

622
00:46:11,040 --> 00:46:19,520
National Park Service and the US Army
Corps of Engineers and others are

623
00:46:16,079 --> 00:46:25,599
working to try to complete that project.
probably take a couple weeks and um and

624
00:46:23,200 --> 00:46:32,160
hopefully, you know, it will serve to
protect some of the homes on private

625
00:46:28,000 --> 00:46:36,240
property below that green line. And so,
um, hopefully I covered everything,

626
00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:39,839
Mike, and, uh, we'll be around if
there's other questions about this. But

627
00:46:38,160 --> 00:46:44,800
you may have not have heard too much
about this, but believe me, the

628
00:46:42,720 --> 00:46:49,440
community of Steaken, which has about
almost 100 yearround residents, are

629
00:46:47,440 --> 00:46:54,160
really invested and really concerned
with uh the potential flooding uh that

630
00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:58,640
could be that's kind of starting to
happen due to the runoff. But uh, with

631
00:46:57,119 --> 00:47:04,000
that, I guess, Commissioner Smith, I'll
pass this over to you. Great report.

632
00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:07,760
Thank you very much. Appreciate that.
>> Okay, Annabelle, you're going to take

633
00:47:05,839 --> 00:47:13,359
over now, right?
>> Okay. So, with our three presentations

634
00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:17,040
from each of the districts here gave us
an opportunity to start the conversation

635
00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:20,720
and then hopefully it will inspire you
to ask us some questions. And if we

636
00:47:18,800 --> 00:47:24,880
didn't touch on a topic that maybe is of
interest to you right now tonight, this

637
00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:30,079
is a great opportunity to talk to all
three of your commissioners at one time.

638
00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:35,280
We kind of have a a a well it's not kind
of a rule it is a rule. When we meet

639
00:47:33,119 --> 00:47:39,200
together we need to be on the microphone
so that the public is very aware of the

640
00:47:37,359 --> 00:47:45,839
business that we are doing for the
residents of the county. We take that

641
00:47:41,839 --> 00:47:52,160
very uh um very soberly so that we're
able to ensure everyone that we are not

642
00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:56,160
working behind the scenes. We want to be
very transparent. That's what our role

643
00:47:54,400 --> 00:48:00,400
in government is to be transparent to
the taxpayers and the people that put us

644
00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:04,240
here. Every Monday morning uh when we
start our session, we have a public

645
00:48:01,839 --> 00:48:07,359
comment period and we always invite the
public to come and speak to us on a

646
00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:11,520
weekly basis with all three
commissioners in the room. So, this is

647
00:48:09,520 --> 00:48:15,520
this is very unusual for us to be doing
that outside of the Monday morning

648
00:48:13,200 --> 00:48:19,119
public comment period to where you can
ask all three of us plus all of our

649
00:48:17,119 --> 00:48:23,520
department heads that came with us
tonight as opposed to being oneon-one.

650
00:48:22,160 --> 00:48:26,720
you know, I'm pulling us aside or
catching us in our district or at a

651
00:48:25,119 --> 00:48:31,520
different meeting in the community. This
is an opportunity for the all of you and

652
00:48:29,040 --> 00:48:35,119
those that are online tonight to speak
with all three commissioners at one

653
00:48:33,200 --> 00:48:39,280
time. So, this is this is kind of cool.
This is a neat model to do. We'll take a

654
00:48:37,680 --> 00:48:42,880
survey after the fact and see if this is
something we want to continue at least

655
00:48:40,880 --> 00:48:47,280
once a year, twice a year, or how we do
our district meetings from here on out.

656
00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:50,400
So, with that, we will open it up to
public comment. We got plenty of time

657
00:48:48,960 --> 00:48:54,000
here. We have the room reserved till
about 7:30. Then the lights are going to

658
00:48:52,720 --> 00:48:57,200
get turned off. The heat's going to get
turned off and it'll get uncomfortable

659
00:48:55,359 --> 00:49:00,400
till tomorrow morning. So, we'll see if
we can blow through here and give

660
00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:03,599
everybody plenty of time to talk. So,
what we're going to do though is we're

661
00:49:01,920 --> 00:49:07,760
going to set about 3 minutes for you to
speak and ask your question and tell us

662
00:49:05,200 --> 00:49:11,599
what's uh what what you're working on.
And uh when you do, if you would just

663
00:49:09,839 --> 00:49:15,040
introduce yourself to us. Those that are
online have a name showing. We don't

664
00:49:13,359 --> 00:49:18,160
know if that's their name, but we would
like to be able to call you something as

665
00:49:16,880 --> 00:49:22,480
we're communicating with you and
answering. So, if you would just uh give

666
00:49:20,319 --> 00:49:25,920
us your name and we'll start a timer for
about 3 minutes and hopefully you'll be

667
00:49:24,319 --> 00:49:30,480
able to watch that and those online can
watch it as well. Oh, look, Kathy Mohal

668
00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:35,440
tuned in. Thank you, Kathy, for uh for
tuning in tonight. We appreciate seeing

669
00:49:32,079 --> 00:49:39,200
you there. Um, and from there, um, if
you are in the back half of the room

670
00:49:37,040 --> 00:49:42,960
back there around the sheriff area, you
can just step up to that microphone that

671
00:49:40,640 --> 00:49:45,440
we have on the, uh, tower back there. If
you're in the front half of the room, we

672
00:49:44,160 --> 00:49:49,200
don't expect you to go out and come back
around. Just come up here to one of

673
00:49:46,880 --> 00:49:52,720
these chairs up here and, uh, you'll be
able to get on the microphone so those

674
00:49:51,119 --> 00:49:56,240
people that are online will be able to
hear your questions as well. And then

675
00:49:54,800 --> 00:49:59,599
we'll have our directors and our
department heads come over to this other

676
00:49:57,760 --> 00:50:05,520
microphone and be able to give an answer
and have the dialogue and answer your

677
00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:08,480
questions hopefully. So, with that, um,
you can just start forming a line at the

678
00:50:07,200 --> 00:50:11,760
microphone if you want. We're not going
to call on people. You can just head to

679
00:50:10,160 --> 00:50:15,760
the microphone in the back or up here in
front and I'll do a little bit of What's

680
00:50:13,680 --> 00:50:19,280
that, Jill?
>> We have Yeah, we have two online already

681
00:50:17,599 --> 00:50:22,800
as well. So, we'll kind of alternate
between in the room and online just see

682
00:50:21,440 --> 00:50:28,000
if we can have a good dialogue tonight
and get your questions answered so that

683
00:50:24,720 --> 00:50:31,680
you have uh have that uh answer in your
back pocket. We have a a question in the

684
00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:36,480
chat also.
>> In the chat also. Okay, great. All

685
00:50:34,160 --> 00:50:41,839
right, so we're going to jump first to
Pat uh Thurby is online. She had her

686
00:50:39,839 --> 00:50:46,160
hand up first. So Pat, if you'd unmute
your mic and and introduce yourself and

687
00:50:43,920 --> 00:50:53,680
we'll get you started.
>> Hi. Uh I'm Pat Thurlby from District 2.

688
00:50:50,640 --> 00:50:58,800
And I really appreciate um this meeting
because I uh like to know all of the

689
00:50:56,800 --> 00:51:06,160
news in Chalan County, but I'm
particularly interested in a district to

690
00:51:03,440 --> 00:51:14,400
uh set of information about recreation
property in Plane. And Sean, uh if you

691
00:51:10,160 --> 00:51:19,359
can connect with me, I I am active in a
group of people that are looking at

692
00:51:16,400 --> 00:51:27,760
Osborne Elementary. I know that's
Levvenworth issue, but if people in

693
00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:31,599
plain could please consider the fastest
growing sport in the world is pickle

694
00:51:31,200 --> 00:51:34,880
ball.
>> Pickle ball. I knew you were going to

695
00:51:33,359 --> 00:51:39,520
say that, Pat.
>> Yeah. And and just so you know, there's

696
00:51:37,599 --> 00:51:47,200
a large population of people in
Levvenworth that drive 45 minutes to Wan

697
00:51:43,280 --> 00:51:55,920
that we'd be delighted to drive 25
minutes to plane and have real outdoor

698
00:51:51,359 --> 00:52:01,520
courts available and it's not unlike not
having good snow here and people driving

699
00:51:58,319 --> 00:52:08,160
to plane for cross-country skiing. So,
if you could connect me with the plain

700
00:52:03,920 --> 00:52:14,559
folks that are um working on this, I'd
be very happy to represent um

701
00:52:11,680 --> 00:52:19,200
Levvenworth people in in that. I realize
there's way more serious things than

702
00:52:16,319 --> 00:52:23,440
pickle ball, but it's awesome and it's a
real draw.

703
00:52:20,480 --> 00:52:26,880
» Well, that's great, Pat. Thank you for
>> You bet. It's funny because Mike just

704
00:52:25,440 --> 00:52:29,440
raised his hand and volunteered for
that, so he's going to reach out to you.

705
00:52:28,480 --> 00:52:33,920
Okay.
>> Oh, super. Awesome. Thanks so much you

706
00:52:32,240 --> 00:52:36,640
guys. You're doing great.
>> Thanks for joining us tonight. We sure

707
00:52:35,520 --> 00:52:41,200
appreciate it.
>> All right. We're gonna take one in

708
00:52:39,440 --> 00:52:46,000
Chambers here. And it looks like Vicky
Malloy jumped up quickly. So you're on.

709
00:52:43,839 --> 00:52:52,000
» Yes. And as my name is Vicky Malloy. I'm
from the Malaga area. And really all I'm

710
00:52:49,359 --> 00:52:57,680
doing is you guys have done a marvelous
job of explaining everything that's

711
00:52:54,559 --> 00:53:04,319
going on. Very interesting. I like this
format a lot better than when you have

712
00:53:00,079 --> 00:53:08,400
everybody talk and you know it just much
better in my mind this way. Plus I get

713
00:53:06,800 --> 00:53:11,520
to be here want to approve. Okay.
>> Okay. So yeah

714
00:53:09,839 --> 00:53:14,400
» and we didn't explain everything that
was going on. We we have to cut it down

715
00:53:13,440 --> 00:53:18,160
for this.
>> With regard to the Chalan County

716
00:53:15,920 --> 00:53:22,480
Regional Justice Center, um you had
talked about all the contracts coming up

717
00:53:19,760 --> 00:53:28,160
at the end of the year. I would really
suggest if you can to stagger the

718
00:53:25,280 --> 00:53:33,359
contract so that all at once you're not
having um these guys say, "Well, I want

719
00:53:31,440 --> 00:53:36,880
this or blah blah blah blah blah." And
the other, "Oh, then I'm not going to

720
00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:43,359
renew either." So that you're not put on
the spot of not having money at in hand.

721
00:53:39,760 --> 00:53:49,040
And um like every one Yeah. three years
apart. So that's all I have to say. Wow.

722
00:53:46,160 --> 00:53:56,280
You guys did such a great job. And Mike,
I'll talk to you later. Good. Thanks.

723
00:53:53,280 --> 00:53:56,280
» Um,

724
00:53:56,319 --> 00:54:03,200
» you're gonna be busy tomorrow, buddy.
Um, Chris, could you could you come up

725
00:54:00,880 --> 00:54:06,559
really quick and explain why we go on a
three-year contract or a two-year

726
00:54:04,800 --> 00:54:10,319
contract rather than staggering, and I'm
sure you're probably going to touch on

727
00:54:07,760 --> 00:54:14,400
union contracts and known numbers that
we have. So, turn it over to Chris.

728
00:54:12,000 --> 00:54:17,440
» So, I appreciate that. And one of the
reasons why we try to keep all of our

729
00:54:15,680 --> 00:54:22,000
user agencies on a three-year cycle is
for everybody's time, obviously.

730
00:54:20,240 --> 00:54:25,040
um three years. Sometimes we've been
running these three years. We've had a

731
00:54:23,200 --> 00:54:29,599
four-year contract with unuser and it
kind of gets out of spec for cost uh

732
00:54:27,359 --> 00:54:33,280
recuperation for uh today's inmate
because as the commissioner highlighted

733
00:54:31,760 --> 00:54:37,440
the last five years have really changed
incarcerated individual with the

734
00:54:35,119 --> 00:54:41,359
sickness of fentanyl and the detox uh
taking 3 to 10 days to get them healthy

735
00:54:39,839 --> 00:54:44,240
um before we can even move them to a
regular cell. So, it's that's one of the

736
00:54:42,720 --> 00:54:46,640
reasons why we put the sensors in and
all the cost measures that the

737
00:54:45,440 --> 00:54:51,359
commissioners have approved over the
last five to six years has really

738
00:54:47,920 --> 00:54:54,000
enhanced that um decreases our risk and
liability, enhancing our safety and

739
00:54:52,880 --> 00:54:57,920
security. So, when we get those
three-year contracts, we want to be

740
00:54:55,520 --> 00:55:01,920
really conscientious of what the second
and third year look like because, you

741
00:54:59,920 --> 00:55:05,200
know, we have salaries with CBAs that
come into play with different types of

742
00:55:03,200 --> 00:55:08,720
raises for the nurses, for the support
staff, as well as the correction

743
00:55:06,559 --> 00:55:14,800
officers and being competitive in the
field of public safety. So, we will be

744
00:55:12,079 --> 00:55:18,559
up against uh the six of our users this
year uh come up and we are already

745
00:55:17,040 --> 00:55:21,760
reached out. We have meetings already
scheduled for May to meet with them. We

746
00:55:20,079 --> 00:55:26,400
have a new contract we're going to try
to propose u for cost recovery and

747
00:55:24,319 --> 00:55:29,359
looking at today's inmate and what and
how we're moving forward. One of the

748
00:55:28,000 --> 00:55:34,400
things if you're in those communities is
understand the costs do go up and um if

749
00:55:32,400 --> 00:55:38,079
we want to incarcerate people, we need
to take care of them and we need to make

750
00:55:36,319 --> 00:55:41,680
sure that we are providing the safest
and secure environment that we have uh

751
00:55:40,079 --> 00:55:46,160
for those individuals to stay in our
facility. Our population is staying

752
00:55:43,680 --> 00:55:49,680
around 150 to 170. It has gone up over
the last few months. So, we're looking

753
00:55:47,839 --> 00:55:52,480
at, you know, we have to feed all those
people. We have to take care of them

754
00:55:51,200 --> 00:55:56,240
medically and all the things that go
along with that. And each agency that we

755
00:55:54,559 --> 00:56:00,319
have a contract is responsible for
portions of those medicals and sometimes

756
00:55:58,240 --> 00:56:04,880
those can get expensive for an Anniaat
or Levvenworth or Kashmir or Schlan and

757
00:56:02,640 --> 00:56:07,920
we understand that but at the same time
we don't want to get ourselves into a

758
00:56:06,240 --> 00:56:13,680
place where the Schlan County taxpayers
have to subsidize the user contracts to

759
00:56:11,440 --> 00:56:16,160
uh keep us afloat and keep us where we
need to be. So

760
00:56:15,119 --> 00:56:19,680
» excellent. Thank you.
>> Great. Thank you Chris. Appreciate that.

761
00:56:17,920 --> 00:56:22,319
We're going to go in room. We have one
back here at the microphones. Go ahead.

762
00:56:21,359 --> 00:56:27,680
You're up.
>> Hi. Uh, hi. Thank you. U, my name is

763
00:56:24,640 --> 00:56:32,480
Becca Freemouth. Um, I am here tonight
on behalf of the Chalan Douglas CASA

764
00:56:30,240 --> 00:56:36,240
program. Uh, first off, thank you
commissioners for providing this

765
00:56:33,839 --> 00:56:39,359
opportunity tonight. Um, I know public
service can be a really thankless job.

766
00:56:38,079 --> 00:56:42,720
So, thanks for providing this
opportunity and these updates. Um,

767
00:56:41,359 --> 00:56:46,240
something you didn't touch on tonight
was the CASA program. Um, for those in

768
00:56:45,040 --> 00:56:50,160
the room who aren't familiar with the
CASA program, it is a courtappointed

769
00:56:48,240 --> 00:56:55,839
special advocate for children and foster
youth. So we are volunteers who um are

770
00:56:53,680 --> 00:57:01,520
assigned to foster children and we are
their voice in the court system um when

771
00:56:58,079 --> 00:57:06,240
they are in dependency cases. Um the
CASA program is a nonprofit organization

772
00:57:04,240 --> 00:57:11,760
that is partially funded through both of
the counties locally. Um this last year

773
00:57:09,040 --> 00:57:15,760
the Chalan County decided to um reduce
some of the funding to that program. Um

774
00:57:14,240 --> 00:57:21,520
and I just wanted to highlight some of
the positive benefits to um our

775
00:57:18,079 --> 00:57:26,240
community through that program. Um so as
a volunteer I've personally served for

776
00:57:23,520 --> 00:57:32,079
two and a half years. I've sub um
supported uh three children through that

777
00:57:28,640 --> 00:57:36,160
work. Um one child um one baby. I I
received her as um my CASA case when she

778
00:57:34,240 --> 00:57:39,520
was a newborn and then she just returned
home with her mom and the case was

779
00:57:37,839 --> 00:57:45,040
dismissed and she's two years old.
Another case I support is uh two

780
00:57:42,000 --> 00:57:51,520
15year-old twins. Um they all both of
these uh sets of youth are here locally

781
00:57:48,480 --> 00:57:57,680
in Chalan County in the Wanache area.
We have about 65 volunteers through the

782
00:57:54,240 --> 00:58:01,599
Chalan Douglas Kasa program. Um as a
collective group we are providing

783
00:57:59,200 --> 00:58:06,400
thousands of volunteer hours to support
these youth throughout the year. Um

784
00:58:03,920 --> 00:58:12,079
there is a staff of about five at the
CASA office and I just um the number one

785
00:58:10,400 --> 00:58:15,680
thing I tell people when I talk about my
CASA work is that I would not be doing

786
00:58:13,760 --> 00:58:22,400
this if it wasn't for that CAS the CASA
team. Um the support that they provide

787
00:58:17,440 --> 00:58:25,359
us as volunteers is um it's it's
it just wouldn't be possible without

788
00:58:23,839 --> 00:58:30,720
them. They provide a safe space to do
this really hard work. Um and their

789
00:58:28,480 --> 00:58:34,960
budget primarily goes to support those
staff employees. So, um, I wanted to

790
00:58:33,359 --> 00:58:39,359
share some of that today and then also
ask, uh, the commissioners if you could

791
00:58:37,200 --> 00:58:43,119
provide some insight into, um, that
budgeting process and where and why you

792
00:58:41,440 --> 00:58:45,200
decided to reduce some of the funds
going directly to that program. Thank

793
00:58:44,799 --> 00:58:48,240
you.
>> Great, Becca. Thank you. We appreciate

794
00:58:47,040 --> 00:58:51,680
that. And thanks for the introduction
and the explanation for everyone in the

795
00:58:50,240 --> 00:58:55,119
room and online. And I'll turn that one
over to Commissioner Overbeay. He has

796
00:58:53,119 --> 00:58:59,280
some news for you tonight.
>> Yeah. So, we did reduce the funding, I

797
00:58:57,040 --> 00:59:02,319
believe it's $19,000 to CASA. And
basically what we were facing when we

798
00:59:00,720 --> 00:59:06,799
went into this budget season was a $7
million gap between what our projected

799
00:59:04,480 --> 00:59:10,559
revenues and our projected expenditures
were going to be. And that was basically

800
00:59:09,040 --> 00:59:14,559
not only just the expenditures, but what
the asks were from each one of the uh

801
00:59:12,720 --> 00:59:18,720
elected officials and our appointed
officials to continue to serve the

802
00:59:16,480 --> 00:59:22,480
citizens of Chalan County. And so there
were some hard decisions we had to make.

803
00:59:20,160 --> 00:59:27,280
I will say that we did get the uh that
$7 million deficit down to about 2 point

804
00:59:25,359 --> 00:59:29,760
I believe it's 2.3
>> roughly 2.1 2.3

805
00:59:28,960 --> 00:59:36,000
» I think two
>> 2.2 million. So we were able to shave

806
00:59:32,559 --> 00:59:39,520
about $4.8 million off of that. Uh, and
while the decisions were not easy, they

807
00:59:37,520 --> 00:59:42,640
were decisions we had to make. What I
will tell you is this, and what some of

808
00:59:41,680 --> 00:59:45,200
the research I've done, because I know
you all came and visited us at the

809
00:59:43,920 --> 00:59:50,480
beginning of the year, right after the
budget was finalized, and had some

810
00:59:47,119 --> 00:59:54,160
concerns about the cuts, is um, we are
receiving opioid abatement dollars. And

811
00:59:52,640 --> 00:59:58,240
I do know that some of the cost of work
has to do with kids that are impacted by

812
00:59:55,920 --> 01:00:03,119
opioids. And so, uh, there is a
provision in the one Washington. And so

813
01:00:00,319 --> 01:00:06,960
what I would do is encourage CASA um
Carolon is actually our managing agency

814
01:00:04,960 --> 01:00:11,040
for the funds and they are going out for
an RFP process and I would encourage

815
01:00:09,119 --> 01:00:14,400
CASA to actually apply under that RFP
process for some of that opioid

816
01:00:12,400 --> 01:00:17,760
abatement funding to be able to offset
that budget gap. So there is some

817
01:00:16,160 --> 01:00:20,960
additional funding that's not general
fund dollars that we might be able to

818
01:00:19,200 --> 01:00:25,520
shift over to be able to fill that gap.
So I would encourage you to do so. You

819
01:00:23,359 --> 01:00:29,280
betcha.
>> Okay, great. We're going to go next to

820
01:00:27,520 --> 01:00:34,240
Elaine. I'm just trying to keep track of
everyone so I don't get out of order

821
01:00:31,440 --> 01:00:40,319
here. So, Elaine, go ahead.
>> Uh, thank you. Uh, Elaine Civy from

822
01:00:36,960 --> 01:00:44,480
Plane. Um, and this has been really a
very interesting meeting and uh, there

823
01:00:42,799 --> 01:00:50,880
was a number of times I wanted to clap
my hands uh, particularly on the

824
01:00:46,960 --> 01:00:58,480
portable water tanks. Great. Thanks.
>> And the park out in plane. I have a

825
01:00:54,319 --> 01:01:03,599
couple of questions. One was that on uh
the portable water tanks. Uh you

826
01:01:01,680 --> 01:01:08,319
mentioned that Chalan County was not
going to be the owner of those and I'm

827
01:01:05,920 --> 01:01:12,160
wondering are you renting them or who's
going to be the owner?

828
01:01:10,720 --> 01:01:15,280
» I'm going to hand this off to Mike or
Ron. Which one do you want to feel that

829
01:01:13,599 --> 01:01:19,760
or Chris? We got we got three good
options here tonight. Elaine.

830
01:01:17,280 --> 01:01:24,240
» Okay, great. We we are actually working
with the fire districts up there and

831
01:01:22,160 --> 01:01:27,520
they they will take ownership and
maintenance of those

832
01:01:25,599 --> 01:01:35,920
» things once they set.
>> Um so uh the next item that I had a

833
01:01:31,839 --> 01:01:41,440
comment on is that I would encourage you
uh to look at a bike path between

834
01:01:38,960 --> 01:01:46,319
Levvenworth and Chumstick. There is a
lot of bike traffic that goes up the

835
01:01:43,280 --> 01:01:51,440
Chumstick. And I realize there's not a
good answer for it, but uh you know, a

836
01:01:49,440 --> 01:01:58,400
lot of those, you know, are actually
even sanctioned bike races and and

837
01:01:54,559 --> 01:02:02,720
events and it's a there's very little
shoulder on that road. I don't

838
01:02:00,000 --> 01:02:09,599
necessarily need a feedback on it, but
um you know, kind of keep that in your

839
01:02:05,680 --> 01:02:15,599
long range plans if you can.
Um, and so then my primary question is

840
01:02:12,079 --> 01:02:23,680
if you could please uh describe the
process that you anticipate taking uh

841
01:02:19,599 --> 01:02:29,280
and the timing associated with uh your
appointment for an interim auditor and

842
01:02:27,040 --> 01:02:33,440
any opportunities you anticipate for
public input in that process.

843
01:02:31,680 --> 01:02:37,280
» Yeah, I appreciate that, Elaine. I'll
answer that one for you. Um, thank you

844
01:02:35,440 --> 01:02:42,240
for your email on that. I appreciate
that and your job description and

845
01:02:39,760 --> 01:02:47,599
qualifications were spoton. I couldn't
have added one more thing to the desires

846
01:02:44,799 --> 01:02:54,160
for that position. When we're looking at
elected officials in Washington state,

847
01:02:50,480 --> 01:02:59,599
we refer back to the state constitution.
And in the constitution for elected

848
01:02:56,319 --> 01:03:06,319
offices, um, sheriff, you can probably
correct me on this as well, but the

849
01:03:02,720 --> 01:03:12,079
standards for someone to run for office
are very low. It's 18 years old plus,

850
01:03:10,079 --> 01:03:17,119
and then you get one more vote than
anyone that is you're competing against.

851
01:03:15,039 --> 01:03:21,200
Um, I think the sheriff has certain
qualifications and superior court judges

852
01:03:19,200 --> 01:03:23,839
have certain qualifications
>> and prosecutor

853
01:03:22,000 --> 01:03:28,960
» and prosecutor.
Those are the ones that actually fall

854
01:03:25,440 --> 01:03:32,799
into uh a certain job description and a
resume that would back that up in

855
01:03:31,119 --> 01:03:40,079
reference to your email that you sent
down. Um, that is uh that is one of the

856
01:03:38,079 --> 01:03:45,839
things that we would like to consider.
But the way the process goes when an uh

857
01:03:42,880 --> 01:03:51,920
an elected official vacates before their
expiration of their term,

858
01:03:49,520 --> 01:03:56,480
the the party that that person
represented when they ran for office

859
01:03:53,920 --> 01:04:02,319
originally, so in this case, we have a
Republican auditor that is leaving

860
01:03:59,839 --> 01:04:08,799
office early. that goes to the central
committee, the central Republican

861
01:04:03,839 --> 01:04:13,599
committee of Chalan County to advertise,
get a list of names of anyone interested

862
01:04:10,880 --> 01:04:19,839
in taking that interim position before
the next election cycle comes around to

863
01:04:16,160 --> 01:04:25,599
fill that spot in the interim. And that
question when we were notified that the

864
01:04:21,920 --> 01:04:30,079
auditor was leaving office early, I sent
an email to the central committee of the

865
01:04:27,520 --> 01:04:34,160
Republican party and asked them to start
the process. And we've done this before.

866
01:04:32,160 --> 01:04:37,599
We just did it with the coroner and just
before I got here, we did it with

867
01:04:35,599 --> 01:04:43,200
district judges as well because we had
one leave uh the bench before his term

868
01:04:39,760 --> 01:04:48,720
was up. So they bring forward a list of
three potential up to three potential uh

869
01:04:47,039 --> 01:04:53,039
persons that show interest in filling
that interim position. Those three

870
01:04:51,280 --> 01:04:56,880
individuals then come to the county
commissioners and the county

871
01:04:54,559 --> 01:05:01,440
commissioners then do an evaluation
interview process, go through their

872
01:04:59,039 --> 01:05:06,720
resume and we find the best person for
that uh position. That process of

873
01:05:04,319 --> 01:05:10,720
advertising is done publicly. uh these
days a lot of it's on social media but

874
01:05:08,960 --> 01:05:15,280
we also know that they advertised it in
the public notice section of the Wanche

875
01:05:12,880 --> 01:05:21,599
world. So they fulfilled their part of
that process of finding uh a fillin for

876
01:05:18,880 --> 01:05:27,280
the interim period. They returned back
to us only one applicant. Only one

877
01:05:24,880 --> 01:05:32,079
person showed interest in filling that
position until the next election cycle

878
01:05:29,599 --> 01:05:40,480
comes around. So, we will not be
appointing anyone until um April 30th

879
01:05:36,240 --> 01:05:47,200
when uh Skip Moore actually uh retires
and then the one interview that we have

880
01:05:43,359 --> 01:05:52,160
to do uh will be brought to us. If we
don't choose as commissioners from our

881
01:05:49,359 --> 01:05:57,520
local community who that interim person
is going to be, the governor then

882
01:05:55,440 --> 01:06:01,280
chooses who that interim person is going
to be. So, we want to make sure that we

883
01:05:59,680 --> 01:06:05,039
keep as much local control on our
elected officials and the interims for

884
01:06:03,359 --> 01:06:10,960
our elected officials as we possibly
can. So, uh when that information is

885
01:06:08,079 --> 01:06:15,440
brought up, uh we'll be able to uh be
working with the one candidate that uh

886
01:06:13,839 --> 01:06:23,280
said that he would fill in the interim
period. And I believe that person is our

887
01:06:18,319 --> 01:06:28,000
uh chief deputy of the auditor's office
that's currently in that position is the

888
01:06:25,920 --> 01:06:32,400
one name that was brought forward. So,
we'll be doing that interview process

889
01:06:29,920 --> 01:06:35,440
later next month. Next, next month
starts tomorrow.

890
01:06:33,119 --> 01:06:40,000
» And Elaine, uh, one thing I can share,
too, is I believe since that appointment

891
01:06:37,839 --> 01:06:43,920
will likely be made prior to the filing
period, and maybe this is a question for

892
01:06:41,680 --> 01:06:51,440
the auditor's office, the appointee
would uh need to file to to run to fill

893
01:06:47,119 --> 01:06:56,240
the unexpired term of the auditor. Um,
and I'm glad you have a lot of interest

894
01:06:53,280 --> 01:07:01,520
in this position because it is a real
complicated elected position and uh, a

895
01:07:00,000 --> 01:07:06,960
lot of people tend to think of the
auditor through the election process,

896
01:07:03,920 --> 01:07:11,440
but it's really the auditor does the
financial statements, you know, kind of

897
01:07:08,720 --> 01:07:15,440
like need to get audited financial
statements eventually from the state

898
01:07:12,880 --> 01:07:20,160
auditor, but the the financial
documentation is a very important

899
01:07:17,440 --> 01:07:24,079
component of the role of auditor. and
then also the licensing and elections.

900
01:07:22,799 --> 01:07:27,280
So, it's kind of that
>> three-legged stooling.

901
01:07:25,359 --> 01:07:30,319
» Recording. Yeah. Excuse me. Recording.
Yeah. So, there's there's a lot that

902
01:07:28,880 --> 01:07:36,160
goes into that.
>> Yeah. So, uh just for purposes of the

903
01:07:33,760 --> 01:07:43,200
the audience, uh I had sent an email.
I'm a retired CPA and since this

904
01:07:39,440 --> 01:07:49,440
position is responsible for dispersing,
you know,

905
01:07:44,960 --> 01:07:55,920
60 million worth of funds per year on
behalf of the county. It it is a very

906
01:07:52,559 --> 01:08:03,280
significant position and ideally in my
mind somebody you'd want to have quite a

907
01:07:58,720 --> 01:08:07,280
bit of experience. Um, so, uh, when
you're interviewing the candidate, I

908
01:08:05,839 --> 01:08:12,160
mean, because it sounds like you were
going to interview the candidate.

909
01:08:09,760 --> 01:08:18,480
Um,
will you have an opportunity for public

910
01:08:16,000 --> 01:08:23,279
uh, engagement in that process?
>> Um, probably not. That will be a

911
01:08:20,799 --> 01:08:29,759
decision made by the three commissioners
uh, coming up with a consensus uh, and

912
01:08:26,640 --> 01:08:33,600
uh, voting that person in. And I guess
it's it's kind of a why bother since

913
01:08:31,679 --> 01:08:36,319
there's only one candidate that's being
submitted to you.

914
01:08:34,799 --> 01:08:40,960
» Yeah. I don't want to say why bother,
Elaine. That's that's we we take it very

915
01:08:39,040 --> 01:08:45,120
serious. And so I would say your
opportunity to give us input is by

916
01:08:42,960 --> 01:08:48,159
emailing the commissioners and sharing
thoughts just like you've already done.

917
01:08:46,640 --> 01:08:51,279
I appreciate you doing that.
>> Okay. Thank you.

918
01:08:49,520 --> 01:08:54,640
» Thank you, Elaine. Good to hear from you
again. Haven't seen you since Upper

919
01:08:52,719 --> 01:08:58,880
Columbia Salmon Recovery Board. Hope
you're enjoying your time. I've been to

920
01:08:56,880 --> 01:09:03,279
your restaurants a couple of times, but
>> Well, thank you. I I haven't been, as

921
01:09:01,679 --> 01:09:05,359
you noticed, Elaine, I'm kind of busy
with my side hustle.

922
01:09:04,319 --> 01:09:08,960
» Kind of busy.
>> Yeah. Well, thank you, Elaine.

923
01:09:07,199 --> 01:09:12,480
Appreciate you participating tonight.
>> Well, and Elaine, I want to say I think

924
01:09:10,719 --> 01:09:15,759
it's really cool that your first name
rhymes with your community.

925
01:09:14,640 --> 01:09:21,199
» Elaine from Plane.
>> Yes, Ela from easy to remember.

926
01:09:19,679 --> 01:09:24,960
» All right. Thanks, Elaine. We're going
to go to uh one in the room and then

927
01:09:23,279 --> 01:09:28,560
there's a couple chats that I want to
address here as well. So, we'll go to

928
01:09:26,400 --> 01:09:32,560
the back of the room. Go ahead.
>> Thank you and thanks again for the

929
01:09:30,960 --> 01:09:36,719
information y'all presented to begin
with. It was nice to see what you all

930
01:09:35,040 --> 01:09:42,159
are doing and it's a lot of work. My
name is Ashley Kaiser. I am another CASA

931
01:09:39,600 --> 01:09:47,199
and it's the same issue. If the budget
is not a done deal, I would love for the

932
01:09:45,120 --> 01:09:52,880
cuts proposed to the CASA program to be
reconsidered. Uh that $19,000 is a ton

933
01:09:51,040 --> 01:09:59,280
of money and it sets us back, I believe,
to the 20134

934
01:09:55,440 --> 01:10:03,600
funding level. That's a big cut. Um
again, I've been a CASA for about 10

935
01:10:00,880 --> 01:10:08,960
years and it's my experience that the
CASA is often the only consistent adult

936
01:10:07,360 --> 01:10:14,159
present in our kiddos lives as they're
going through the foster care system. I

937
01:10:11,440 --> 01:10:18,080
work primarily with teens and when they
are going through a crisis, it is

938
01:10:16,159 --> 01:10:22,159
usually me that they call out to.
They've had changes in their placement,

939
01:10:19,920 --> 01:10:26,719
in their social worker, their mental
health counselor has moved on. Even the

940
01:10:24,080 --> 01:10:31,040
parents aren't consistent necessarily in
showing up for their visits. I could not

941
01:10:29,600 --> 01:10:35,199
be there for them in their moments of
crisis if I didn't have the support of

942
01:10:32,719 --> 01:10:38,640
our staff. They are the ones with the
expertise, you know, keeping up on

943
01:10:36,800 --> 01:10:43,840
what's current in the law, what our
various um resources are. What's been

944
01:10:41,840 --> 01:10:49,920
the experience of other causes who might
have experienced something similar that

945
01:10:45,760 --> 01:10:53,679
can guide me as I help guide the kiddos?
And it's great that there's an, you

946
01:10:51,360 --> 01:10:58,080
know, a small option for some of the
opioid recovery money. That's going to

947
01:10:56,000 --> 01:11:02,880
be additional task they have to do
chasing that down as opposed to just

948
01:11:00,000 --> 01:11:07,280
helping me and my fellow CASAs.
So, I hope the budget is not completely

949
01:11:04,960 --> 01:11:12,000
solved. I hope you'll reconsider that.
Um,

950
01:11:09,120 --> 01:11:17,199
if we have to take a cut, maybe
more comparable to what some of the

951
01:11:13,440 --> 01:11:21,040
other agencies have had to take and keep
us in mind for future years for

952
01:11:18,960 --> 01:11:24,800
something approaching a cost of building
increase to help us do the work we do.

953
01:11:23,679 --> 01:11:30,320
Thank you very much.
>> Thank you, Ashley. Appreciate that. Very

954
01:11:27,199 --> 01:11:34,320
thoughtful. Um, let's pull up the chat
box if we could a moment, please.

955
01:11:32,000 --> 01:11:41,719
Annabelle saw a couple comments in
there.

956
01:11:36,560 --> 01:11:41,719
Um, let's see. Go to the top.

957
01:11:42,560 --> 01:11:47,360
Um, okay. Uh, Commissioner Hawkins, do
you want to field that top question

958
01:11:46,880 --> 01:11:52,159
there?
>> Sure. I think I can see that from here,

959
01:11:49,920 --> 01:11:58,320
but the question is, can you explain how
positions are decided as essential? And

960
01:11:55,520 --> 01:12:03,760
today you denied a request to for a
deputy position because uh Commissioner

961
01:12:01,280 --> 01:12:10,239
Hawkins said he wanted to balance the
budget. So I think I can clarify. We as

962
01:12:06,719 --> 01:12:16,640
a commission did not deny that request.
It was approved but it was supported by

963
01:12:13,520 --> 01:12:23,760
my two colleague commissioners. I voted
against it and hopefully um you know you

964
01:12:20,480 --> 01:12:26,640
were able to hear the reasons why. You
know, these are these are tough

965
01:12:24,960 --> 01:12:35,360
decisions like when we're talking about
budget reductions um even to the tune of

966
01:12:29,520 --> 01:12:42,719
$19,000 in a $61 million budget. But um
we are faced with a lot of growing costs

967
01:12:38,159 --> 01:12:48,800
and challenges in Schlank County. And um
as Commissioner Overbeay mentioned

968
01:12:45,360 --> 01:12:53,760
recently, the projected deficit in the
budget for 2026

969
01:12:51,120 --> 01:12:57,920
was as we started the process for budget
development, which was my first year

970
01:12:55,440 --> 01:13:03,600
doing it. But we were looking at over
10% of our budget in a deficit. But we

971
01:13:01,199 --> 01:13:06,880
worked extremely hard. The staff worked
really hard. I think almost every

972
01:13:05,199 --> 01:13:12,080
department and division made a lot of
sacrifices and we got that down to just

973
01:13:09,520 --> 01:13:18,400
around $2 million of a deficit. But we
also implemented a hiring freeze and uh

974
01:13:15,679 --> 01:13:23,600
I my feeling is the two coupled together
might give us some opportunities to

975
01:13:20,320 --> 01:13:30,480
realize some savings and eat into that
um budgeted deficit. Now, just because

976
01:13:26,640 --> 01:13:34,880
there is a a modest budgeted deficit at
the beginning of the year doesn't mean

977
01:13:32,400 --> 01:13:39,600
that that's where the actuals end up at
year end. You know, there's budgeted

978
01:13:36,719 --> 01:13:46,239
figures and then there's actuals. And so
for last year, for example, for 2025, we

979
01:13:43,040 --> 01:13:52,800
had a budgeted deficit of uh $4.1
million, but we only ended up with about

980
01:13:49,199 --> 01:14:00,320
$850 or $900,000
um uh diminished reserves. So my thought

981
01:13:57,360 --> 01:14:07,199
is with this particular position
um if we are absorbing cost increases,

982
01:14:05,520 --> 01:14:12,080
collective bargaining increases and
other things, one of the ways we can

983
01:14:09,360 --> 01:14:16,960
realize some savings is not to fill
positions due to attrition when there

984
01:14:14,320 --> 01:14:24,159
are natural retirements or resignations.
And so we've mostly approved all of

985
01:14:19,840 --> 01:14:30,560
those rehires, but um I think we should
look at ways that we can um realize some

986
01:14:28,320 --> 01:14:34,000
savings potentially without filling some
of those positions. And that's tough.

987
01:14:32,880 --> 01:14:38,159
That's tough, especially when it
involves potentially public safety

988
01:14:35,600 --> 01:14:44,480
impacts or other things. But the way the
budget is structured now for 2026,

989
01:14:41,040 --> 01:14:51,360
our revenues are estimated at 59 million
and our expenditures at 61. So that's

990
01:14:47,520 --> 01:14:57,280
the approximate two $2 million uh
deficit. And you know, we might need to

991
01:14:53,840 --> 01:15:01,280
overperform on our revenues and um
significantly under spend to make it

992
01:14:59,679 --> 01:15:06,400
work at year end. And you know, that's
where I hope we end up. So hopefully

993
01:15:03,840 --> 01:15:10,800
that explains it. And uh maybe for some
other positions too due to the hiring

994
01:15:08,320 --> 01:15:15,199
freeze, I'll I'll also support not
filling those positions. And I feel like

995
01:15:12,560 --> 01:15:20,480
that's much better than some layoff at
some point in the future. Um hopefully

996
01:15:17,600 --> 01:15:24,080
we'll never get to that point. But
>> and just to expand on that a little bit,

997
01:15:22,080 --> 01:15:28,239
we did have an unusual year last year.
We would have come in right at budget,

998
01:15:26,480 --> 01:15:32,080
but we had a couple things pop up that
we can't control. I'll remind everyone

999
01:15:30,320 --> 01:15:35,920
of the Travis Decker case and the Iron
Mountain fire. remind everyone of the

1000
01:15:34,239 --> 01:15:40,239
floods that we had in December. There
was a lot of a lot of additional money

1001
01:15:37,600 --> 01:15:44,159
that was spent. So, as commissioners, we
do the best we can to try and get the

1002
01:15:41,920 --> 01:15:48,719
expenses, the revenues to line up. We're
conservative on the revenues and we're

1003
01:15:46,239 --> 01:15:51,840
excessive on the expenses. So, hopefully
by the end of the year with everyone

1004
01:15:50,000 --> 01:15:56,159
keeping their belt tight, we can get to
the end of the year and have a better uh

1005
01:15:53,600 --> 01:15:59,920
number than what we forecast before we
even start the year out. Um, would you

1006
01:15:58,960 --> 01:16:04,480
like to add anything to that,
Commissioner Overbe? No, I I guess you

1007
01:16:02,080 --> 01:16:07,679
know I don't I
you know when when when a sheriff comes

1008
01:16:06,159 --> 01:16:10,719
to you and asks for a position to be
filled a couple of months before

1009
01:16:08,800 --> 01:16:17,280
retirement when you have about a 3-month
FTO opportunity and 20% of his staffing

1010
01:16:13,920 --> 01:16:20,320
is currently out on leave. Um you know
you basically have to take a look at

1011
01:16:18,640 --> 01:16:23,040
what's the safety of the community and
is this something that's going to take

1012
01:16:21,600 --> 01:16:27,199
another three additional months past
that retirement piece. We know the

1013
01:16:24,719 --> 01:16:30,000
individual is leaving and so the one
question to the sheriff was in your

1014
01:16:28,800 --> 01:16:33,679
authorized budget do you have the
funding available to to offset this or

1015
01:16:32,320 --> 01:16:38,159
are you asking for additional funds to
bring this individual in and because of

1016
01:16:36,000 --> 01:16:40,800
uh some vacancies the sheriff had uh
basically he had the additional funding

1017
01:16:39,600 --> 01:16:44,640
in the existing budget that was
authorized expenditures for him. That's

1018
01:16:42,800 --> 01:16:48,239
why I'll just say that's why I made the
decision to go ahead and move forward to

1019
01:16:46,239 --> 01:16:51,520
back fill that spot a couple of months
early so that person could actually hit

1020
01:16:50,000 --> 01:16:56,960
the ground running and actually be out
there patrolling when that person leaves

1021
01:16:53,760 --> 01:17:01,120
and it basically does not create a void
uh within a dorm that's already

1022
01:16:58,640 --> 01:17:04,320
diminished a little bit by some uh some
personal leave elements and some other

1023
01:17:02,560 --> 01:17:07,120
leave things. So I want to make sure
that we support the sheriff's office as

1024
01:17:05,600 --> 01:17:10,159
we could. I don't disagree with the
philosophy that um that Commissioner

1025
01:17:08,719 --> 01:17:13,520
Hawkins has. We know we're trying really
hard to balance a budget, but you know,

1026
01:17:12,000 --> 01:17:18,000
you have to make those tough decisions
sometimes and it is a balancing act. So,

1027
01:17:16,000 --> 01:17:23,199
» and uh I guess one thing I can add is
kudos to our sheriff, Sheriff Morrison.

1028
01:17:20,000 --> 01:17:27,120
I mean, he he uh you know, he always
says, "I'm going to do the best I can to

1029
01:17:25,679 --> 01:17:31,760
serve the people of Chellan County
within the resources provided." And uh

1030
01:17:29,840 --> 01:17:37,600
it's been a really difficult year for
him and and and his team, but uh I

1031
01:17:35,120 --> 01:17:41,199
appreciate you, Sheriff. And I I do
point out that you know within the

1032
01:17:39,280 --> 01:17:48,800
county's budget, the sheriff's division
is 30% of of our spending or about 29%.

1033
01:17:45,840 --> 01:17:52,080
And so it's um you know any savings we
can realize through the sheriff's

1034
01:17:50,000 --> 01:17:55,199
department does does help us overall.
But you know there's always an

1035
01:17:53,440 --> 01:17:59,840
offsetting impact to that too. So I try
to be a tenant of that.

1036
01:17:58,080 --> 01:18:03,600
» Okay, we'll go back online here a
second. Uh, Mary Gallagher, I like when

1037
01:18:02,480 --> 01:18:06,159
the commissioners come up here, the
districts have public meetings in

1038
01:18:04,880 --> 01:18:10,159
addition to general meeting like this
with all three of you together. Thank

1039
01:18:08,080 --> 01:18:13,520
you. We'll put down a second approve.
Thank you, Mary.

1040
01:18:11,520 --> 01:18:18,800
» Um, let's see. Zoom meetings, but I do
like extended Q&A time. Yep. We save

1041
01:18:15,760 --> 01:18:22,159
plenty of time tonight for that. Uh,
>> oh, she want she wants us to come to the

1042
01:18:20,640 --> 01:18:25,440
districts, too, which we do do.
>> Oh, yeah. Right. Yeah. This is just a I

1043
01:18:24,159 --> 01:18:28,239
think a one-off, but maybe we'll
>> Yep. Twice a year. We try and come in

1044
01:18:26,960 --> 01:18:32,159
the spring and try and come in the fall
so everyone get together. Uh, thank you

1045
01:18:30,640 --> 01:18:35,920
for everything you do for the county,
Ian Vasquez. Thank you, Ian. Appreciate

1046
01:18:33,920 --> 01:18:41,000
that. Is that it for the chat box? Thank
you, Annabelle. All right, we'll go back

1047
01:18:37,679 --> 01:18:41,000
in chambers.

1048
01:18:41,360 --> 01:18:48,239
» I'm Danielle Wlette. I'm I live out in
Malaga. I actually live in Three Lakes

1049
01:18:45,920 --> 01:18:51,520
Estates. And don't forget, I am the
president of Three Lakes Homeowners

1050
01:18:50,000 --> 01:18:54,920
Association. You may refer to me as
Madame President.

1051
01:18:55,280 --> 01:19:00,159
» The floor is yours, Madam President. So
Danielle, before you start, I do want to

1052
01:18:58,640 --> 01:19:02,400
tell you that I'm a Malaga kid and I did
marry a three-leggeds girl, so I did

1053
01:19:01,520 --> 01:19:08,239
marry up. So
>> Oh, you did, didn't you?

1054
01:19:05,840 --> 01:19:12,880
» Uh I I hate to start with things that
make me unhappy, but I'm going to uh I

1055
01:19:10,719 --> 01:19:16,480
felt very disrespected as a citizen of
Malaga by the TIFF board. They listened

1056
01:19:15,040 --> 01:19:19,920
to all these people and they still had
already made up their minds. And I saw a

1057
01:19:17,840 --> 01:19:23,920
couple of the board members doodling and
it irritated me that they were in a

1058
01:19:22,000 --> 01:19:26,800
position to respect us and they didn't.
And they'd already made up their mind.

1059
01:19:25,120 --> 01:19:32,880
And I don't like it then. and I don't
like it now. I may run for office. Who

1060
01:19:29,679 --> 01:19:37,040
knows? Uh I don't quite understand
personally how we can win if our taxes

1061
01:19:34,960 --> 01:19:41,120
go down because the other things that
will go up. The traffic already if y'all

1062
01:19:39,760 --> 01:19:46,320
live out there and try and come into
town at any given time during the day.

1063
01:19:43,520 --> 01:19:50,080
There's huge traffic. If we get more
people, we're going to have more trash.

1064
01:19:48,159 --> 01:19:52,719
We're going to have more trouble. We're
going to need bigger roads. And where

1065
01:19:51,520 --> 01:19:57,360
y'all going to put them roads? You got
the railroad and you got the orchards.

1066
01:19:54,960 --> 01:20:02,400
Uh, I don't understand how that's a
win-win. I mean, what are tourists going

1067
01:19:59,679 --> 01:20:06,480
to do in Malaga? Go to Clockom. I mean,
truly, you know, it's a it's a dead end

1068
01:20:04,320 --> 01:20:12,400
road, which I like. I like living out
there. Uh, I don't know understand why

1069
01:20:09,360 --> 01:20:16,719
we think we need a pathway. Again, why
do we want people to run into Balaga? I

1070
01:20:14,640 --> 01:20:21,760
It's just an opinion, and I like having
one. I am an American. I have opinions.

1071
01:20:19,199 --> 01:20:25,040
Uh, in terms of the lawsuit, we waste a
lot of tax dollars all the time. Let's

1072
01:20:23,440 --> 01:20:30,880
waste tax dollars on a lawsuit. I like
it. I completely support it. I'm in

1073
01:20:27,679 --> 01:20:36,159
favor of the lawsuit. Uh
and interestingly, we we get uh all of

1074
01:20:34,400 --> 01:20:39,840
these buildings, which is great. The new
facility is great. So, what are we going

1075
01:20:38,239 --> 01:20:43,360
to do with our current buildings that
are there? Are we going to be able to

1076
01:20:41,040 --> 01:20:47,520
repurpose them in a way? Are we be to
make our community healthy all around? I

1077
01:20:45,760 --> 01:20:51,199
think it's great that we have a central
point now. So, everybody's together. So,

1078
01:20:49,440 --> 01:20:55,840
what are we going to do with what's left
over? I thought about CASA. Uh, as some

1079
01:20:54,000 --> 01:21:00,080
of us know, I I was a school teacher for
years and now I substitute, which is so

1080
01:20:57,679 --> 01:21:03,679
much more fun. And, uh, I'm still a
sports official, so I'm around a lot of

1081
01:21:01,760 --> 01:21:07,520
young people. If we don't support our
CASA, you're going to be needing bigger

1082
01:21:05,679 --> 01:21:11,199
jails because those kids aren't going to
have support and there's no place for

1083
01:21:09,040 --> 01:21:15,280
them to go except out. And it's not
going to be a good thing. I'm just

1084
01:21:12,719 --> 01:21:18,640
saying. I get it was only $19,000, but
Lord have mercy. Y'all got two million

1085
01:21:16,960 --> 01:21:24,480
here and two million there. I think
$20,000 to support our community in the

1086
01:21:21,520 --> 01:21:27,760
future is a really good idea. I'm really
grateful we're getting a new jail. I'm

1087
01:21:26,320 --> 01:21:32,960
really sorry to say I've been in that
jail a time or two to visit students and

1088
01:21:29,840 --> 01:21:36,159
whoever. Uh that jail is nasty. I don't
know if y'all have ever been inside that

1089
01:21:34,239 --> 01:21:39,199
jail as a as a person visiting. Please
go in. It's nasty. You can't touch that

1090
01:21:38,080 --> 01:21:43,920
seat. You don't want to touch them
walls. Pick up that phone. Excuse me. So

1091
01:21:42,560 --> 01:21:47,840
that's not a bad idea if we take a
couple of grand and clean off the inside

1092
01:21:45,440 --> 01:21:50,960
of the jail that's still there. so that
when we go there, we don't feel nasty

1093
01:21:49,440 --> 01:21:55,440
about the whole thing because it's
gross. Uh, I don't want more tourists in

1094
01:21:53,679 --> 01:21:59,120
Malaga. I like Malaga just like it is.
Okay, so I'm close-minded, but that's my

1095
01:21:57,520 --> 01:22:03,679
feeling. I just don't think it's going
to help us. I'd rather pay higher taxes

1096
01:22:01,440 --> 01:22:08,080
and keep Mala
small. I don't know that we need urban

1097
01:22:06,239 --> 01:22:12,400
growth. Why do we want to be like
everybody else? Why don't y'all grow up

1098
01:22:10,080 --> 01:22:15,679
toward Levvenworth or or, you know, on
the other side of the river in the

1099
01:22:13,600 --> 01:22:20,000
Douglas County? once I'll grow up, you
know, toward Waterville. It's just a

1100
01:22:17,920 --> 01:22:22,800
thought. It's just an opinion. Thank
you.

1101
01:22:21,040 --> 01:22:28,080
» Thank you, Madam President. We sure
appreciate

1102
01:22:24,320 --> 01:22:31,679
» appreciate your thoughtful input there.
>> All right, we have a gentleman in the

1103
01:22:30,400 --> 01:22:36,719
room. We'll go ahead and go to the room
next. Go right ahead.

1104
01:22:33,520 --> 01:22:41,440
» Hi. Um, my name is John Grin and I live
in the Chalan Ridge community in Chalan

1105
01:22:39,520 --> 01:22:46,000
and this is my first uh county
commissioner meeting and I want to say h

1106
01:22:43,520 --> 01:22:55,040
how well I think it's it's so well done
and not at all boring and uh so sorry

1107
01:22:50,159 --> 01:22:58,560
for expecting boring. Um
we're very glad that we could exceed

1108
01:22:57,040 --> 01:23:00,480
your expectations.
>> Thanks John.

1109
01:22:59,120 --> 01:23:05,760
» I did. It was wonderful.
>> Good. Um, so I first want to just tee up

1110
01:23:03,600 --> 01:23:09,920
the topic that I'd like to talk and ask
a few questions about. It's about the

1111
01:23:08,080 --> 01:23:15,920
possible relocation of the Mountain
Barge Service um from its current

1112
01:23:12,639 --> 01:23:19,199
location to a possible location on on
South uh Lakeshore Road,

1113
01:23:18,239 --> 01:23:25,840
» Moonlight Bay.
>> Uh I believe our HOA president, Julia

1114
01:23:21,679 --> 01:23:31,120
Nelson, has u lodged a formal complaint
or protest against that move. And I and

1115
01:23:28,800 --> 01:23:35,600
I just, you know, Julia told me about
the meeting and and I just wanted to,

1116
01:23:33,520 --> 01:23:39,199
you know, as a person in the community
and I know that there's many other

1117
01:23:36,960 --> 01:23:43,040
people that feel the same way I do, not
just in Chalan Ridge, but also in Sunny

1118
01:23:41,520 --> 01:23:48,000
Bank. I've talked to a number of
residents there and other residents on

1119
01:23:44,880 --> 01:23:52,159
Southshore Road. So, um, maybe just a
few things to consider. And first, I

1120
01:23:50,080 --> 01:23:56,000
want to say I love Steaken. I have been
to Steaken five or six times over the

1121
01:23:53,920 --> 01:24:02,480
years. I love it. So, I want to support
Steheken however we can. But I also want

1122
01:23:58,719 --> 01:24:08,800
that to not destroy a a beautiful
residential neighborhood that we have

1123
01:24:04,480 --> 01:24:12,480
along Southshore Road. So, um we do
understand that another temporary permit

1124
01:24:10,880 --> 01:24:18,080
has been granted to the Mountain Barge
Service in support of Steaken's

1125
01:24:15,199 --> 01:24:23,760
emergency needs. We get that. But I can
tell you during the last um temporary

1126
01:24:20,400 --> 01:24:29,440
permit, I personally witnessed a fuel
spill on Lake Chalan that came down to

1127
01:24:26,719 --> 01:24:33,840
our marina and coated the whole area
from where their barge dock is to the

1128
01:24:32,080 --> 01:24:39,199
state park with a coating of diesel
fuel. And that wasn't the first spill

1129
01:24:36,320 --> 01:24:44,000
they've had. So I think that is a that
is a major concern uh for us the

1130
01:24:42,000 --> 01:24:49,600
environmental impacts. But some
questions maybe. First, Mountain Barge

1131
01:24:47,040 --> 01:24:54,719
Service has operated from next door to
the Lady of the Lake Dock for many years

1132
01:24:51,520 --> 01:24:58,400
as I understand it. I got to ask why
can't that continue? It seems like

1133
01:24:56,639 --> 01:25:04,960
there's a lot of synergies. I hate that
word to those being colllocated. I mean,

1134
01:25:02,159 --> 01:25:11,360
the same people own both businesses.
There's a lot of, you know, they're

1135
01:25:06,800 --> 01:25:17,360
marine services, right? Um,
and then some questions to ask about why

1136
01:25:14,480 --> 01:25:21,199
not Southshore Road. You know, first,
it's his own residential. It is a

1137
01:25:19,520 --> 01:25:25,120
residential neighborhood in the truest
sense.

1138
01:25:22,800 --> 01:25:31,600
Think about the impact on a very popular
state park just up lake.

1139
01:25:29,199 --> 01:25:36,560
Look at if you've driven Southshore Road
and witnessed some of the slides, we

1140
01:25:34,159 --> 01:25:40,800
were closed for six weeks last last
year. you know, that's a very fragile

1141
01:25:38,560 --> 01:25:46,560
slope right there. And I think that, you
know, um, building something that has,

1142
01:25:43,920 --> 01:25:51,199
you know, capital is is a problem there.
I'll be very quick. Also, building a

1143
01:25:48,560 --> 01:25:56,960
dock over a very steep underwater slope
is problematic. And I think that if

1144
01:25:55,120 --> 01:26:01,199
there has to be a move out of its
current location, I really think having

1145
01:25:59,199 --> 01:26:05,600
been there and looked at the facility
that exists at Fields Point Landing,

1146
01:26:03,840 --> 01:26:08,880
that is an alternative that should be
considered. Thanks for your time.

1147
01:26:07,360 --> 01:26:12,719
» Thank you, John. We'll turn that over to
Commissioner Three.

1148
01:26:10,639 --> 01:26:16,880
» Yes. So, John, thank you so much for
your feedback. I really appreciate it.

1149
01:26:14,800 --> 01:26:21,280
That's definitely an issue that we've
heard a lot about kind of on all sides.

1150
01:26:19,360 --> 01:26:28,239
Um, and I can give you some some
updates. Um, I guess to answer one of

1151
01:26:25,600 --> 01:26:33,280
your questions, you know, why not the
traditional location they've always

1152
01:26:30,000 --> 01:26:39,199
used? Well, um
due to sort of a city of Schlan

1153
01:26:36,960 --> 01:26:46,000
pedestrian pathway that was recently
constructed, the barge operation had

1154
01:26:43,440 --> 01:26:51,120
difficulty actually getting their trucks
down and then there's also some traffic

1155
01:26:48,320 --> 01:26:58,800
concerns kind of at that location. So,
it has created a bit of urgency for for

1156
01:26:54,560 --> 01:27:03,199
that um particular barging business. Um
but that notwithstanding they had a

1157
01:27:01,040 --> 01:27:08,560
separate application for Moonlight Bay
which I believe is still uh under

1158
01:27:06,159 --> 01:27:13,280
consideration. The current operations
there do pertain to the emergency

1159
01:27:11,360 --> 01:27:18,639
response and kind of the flood
protection efforts that are ongoing in

1160
01:27:15,600 --> 01:27:24,480
Steaken and there could be some more for
um the US Forest Service road near

1161
01:27:21,199 --> 01:27:29,920
Holden. Um, but in terms of kind of a
longterm solution, uh, I actually was on

1162
01:27:28,000 --> 01:27:36,639
the phone this afternoon with uh,
regional port commissioner Richard D.

1163
01:27:31,679 --> 01:27:41,840
Rock and, uh, you know, um, Mike Capuda
had a meeting up there that Dena and I

1164
01:27:38,960 --> 01:27:46,080
attended and others including the DOT
and and a lot of City of Chalan

1165
01:27:43,760 --> 01:27:52,320
participants. And we one of the
potential ideas we had was well what if

1166
01:27:48,880 --> 01:27:58,639
the regional port sort of thought of
developing a port of Lake Chalan um in

1167
01:27:56,080 --> 01:28:04,080
kind of in maybe that area and not a
port of Lake Chalan in the sense of an

1168
01:28:00,800 --> 01:28:10,719
entity but as an actual physical port
that's publicly owned that could support

1169
01:28:06,159 --> 01:28:17,040
multiple operations and they are working
with property owners right now. uh

1170
01:28:13,360 --> 01:28:23,199
they've requested funding from um our US
representatives and US senators. So, uh

1171
01:28:20,719 --> 01:28:27,360
I think that I'm hoping that that might
be a long-term

1172
01:28:25,280 --> 01:28:31,600
solution. I I asked about Fields Point
and some other things, too, but it's um

1173
01:28:30,080 --> 01:28:36,800
when it comes to that particular
location near Moonlight Bay, that

1174
01:28:34,480 --> 01:28:42,400
happens to be the property that that
particular barging company also owns.

1175
01:28:39,760 --> 01:28:47,120
And so I think that led to them seeking
a permit. But you mentioned the the rock

1176
01:28:44,800 --> 01:28:53,600
slides as well. And I can tell you
because um the DOT participated on our

1177
01:28:50,639 --> 01:28:59,120
meeting up uh in Chalan that the DOT
also has concerns about an access point

1178
01:28:56,880 --> 01:29:02,880
um for any long-term operations there.
So there's definitely a lot to unpack,

1179
01:29:01,120 --> 01:29:07,520
but hopefully that answers some of your
questions.

1180
01:29:04,000 --> 01:29:10,080
» Follow the portal that you discussed. Is
there any discussion where that would

1181
01:29:09,120 --> 01:29:14,719
be?
>> Yeah, I think they're looking at

1182
01:29:11,760 --> 01:29:18,560
locations kind of uh maybe Mike can help
out, but kind of in that general area

1183
01:29:16,639 --> 01:29:25,480
that you were talking about with Lady of
the Lake and and others.

1184
01:29:20,719 --> 01:29:25,480
» So, but but a bigger property and Yeah.

1185
01:29:26,159 --> 01:29:30,520
» pardon me.
>> It seems unfortunate.

1186
01:29:32,159 --> 01:29:38,960
» Yeah. But if there's a way to sort of
overcome that and then ultimately end up

1187
01:29:36,480 --> 01:29:44,480
with something bigger and better that's
publicly accessible that doesn't support

1188
01:29:41,040 --> 01:29:50,320
just one entity but uh multiples and and
protects the upland you know services to

1189
01:29:46,800 --> 01:29:54,480
the upland up lake uh communities as
well as on lake residents and other

1190
01:29:52,639 --> 01:29:59,360
things that would be a great thing. It
seems like it's something that the

1191
01:29:56,639 --> 01:30:03,600
portal county 40 years ago should have
done. Um, and maybe this is the impetus

1192
01:30:01,760 --> 01:30:06,159
to to get it done. So, I'm keeping my
fingers crossed.

1193
01:30:05,199 --> 01:30:10,480
» Yeah. Thanks, John.
>> Dina or Mike, would you like to add

1194
01:30:07,840 --> 01:30:14,400
anything to that?
>> Um,

1195
01:30:12,400 --> 01:30:19,920
» yeah, that was a fantastic answer.
>> I just wanted to clarify one thing. So,

1196
01:30:17,120 --> 01:30:25,520
uh, they the barge company has
submitted, uh, an application for an

1197
01:30:22,639 --> 01:30:29,280
emergency use of the site.
Unfortunately,

1198
01:30:27,199 --> 01:30:33,199
once they started dredging and doing
work below the ordinary high water mark,

1199
01:30:31,040 --> 01:30:38,400
it no longer qualified for the emergency
exemption and it requires a conditional

1200
01:30:35,120 --> 01:30:46,480
use permit. Um, so they're aware of
that. Uh, we did receive the complaints

1201
01:30:41,840 --> 01:30:53,280
of early morning and uh late very very
late evening almost early morning work

1202
01:30:49,199 --> 01:30:57,440
that was being conducted. And about was
it about a month ago, a month and a half

1203
01:30:54,880 --> 01:31:02,880
ago, there was a stop work order placed
out there. Um, and then once the stop

1204
01:31:00,080 --> 01:31:08,000
work order is placed, it then it becomes
a a code enforcement

1205
01:31:06,320 --> 01:31:15,679
issue.
That's a a delicate balance given that

1206
01:31:11,840 --> 01:31:22,000
there are no options to get resources to
either Holden Village or Steaken right

1207
01:31:18,719 --> 01:31:28,000
now. So, we're trying to balance that
knowing that um the ideal answer here is

1208
01:31:26,159 --> 01:31:34,000
to federalize the property, but that's
not going to happen. Um and Mike's been

1209
01:31:31,440 --> 01:31:40,400
working with the feds and the state
agencies also through that process. So,

1210
01:31:37,520 --> 01:31:46,400
we don't know what the answer is.
Um, that would be ideal if the port

1211
01:31:43,120 --> 01:31:50,960
could step in and help look for a
location that that benefits all, but

1212
01:31:49,440 --> 01:31:54,320
right now we're kind of at a stalemate
with the whole thing.

1213
01:31:53,120 --> 01:31:57,360
» Mike,
>> yeah, I'll stick around. I'd love to

1214
01:31:55,920 --> 01:32:01,760
talk to about that.
>> Great. Yeah, John, you can ask more

1215
01:31:59,679 --> 01:32:05,840
questions. You can ask more questions on
the other end.

1216
01:32:03,199 --> 01:32:10,480
» Yeah. So, thank you for clarifying on
the

1217
01:32:07,920 --> 01:32:18,800
dredging
It was active in early March

1218
01:32:13,840 --> 01:32:24,400
» and they did not do that.
They were docking the barge right there

1219
01:32:22,159 --> 01:32:29,360
and so I think that's very concerning to
the residents. It seemed like it's a

1220
01:32:26,639 --> 01:32:34,560
done deal that was going
>> Yeah.

1221
01:32:32,320 --> 01:32:40,239
» Yeah. the the work below the ordinary
high water mark was also not included in

1222
01:32:36,480 --> 01:32:45,040
their original this second round of
emergency use permit. So yeah,

1223
01:32:43,440 --> 01:32:48,800
» thank you John. Appreciate that. We're
going to go in room here for the next

1224
01:32:46,480 --> 01:32:53,600
one. I do want to thank Dom for his
comment. You like the individual visits,

1225
01:32:51,760 --> 01:32:56,320
but the common district meetings are
good, too. Thank you, Dom. Appreciate

1226
01:32:55,040 --> 01:33:00,400
that. Okay, we'll go to the back of the
room.

1227
01:32:58,880 --> 01:33:03,199
» Sure. Can you hear me? Okay.
>> Or you can pull it out. Either one. It's

1228
01:33:02,000 --> 01:33:04,639
up to you. Yeah,
>> I'll just

1229
01:33:04,080 --> 01:33:09,440
» Okay.
>> Um, my name is Britney. I'm a homeowner

1230
01:33:06,560 --> 01:33:14,320
in district one. Um, I'm also a CA
volunteer. It's not why I'm here

1231
01:33:11,440 --> 01:33:19,679
tonight, but I do just want to point out
that um, you have a lot of engaged

1232
01:33:16,960 --> 01:33:25,600
volunteers who are civically engaged and
those dollars um are compounded when you

1233
01:33:23,280 --> 01:33:30,639
are paying something to train volunteers
who, you know, were not paid, were not

1234
01:33:28,080 --> 01:33:35,199
getting any travel.
Um, It's a really valuable program for

1235
01:33:33,199 --> 01:33:40,960
some of our most vulnerable children in
our community. Not why I'm here. Um I'm

1236
01:33:39,120 --> 01:33:44,560
actually here, we're hearing a lot about
the tip tonight, but I haven't heard

1237
01:33:42,560 --> 01:33:50,960
anything about the data centers
themselves.

1238
01:33:46,320 --> 01:33:56,080
Um I'm really concerned about
what is happening with not the Microsoft

1239
01:33:54,320 --> 01:34:01,280
data center, but we actually have
another data center that's being built

1240
01:33:57,920 --> 01:34:06,159
right now on the protected zone.
This is the same

1241
01:34:03,440 --> 01:34:11,600
protected system that
um you actually stopped construction of

1242
01:34:08,480 --> 01:34:18,400
an affordable housing development which
would have provided 45 homes for the Mal

1243
01:34:14,960 --> 01:34:22,000
community. Um meanwhile across the
street and that was 22 acres of land

1244
01:34:20,159 --> 01:34:27,120
across the street there are 80 acres of
land that have been purchased by Sy

1245
01:34:24,639 --> 01:34:32,400
Industries who are planning to build a
data center in Malaga that I don't local

1246
01:34:30,639 --> 01:34:39,760
residents have heard much about and we
had the Malibu water district hold a

1247
01:34:35,360 --> 01:34:45,600
meeting to tell people how um
residential septic tanks are going to

1248
01:34:42,400 --> 01:34:50,800
pollute their water where we have a data
center which is being built across the

1249
01:34:47,920 --> 01:34:55,280
street on a area that's four times the
size of the projected housing

1250
01:34:52,639 --> 01:35:01,120
development and I'm interested to know
what chemicals are they using to cool

1251
01:34:58,080 --> 01:35:05,840
the water Um this is also going to go
into the ground in the same wellhead

1252
01:35:03,199 --> 01:35:12,560
protected zone. Both of these are in the
wellhead protected zone. Um so I do have

1253
01:35:08,719 --> 01:35:17,840
a lot of concerns about that one you
know what is going into the water. Two

1254
01:35:16,239 --> 01:35:24,639
how much water are they going to use and
how is that going to affect the already

1255
01:35:20,320 --> 01:35:28,159
low water supply that we have in Malaga?
Also I want to know the impact on the

1256
01:35:26,239 --> 01:35:34,239
quality of life. This is a residential
area. What is the sound that's coming

1257
01:35:30,960 --> 01:35:38,880
from the data center? What is the other
pollution the other sources of pollution

1258
01:35:35,920 --> 01:35:42,000
that are coming from these data centers?
What's it going to do with property

1259
01:35:40,080 --> 01:35:45,440
values?
There's a lot of questions here and I'm

1260
01:35:43,760 --> 01:35:50,800
also concerned about the cumulative
impact of several data centers in Malaga

1261
01:35:49,120 --> 01:35:55,440
and what is that going to do especially
an area that was

1262
01:35:53,360 --> 01:36:00,800
located or Malagan has been identified
as a great affordable housing and

1263
01:35:58,480 --> 01:36:05,120
instead of doing that, we're now
building data centers instead of

1264
01:36:02,880 --> 01:36:09,280
housing. And it's just ironic to me that
we have to drive past a homeless

1265
01:36:06,880 --> 01:36:14,880
encampment where we see people who have
nowhere to live and you know these homes

1266
01:36:12,480 --> 01:36:18,159
would have been for first home buyers
and I think you should really pay

1267
01:36:16,320 --> 01:36:20,800
attention to what are the benefits that
are coming from this and what is the

1268
01:36:19,520 --> 01:36:23,120
cost.
>> So I want to address a couple of the

1269
01:36:22,159 --> 01:36:26,080
things that you said here and then I'm
going to kick it over to Dena and let

1270
01:36:24,239 --> 01:36:29,199
her address the rest. So to my knowledge
and Dina can correct me if I'm wrong,

1271
01:36:27,440 --> 01:36:34,320
we've had basically I believe two
permits maybe a third for Microsoft for

1272
01:36:32,639 --> 01:36:37,600
the data center. So three permits for
data center. SBI has not submitted any

1273
01:36:36,080 --> 01:36:41,760
permitting for data center.
>> So they

1274
01:36:39,679 --> 01:36:45,760
yeah I I'm I'm aware of the uh the
location. It actually is the former pit

1275
01:36:44,159 --> 01:36:49,920
there because I actually grew up right
across the road there on Dixie Lane from

1276
01:36:47,199 --> 01:36:54,320
it. So when they uh put the trees in and
uh basically took out a big field to

1277
01:36:52,400 --> 01:36:58,080
mine it out, you know, that's what the
residents had to put up with for several

1278
01:36:56,159 --> 01:37:01,760
years. There was a mineral extraction
operation for gravel and then they

1279
01:37:00,080 --> 01:37:05,920
reclaimed it with an orchard. And I know
that the new owners, they purchased it

1280
01:37:03,280 --> 01:37:09,280
last March, basically just pulled out
all of the orchard uh from that

1281
01:37:07,920 --> 01:37:13,520
particular facility. And so the
orchard's been pulled out, but um right

1282
01:37:11,840 --> 01:37:17,520
now we've not received anything at the
county with regards to any permitting

1283
01:37:15,040 --> 01:37:22,639
for a data center in that location.
Um to kind of go back to a couple of the

1284
01:37:19,840 --> 01:37:27,840
other things that you mentioned, the um
the county is not responsible for

1285
01:37:24,560 --> 01:37:31,440
shutting down the um housing that's
being built. Uh actually, I think you're

1286
01:37:29,360 --> 01:37:35,760
probably referring to to Mr. Port and
Real Homes. Uh we're not responsible for

1287
01:37:33,760 --> 01:37:39,840
that, shutting that down. Uh he
basically has to put his permitting

1288
01:37:38,239 --> 01:37:42,719
through us. And there's uh certain
elements that we have to make sure in

1289
01:37:41,360 --> 01:37:46,560
place, whether it's, you know, what is
the wastewater? And that's basically

1290
01:37:44,000 --> 01:37:49,760
comes from the the health department. do
they have potable water that comes from

1291
01:37:48,000 --> 01:37:54,960
the water purveyor and it's actually the
Malaga water district that is the one

1292
01:37:51,840 --> 01:38:00,560
that has uh kind of put a little stop on
that and they are looking at 2.5 acres

1293
01:37:58,639 --> 01:38:05,199
for a septic system within their
wellhead protection area which extends

1294
01:38:02,480 --> 01:38:08,719
about 3,000 ft and so there is some
disagreement over the wellhead

1295
01:38:06,560 --> 01:38:12,320
protection zone with uh some of the
developers as well as some of the local

1296
01:38:10,800 --> 01:38:15,600
land owners out there that we're trying
to work through. I know that we have a

1297
01:38:14,239 --> 01:38:19,440
meeting coming up at the end of next
month or right around third week of uh

1298
01:38:17,520 --> 01:38:23,679
well tomorrow will be this April so
it'll be the third week of April. Uh

1299
01:38:21,199 --> 01:38:26,239
Ron, myself, Dena or her staff and some
others are meeting with the water

1300
01:38:25,119 --> 01:38:30,480
district. We've already met with the
water district to see if we can

1301
01:38:27,840 --> 01:38:34,320
basically find a short-term solution.
And I mean short-term in the matter of

1302
01:38:32,080 --> 01:38:38,239
10 to 15 year solution while we're
waiting for the tiff dollars to

1303
01:38:35,760 --> 01:38:42,239
basically create the wastewater facility
to continue to get that housing built

1304
01:38:40,239 --> 01:38:46,400
that is affordable housing in those
locations that have already been

1305
01:38:43,360 --> 01:38:49,840
identified. And so, um, we're working
trying to work through that, whether

1306
01:38:47,600 --> 01:38:52,880
it's maybe a large off-site system that
we could actually go ahead and put in

1307
01:38:51,119 --> 01:38:57,440
some trunk lines already in the
community to be able to connect to the

1308
01:38:55,440 --> 01:39:00,960
full-time or basically a sewer treatment
facility down the road. But these are

1309
01:38:59,600 --> 01:39:05,520
all things that we're still trying to
work through the nuances of it. I do

1310
01:39:02,880 --> 01:39:09,199
know that the developer, Mr. Port, does
have a a hearing, I think, before the

1311
01:39:07,119 --> 01:39:13,360
hearing examiner on the 15th of of
April, uh, over this particular issue

1312
01:39:11,199 --> 01:39:17,760
itself and that and the wellhead
protection. So currently right now and I

1313
01:39:15,920 --> 01:39:21,679
like I said I'll let Dina chime in. Uh
we have not received anything with

1314
01:39:19,920 --> 01:39:26,880
regards to the building of a data
center. Now that property is currently

1315
01:39:24,400 --> 01:39:32,239
zoned rural industrial. So a data center
is a permitted use on that property but

1316
01:39:30,320 --> 01:39:35,520
as we look through this process the UG
process it's possible that that zoning

1317
01:39:34,320 --> 01:39:39,840
potentially could change. That's going
to be up to the the uh property owner as

1318
01:39:38,080 --> 01:39:44,440
well as some other factors. So Dina,
I'll let you go ahead and take it from

1319
01:39:41,040 --> 01:39:44,440
there. commen

1320
01:39:46,960 --> 01:39:53,440
» it's currently
>> so

1321
01:39:50,480 --> 01:39:56,800
» um so it must have been reszone to
industrial during the lanyard

1322
01:39:55,840 --> 01:40:01,280
designation
>> it was well that uh mine went in they

1323
01:40:00,000 --> 01:40:06,239
started in the 80s
>> okay

1324
01:40:02,080 --> 01:40:11,360
» so it was it was pre um GMA
>> yeah so it so it's been industrial for

1325
01:40:08,560 --> 01:40:15,440
quite a while um and in the industrial
zoning designations. Residential is not

1326
01:40:13,920 --> 01:40:21,400
allowed.
>> That's incorrect. That when that

1327
01:40:17,360 --> 01:40:21,400
property was purchased in

1328
01:40:22,880 --> 01:40:29,000
» there has been no
>> comprehensive.

1329
01:40:32,480 --> 01:40:37,000
» Oh yes, that's John Port's property.

1330
01:40:39,600 --> 01:40:47,119
» Right. You are correct there. Yes.
>> Yes, it is.

1331
01:40:45,920 --> 01:40:52,320
» Yes.
>> And the the data center property or the

1332
01:40:49,280 --> 01:40:56,320
SE property um they've applied for
nothing there and actually haven't even

1333
01:40:54,159 --> 01:41:03,280
approached us to ask any questions about
it. um that is zoned industrial, but the

1334
01:41:00,239 --> 01:41:09,360
port property for Malaga Ridge and
Malaga Meadows, I believe, are the two

1335
01:41:06,320 --> 01:41:15,679
um are going to public hearing in front
of the hearing examiner on April 15th at

1336
01:41:12,000 --> 01:41:23,520
1 p.m. And that's you can actually log
on via Zoom link for that. Um but those

1337
01:41:20,719 --> 01:41:26,880
those talks between the developer and
the water district have been occurring

1338
01:41:25,280 --> 01:41:32,880
for a year. Yeah,
>> it's been about a year. Um, and so the

1339
01:41:29,920 --> 01:41:36,800
the county as the permitting agency, we
don't have any say in it at all. It's

1340
01:41:35,360 --> 01:41:42,320
between the water district, the health
district, and the developer. And so all

1341
01:41:40,320 --> 01:41:47,679
we do is
shuttle it through the process.

1342
01:41:44,960 --> 01:41:50,760
Um, and then both have appeal rights at
the end.

1343
01:41:52,560 --> 01:41:59,679
» The Okay. So the residential
>> right

1344
01:41:57,199 --> 01:42:03,920
» the data center could not go because
that's an industrial use on the property

1345
01:42:01,840 --> 01:42:07,920
that port
>> no I'm talking about the data center

1346
01:42:07,280 --> 01:42:11,440
already
>> right

1347
01:42:09,920 --> 01:42:16,480
yes
>> and the determining factor on that would

1348
01:42:14,480 --> 01:42:21,040
be if they came in for a building permit
they would need to provide a water

1349
01:42:17,920 --> 01:42:25,360
availability certificate provided by the
Malaga water district and they would

1350
01:42:23,119 --> 01:42:29,440
have the final say. If they don't have
water availability, we can't issue the

1351
01:42:27,199 --> 01:42:32,920
building permit for it.
I'm just wondering

1352
01:42:36,400 --> 01:42:41,239
what
do

1353
01:42:46,880 --> 01:42:55,679
» I I don't know that their study for the
well protection area considered that uh

1354
01:42:53,360 --> 01:43:00,960
but the well protection area for the
water district also we estimated at

1355
01:42:58,400 --> 01:43:06,239
about 3,000 ft, but it's actually based
on time. It's a 10 year, 5 year,

1356
01:43:03,360 --> 01:43:10,320
threeyear, I think, or one year. Um, so
we don't actually know what that

1357
01:43:09,199 --> 01:43:15,320
distance is.
>> I guess the same company

1358
01:43:15,520 --> 01:43:19,800
is also being paid by Microsoft

1359
01:43:22,159 --> 01:43:28,440
Microsoft.
They're also the

1360
01:43:30,960 --> 01:43:37,600
Well,
>> and and that is an area that the county

1361
01:43:35,440 --> 01:43:44,960
is not involved in at all. We're just
the permitting conduit. Um and so if the

1362
01:43:41,199 --> 01:43:49,760
water district through whatever evidence
they have say yes, they're going to sign

1363
01:43:47,920 --> 01:43:54,400
the water availability, we will issue
the building permits for it. If they say

1364
01:43:52,400 --> 01:43:57,800
no, there's no water available, I can't
issue the permits.

1365
01:44:00,080 --> 01:44:07,280
We do have public meetings coming up to
show up to those meetings. One was

1366
01:44:04,960 --> 01:44:12,880
advertised earlier and then the county
is having their meeting. We're all very

1367
01:44:09,760 --> 01:44:18,239
concerned with what's going on now that
we're looking at the land use

1368
01:44:15,440 --> 01:44:24,000
classifications in each area.
Personally, I would really like to see

1369
01:44:20,960 --> 01:44:28,560
not only the water be considered, but
all the studies that have been done

1370
01:44:26,239 --> 01:44:33,280
about data centers in close location
with residential areas. There's all

1371
01:44:31,199 --> 01:44:38,719
kinds of research that says it's bad
news and we have to consider the

1372
01:44:37,440 --> 01:44:42,800
» All right, we'll move on to the next
guest that we have. Go ahead and

1373
01:44:40,000 --> 01:44:48,080
introduce yourself. I'm Sharon Seal from
Malaga, formerly from South Lakeshore

1374
01:44:45,360 --> 01:44:53,520
Road, but Commissioner Hawkins. Why
>> did you leave me, Sharon?

1375
01:44:51,440 --> 01:44:58,000
» She She came to God's country.
>> Small small and mighty. I know where

1376
01:44:55,440 --> 01:45:00,960
you're
>> keeping it in the county. We appreciate

1377
01:44:59,679 --> 01:45:06,480
it.
So, uh, my first question is was

1378
01:45:04,320 --> 01:45:12,800
regarding the sewer system planning,
which I believe Kevin covered quite a

1379
01:45:09,520 --> 01:45:18,560
bit, but there was quite a mental
discrepancy in my mind between

1380
01:45:16,080 --> 01:45:24,320
Miss Commissioner Overbe's
more optimistic

1381
01:45:20,480 --> 01:45:30,239
talks at some of the meetings and Miss
Walters's numerous years uh, projection

1382
01:45:28,400 --> 01:45:36,080
of time from when
sewer system might

1383
01:45:32,719 --> 01:45:41,119
uh manifest itself. So, I wondered if
either one of you could uh quantify what

1384
01:45:38,639 --> 01:45:45,040
you mean uh when we might have a
temporary sewer system versus a more

1385
01:45:43,840 --> 01:45:49,440
comprehensive one.
>> I was speaking strictly on the

1386
01:45:46,719 --> 01:45:53,119
comprehensive a full-blown sewer system
whether there is treatment on our side

1387
01:45:51,679 --> 01:45:57,199
of the river or another option
available. So, I don't think we were

1388
01:45:55,360 --> 01:46:01,600
wrong. We were just talking at two
>> two different things.

1389
01:45:58,560 --> 01:46:03,840
» Yeah. an interim solution versus the
full-blown solution.

1390
01:46:02,560 --> 01:46:06,639
» Yeah. Because realistically, I mean, we
are in a housing crisis. I mean, let's

1391
01:46:05,360 --> 01:46:11,360
just, you know, everybody knows that.
And so, the ability for developers to

1392
01:46:08,880 --> 01:46:14,400
build housing in areas that basically
were designed for that when we go back

1393
01:46:12,639 --> 01:46:18,719
and look, and I mentioned earlier, the
2006 Mala visioning statement basically

1394
01:46:17,280 --> 01:46:22,880
looked at everything inside the West
Malica loop as potential housing. And

1395
01:46:21,199 --> 01:46:26,719
you have also have housing that
basically goes right along Dixie Lane.

1396
01:46:24,960 --> 01:46:30,480
And so you see that development there
and then when that development is

1397
01:46:27,920 --> 01:46:34,639
stopped because there's a concern of a
water source then how do we basically we

1398
01:46:32,880 --> 01:46:38,320
can't continue to add to it by saying
we'll put better septic systems in. How

1399
01:46:37,040 --> 01:46:43,119
can we basically look at this and say
how can we do a large off-site system

1400
01:46:40,400 --> 01:46:47,199
that would be able to handle that load
for the interimm time frame? Because

1401
01:46:45,360 --> 01:46:52,639
realistically, if we go with what the
the full purpose behind the TIA and the

1402
01:46:50,639 --> 01:46:57,119
primary objective of that according to
the port was a wastewater treatment

1403
01:46:54,480 --> 01:47:01,119
facility for the Malaga area. And so
that could be 10 years out, 15 years

1404
01:46:59,199 --> 01:47:04,239
out, 20 years out. But what can we put
in place to make sure that those houses

1405
01:47:02,719 --> 01:47:07,199
continue to get built? We still have
housing for the people that need to have

1406
01:47:05,440 --> 01:47:11,040
the housing, but we have that off-site
system that's away from the wellhead

1407
01:47:09,119 --> 01:47:15,040
protection area that we're able to go
ahead and pipe that wastewater to that

1408
01:47:13,440 --> 01:47:18,000
won't have the necessarily have the
impact to the wellheads because it's

1409
01:47:16,480 --> 01:47:20,800
outside the area. And that's really what
we're researching.

1410
01:47:18,960 --> 01:47:25,920
» Yeah.
My second uh question was uh regarding

1411
01:47:24,159 --> 01:47:30,560
the UG
uh

1412
01:47:28,480 --> 01:47:35,440
you mentioned the first quarter of next
year as being posted. This is the first

1413
01:47:33,360 --> 01:47:41,360
I've heard of that because last time we
talked to to you uh it was we were

1414
01:47:39,040 --> 01:47:46,159
shooting for the December 31st deadline.
>> Yes. So by law we have to have the

1415
01:47:44,400 --> 01:47:50,800
periodic update for the comprehensive
plan which would be it would include the

1416
01:47:48,800 --> 01:47:56,960
establishment of the Malaga UG by
December 31st. But the implementation

1417
01:47:53,440 --> 01:48:01,280
tools, so the changes in the zoning code
and any subdivision regulations, any

1418
01:47:59,040 --> 01:48:05,600
environmental regulations, anything else
that uh would be considered an

1419
01:48:03,520 --> 01:48:11,119
implementation to all the current codes
we have um we have

1420
01:48:08,719 --> 01:48:15,520
uh we typically we like to have a year,
but we have about six months to put

1421
01:48:13,199 --> 01:48:22,080
those in place. So, it's really
important upfront as part of the

1422
01:48:17,920 --> 01:48:27,679
comprehensive plan um update to identify
the boundaries and identify the zoning.

1423
01:48:25,679 --> 01:48:34,480
And then we're going to move into phase
two and say, okay, with these zoning

1424
01:48:31,679 --> 01:48:40,080
designations, what does our district use
chart look like? It doesn't have to look

1425
01:48:36,800 --> 01:48:46,400
like the template in Pashaston. Um that
it it looks like the community is is

1426
01:48:42,000 --> 01:48:50,480
gonna side with that option. Um but but
the community may go through the

1427
01:48:48,320 --> 01:48:54,880
district use chart and say, "Okay, these
are uses identified

1428
01:48:52,880 --> 01:49:00,080
um in the template, but we have
additional uses we want added in or

1429
01:48:57,520 --> 01:49:05,360
these uses are existing, but we would
not like them to be allowed in these

1430
01:49:02,480 --> 01:49:09,440
zones." So, that's part of the planning
process that we're going to be working

1431
01:49:06,639 --> 01:49:12,800
with the community with. Um, and you
have two meetings coming up, I believe,

1432
01:49:11,520 --> 01:49:15,520
April 7th,
>> or sorry, April

1433
01:49:14,639 --> 01:49:19,119
» 14th.
>> 14th.

1434
01:49:16,000 --> 01:49:22,320
» 14th and May 7th is the second one. Um,
and those are the issues that you're

1435
01:49:20,639 --> 01:49:25,119
going to be working on, right? And then
once it's adopted at the end of the

1436
01:49:24,159 --> 01:49:30,000
year,
>> then we'll start looking at the um

1437
01:49:28,080 --> 01:49:33,280
amendments to the zoning code to
implement those.

1438
01:49:31,119 --> 01:49:37,440
» Right. So that's that's what that first
quarter of next year is for those

1439
01:49:35,920 --> 01:49:43,119
implementation tools.
>> Okay, that that was my Yeah, it does

1440
01:49:40,080 --> 01:49:46,639
make sense and uh I just was a
discrepancy in my mind with the two

1441
01:49:44,480 --> 01:49:47,520
dates, but yeah. Okay, very good. Thank
you.

1442
01:49:46,960 --> 01:49:51,360
» You're welcome.
>> Great. Thank you, Sharon. Appreciate

1443
01:49:49,119 --> 01:49:54,800
that. We've gone over time here quite a
bit, but I'll give it another five or

1444
01:49:52,960 --> 01:49:57,920
six minutes here so we can close out at
8 o'clock and be respectful of

1445
01:49:56,239 --> 01:50:02,400
everyone's schedule and those that have
to work tomorrow. So, is there anyone

1446
01:50:00,080 --> 01:50:08,400
else online that would like to uh share
anything with us tonight? Be more than

1447
01:50:04,480 --> 01:50:12,360
happy to take another question or two.
Anyone else in the room?

1448
01:50:15,920 --> 01:50:22,480
Third and final call. Online or in the
room? Oh, Tammy's coming up. Okay, we'll

1449
01:50:20,800 --> 01:50:28,960
take you Tammy. You just made it under
the wire, so take it away. I just want

1450
01:50:25,600 --> 01:50:33,600
to ask um you Jame had a meeting for the
county you said was going to be the

1451
01:50:30,639 --> 01:50:35,440
18th. That's a conflict with the Malaga
Water District meeting.

1452
01:50:34,639 --> 01:50:40,639
» Yes.
>> It's it's we're planning it the week of

1453
01:50:39,199 --> 01:50:45,280
» May 18th. Okay.
>> Um but we haven't decided on exactly

1454
01:50:42,960 --> 01:50:49,040
which day yet because we don't want any
conflicts with any end of the year

1455
01:50:47,280 --> 01:50:52,960
school activities. Yeah.
>> Any banquetss, anything else that's

1456
01:50:50,960 --> 01:50:57,920
going on. The Malaga water district
meeting. had that before where like

1457
01:50:55,920 --> 01:51:02,159
Sharon had to be at the Malaga Water
meeting and she couldn't come to the

1458
01:51:00,639 --> 01:51:06,960
» Yes. We're trying to plan around
everyone else's meeting and I've been

1459
01:51:03,679 --> 01:51:12,480
working with well she was just here Jill
Jill our PIO and so we're looking for uh

1460
01:51:10,400 --> 01:51:16,480
an adequate location that will house a
lot of people and the date that will

1461
01:51:15,119 --> 01:51:19,760
work that doesn't have any other
conflicts.

1462
01:51:18,239 --> 01:51:23,360
» Yes.
>> Great. Thank you Tammy. Appreciate that.

1463
01:51:21,440 --> 01:51:27,840
I do want to point out that Marty Young,
our county clerk, snuck in the back. You

1464
01:51:25,280 --> 01:51:32,000
can wave at the camera, Marty. There you
go. Welcome aboard. Thank you, Marty.

1465
01:51:30,239 --> 01:51:35,440
Okay, a couple more minutes here. Do we
have any other questions? Any other

1466
01:51:33,440 --> 01:51:39,159
conversations we'd like to have before
we close this out?

1467
01:51:40,560 --> 01:51:46,320
» Well, I want to thank everybody very
much for taking the uh effort and the

1468
01:51:44,400 --> 01:51:50,400
time to come down and meet with meet
with us in the chambers. That wall right

1469
01:51:48,880 --> 01:51:54,719
there, right behind the second row of
chairs, collapses. And we're usually in

1470
01:51:52,480 --> 01:51:58,800
here all by ourselves. So, we love
having guests in here and having

1471
01:51:56,000 --> 01:52:05,760
visitors coming and meeting and watching
the government work for you.

1472
01:52:01,920 --> 01:52:13,679
» So, with Oh, Vicki, please,
you know, we work for you. So with that,

1473
01:52:08,560 --> 01:52:18,560
I will go ahead and uh close the first
meeting that we have had in this format

1474
01:52:16,639 --> 01:52:24,639
of all three commissioners being
together at once for a community

1475
01:52:21,040 --> 01:52:29,599
meeting. And we will be doing both uh uh
in our own districts individually and we

1476
01:52:27,599 --> 01:52:34,639
have two votes so far. I might have some
more come in that this was a good idea.

1477
01:52:31,840 --> 01:52:38,719
But I thank you very much.
Want to thank everyone for participating

1478
01:52:36,480 --> 01:52:43,199
and all those online taking the time to
tune in as well. You got to be in your

1479
01:52:40,560 --> 01:52:46,960
sweats at home obviously while we were
all here.

1480
01:52:44,800 --> 01:52:53,679
» So, thank you everyone. Have a great
evening and really appreciate your input

1481
01:52:49,440 --> 01:52:53,679
again. Thank you. Or I see the