BOCC update March 25 & 26, 2024, Agenda for week of April 1, 2024

[emily_sisson]

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Monday, March 25, 2024 AM & PM
• Pete Palmer, Planning Director, discusses a grant application for water banking. Commissioner Branch says he thinks the county should hire a Water Resources Manager to handle water banking instead of using someone in the Planning Department. Palmer also discusses plans for the continued re-zone hearing that’s scheduled for the Argiplex that evening.
• The Sheriff’s Office is applying for a Fire Arms Safety and Violence Prevention grant. The grant includes funding to hire a core outreach specialist to serve as a co-responder and develop a collaborative relationship between the Sheriff’s Office, fire fighters and EMTs. Commissioner Branch thinks hiring the right person for this job will be the key to its success.
• The commissioners hold a 30 minute executive session, under RCW 42.30.110(1)(i)—to discuss potential litigation, inviting Esther Milner, Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor.
Meeting adjourns at 2:05.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 AM
• No public comment.
• Carelon Behavioral Health Organization (BHSAO) representatives in to explain to BOCC their contract with the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) for Crisis (Substance Abuse and Mental Health) Services in three County groups in the State of Washington; Spokane (which includes Okanogan County), Southwest Washington, and Pierce County. Carelon is a for-profit nationwide organization – part of Elevance health. Okanogan Behavioral HealthCare (OBHC), which is a subcontractor of Carelon also joined the discussion.
• Public Works:
o poor road conditions coming out of winter in Chesaw & Havillah. Also Libby Creek.
o Foster Bridge Road Repair.
o Landfill cleaning out, green waste program,
o Whistler Canyon trailhead, and possible kiosk in Loomis area.
o Report on progress of new county shops.
• Adjourned for lunch at 11:57


Tuesday, March 26, 2024 PM
• Auto purchases over $50,000 subject to competitive bid.
• Corrections officer after first year reports shifting staff around, wants more interaction with inmates, less filling out forms, is consulting with Tribes on mental health.
• Sheriff’s office and Omak Police Dept. seek grant to employ mental health worker; sheriff urges collaboration between agencies to prepare for “a huge fire season.”
• Prosecutor presents new Bar Association guidelines for gradual reduction of average public defender caseloads from 150 to 47, anticipates need to prioritize offenses affecting public safety.
• Court Clerk reports 15-year record number of state filings.
• Green waste accepted at landfill free of charge thanks to air quality grant.
• Assessor hopeful state proposal to lower property tax passes next session.
• Coroner’s office faces certification hassle, prepares building swap.
• Planning director applauded, called “toughest-skinned person of the year” after taking heat for zone code revision, wants to get permit software running.
• Ag Dept.’s $17,500 grant to cover Fair program.
• Commissioners to draw up agreement for opioid settlement spending; fund administrator’s report forthcoming.
• ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars to pay for recruiting defense attorneys.
• Commissioners Hover and Branch conjecture on implications of indigent defense legislation proposals, Hover says there’s room for NAACP to get involved.
• Adjourn at 3:25.

AGENDA for the week of April 1,2024
Monday, April 1st, 2024
Join Zoom Audio and Video https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85243019263 Meeting ID: 852 4301 9263
Join by phone Audio Only• +1 253 215 8782 Meeting ID: 852 4301 9263
9:00 AM Review Commissioners Agenda and Consent Agenda
9:15 AM Public Comment Period
9:30 AM Executive Session RCW 42.30.110(1)(iii)-Legal Risks of a Current Practice
9:45 AM Commissioners’ Staff Meeting
11:00 AM Bid Award-Country Legal Newspaper of Record
11:30 AM Discussion-OCTC LTAC (Okanogan County Tourism Council and Lodging Tax Advisory Committee) Contracts-Kiosks & DMO
1:30 PM Update-County Homeless Crisis Follow-up-OCCAC Rena Shawver
2:00 PM Discussion-CGI Scripts to Prepare for Production Meeting on April 8-Video Tour
3:00 PM Update-Noxious Weed Staffing & Education Events Coordination-Larry Hudson

Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024
Join Zoom Audio & Video: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88591469116 Meeting ID: 885 9146 9116 Or
Join Audio Only: +1 253 205 0468 Meeting ID: 885 9146 9116
9:00 AM Review Meeting Minutes
9:15 AM Public Comment Period
9:30 AM Discussion-Finance Round Table-Aeneas Lake Irrigation District
10:30 AM Update-Communication/Dispatch-Mike Worden
11:00 AM Update-Public Works-Engineer Josh Thomson
1:30 PM Update-Human Resources/Risk Management-Shelley Keitzman
2:30 PM Update-Department of Ecology-David Bowen
3:30 PM Approve Commissioners Proceedings
3:40 PM Approve Consent Agenda
1. ARPA Req#2-Professional Engineering Services, Gray & Osborne-City of Okanogan (ARPA is American Rescue Plan Act.)
2. Interlocal Agreement-Twisp Emergency Egress Project-Okanogan County & Town of Twisp
3. Agreement-Additional Funding for Public Defense Services
4. CDBG Req#20-General Admin, Public Services-Community Action Council (CDBG is Community Development Block Grant.)
5. Cattleguard Renewals-CGF#5-98, #6-89
6. Letter of Support-Appropriations Request for Nespelem Convalescent Center
7. Proclamation-WASAC Executive Director, Eric Brian Johnson Day, May 31, 2024 (WASAC is Washington State Association of Counties.)

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024
Join Zoom Audio and Video: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87854826531 Meeting ID: 878 5482 6531 Or
Join Phone Audio Only +1 253-215-8782 Meeting ID: 878 5482 6531
If needed, agenda to be set Tuesday, by 1:30 PM

State, Community and Other Meetings or Notices
(Meetings in this section may not be opened to the public, however a Commissioner may attend one or all of these meetings. Meetings that more than one Commissioner attend will be noted above. Location of meeting will follow meeting name.)

Monday, April 1st,2024
4:00 PM Solid Waste Advisory Committee-Public Works Conference Room

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024
11:00 AM Safety Committee Meeting-Commissioners Hearing Room
2:00 PM Okanogan County Water Conservancy Board Meeting-Zoom

Thursday, April 4th, 2024
8:00 AM Reserved-Juvenile Family Therapeutic Courts-Commissioners Hearing Room
10:00 AM LEOFF Board Meeting-Commissioners Conference Room (Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Pension Plan)
6:00 PM Fair Advisory Committee Meeting-Commissioners Hearing Room

UPCOMING MEETINGS
April 8th OCOG/RTPO Meeting-303 2nd Ave S, Okanogan (Okanogan Council of Governments/Regional Transportation Planning Organization)
April 9th Board of Health Meeting-1234 S. 2nd Ave, Okanogan
April 11th Hearing Examiner-Commissioners Hearing Room
April 11th Aging & Adult Care-E Wenatchee, 50 Simon St. Suite A
April 11th Alta Vista Irrigation District Meeting-Commissioners Hearing Room
April 17th TRANGO Meeting-Okanogan County TRANGO Office
April 18th Juvenile Family Therapeutic Courts-Commissioners Hearing Room
April 18th Civil Service Meeting-Commissioners Conference Room

Note: All times, are estimates to assist in scheduling and may be changed subject to the business of the day at the board’s discretion. The board may add and/or delete and take any action on any item not included in the above agenda. The board may act upon any subject placed on the agenda regardless of how the matter is stated. All matters listed within the consent agenda have been distributed to each member of the board to read and study. The items are considered routine and will be enacted on by one motion by the commissioners with no separate discussion. If separate discussion is desired, then that item may be removed from the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda by request. Items discussed during Citizen Comment Period shall be limited only for issues not otherwise on the Agenda or scheduled discussion topics.