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OKANOGAN COUNTY WATCH

Okanogan County Watch
Helping Citizens Stay Informed

Photo Credit: Justin Haug

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meets every Monday and Tuesday at the Commissioner's hearing room at the Virginia Grainger building in Okanogan. Volunteer citizens take notes at most BOCC meetings and post them here. The volunteer notes are a paraphrasing of what they observe and hear and are not considered part of any official records. For officially approved minutes of Board of Commissioner meetings, normally published at a later date, see www.okanogancounty.org.

For information on various County boards and commissions, click on the County Boards tab above.

We have started doing live video on Facebook for occasional presentations and hearings. They will be saved on our Facebook page indefinitely and can be viewed any time. We also have a You Tube Channel where our videos are archived and can be viewed. Due to the limited number of people available for this task, we are video taping a limited number of meetings. The videos may be of regular meetings, presentations and public hearings at BOCC or Advisory Committee meetings such as Planning Commission, Watershed Councils, etc. If anyone has a request for us to video specific County-related subjects that are addressed in public meetings or hearings, please contact us and we will make an effort to do so.

For links to the most current agendas for the BOCC meeting and the Planning Study Sessions, scroll to the end of the BOCC notes section.

We need video volunteers! It's easy- all you need is a smart phone and a Facebook account. We'll show you how. Click on the button below to let us know when you are available and we will contact you.

I want to be a video volunteer!

BOCC Notes

Recent BOCC meeting notes are posted below, along with a short summary of what was discussed. For older notes, click on Archived Notes tab above. Click here for a list of acronyms and County Personnel.

bocc_meeting_4-16-18.pdf
File Size:	119 kb
File Type:	pdf

Fairgrounds, JARPA, Similkameen Trail, Lake Management District, Nightly Rental Code, Comprehensive Plan, Parks & Recreation Board. There is a video of this meeting on our You Tube Channel.

bocc_4-10-2018.pdf
File Size:	109 kb
File Type:	pdf

Miscellaneous, Planning Dept: (Similkameen trail washout, WRIA 48 water study, Oroville EMS levy, Yakama Nation meeting with BOCC), Maintenance: (new maintenance position, Jail trustees working, fair water issues), Civil Attorney, Planning Commission Code on Advisory groups, Human Resources, Risk Management, WCOG Key Award, Public Works: (Maintenance & Road Conditions, Loup Loup Canyon Rd, Gravel Crushing Contract, Peter Dan Rd slide repair, Conconully Sewer repair, Edelweiss Sewer Force Main replacement, WASCE conference June 4 – 6, Spending policies for County and State roads, Portable toilet at the PNT Trailhead, Human Services transportation, DoT planning study for projects), Public Health Board, USFS Tonasket RD Quarterly report: (Mt. Hull alternatives, PNT trail goals, District 1: WATV)

bocc_notes_4-9-18.pdf
File Size:	375 kb
File Type:	pdf

Cannabis interim ordinance hearing; Veranda Beach/Lake Mgmt District meeting; Formation of WRIA 49 Planing Unit membership, leadership, structure; new Draft Comprehensive Plan.

bocc_4-3-18.pdf
File Size:	296 kb
File Type:	pdf

Citizen Comment Period (Assistive hearing devices, Citizen Input on Comp Plan, Citizen Advisory Committees; Methow Housing Trust; Human Resources/Risk Mang't update; Consent agenda.

bocc_4-2-2018.pdf
File Size:	125 kb
File Type:	pdf

Update from the Coroner’s Office: Budget issues, refrigeration of bodies, opioid deaths; Nightly Rentals: Ordinance review, licensing; Okanogan Watershed Council Initiating Governments, interim control of cannabis operations, sewer project at Champerty Shores, Fairgrounds maintenance; Comprehensive Plan: vision statement, population growth estimates, zoning in and near airports, city expansion areas, resource land maps and critical aquifer recharge areas.

bocc_notes_3-27-18.pdf
File Size:	112 kb
File Type:	pdf

Staff Reports (Administration, Civil Attorney, Maintenance, Planning, HR, Risk Manager), Legal Newspaper Contract Approval, Leachate Pond # 3 construction, PWorks, Public Comment Period, Upper Columbian Salmon Recovery, County Department Heads Meeting, Fair Ground Plan Review, Public Hearing, Miscellaneous Resolutions

bocc_notes_3-26-18.pdf
File Size:	154 kb
File Type:	pdf

OCC 5.20 Dance Permits; Shoreline Management Plan; Water Availability Study Areas; Tonasket EMS; Mazama Parking Lot; Draft Comprehensive Plan

bocc_3-20-2018.pdf
File Size:	84 kb
File Type:	pdf

Initiating governance session (Water Shed Commission), Horse Boarding, Alternatives for Draft Comp. Plan, Maintenance, Exec. session to cover potential legislation, Civil Attorney, Finance Cmte Report, Administration, Bid Opening for new PWorks PUs, PWorks Maintenance & Roads, Admin, WATV, Critical Areas & Signage, Opportunity Zones, Exec. Session: Qualifications of an employee, Exec session for Union negotiation , WSU Extension, Approve Consent Agenda, PHealth vouchers, General Business

bocc_3-19-2018.pdf
File Size:	109 kb
File Type:	pdf

Public Hearing concerning Nightly Rentals, Shoreline Management Plan (SMP), Proposed Communications Center Update, Perry Huston updates the Commissioners on upcoming meetings.

March 15, 2018
Link to Facebook video of Methow Watershed council meeting

This video is currently available on Facebook only. We will be posting it on our You Tube Channel soon, and will update the link at that time.
Topics covered:
Chair report of possible presentation for groundwater modeling, Wolf Creek Project report, budget discussion, report from County Commissioner Hover regarding County's approach to determining water availability, Technical committee report, Political Action and Outreach committee report, update on By-laws revision and Water 2066 program, Discussion of potential conflict of interest, Discussion of upcoming Thornton task force meeting, Public comment (inquiry about an earmark in the current state budget).

bocc_3-13-2018.pdf
File Size:	103 kb
File Type:	pdf

Civil Attorney, Risk Reduction, Maintenance, Admin, PWorks Engineering, Admin, Board of Health, Resolutions, Official County Newspaper , Review Draft Comprehensive Plan, Human Resources, April 2 water shed planning, OBHC request

bocc_notes_3-12-18.pdf
File Size:	220 kb
File Type:	pdf

Discussion: Draft Comprehensive Plan discussion of Alternatives for EIS.. Alternatives based upon 3 past Comprehensive Plans vs population growth Alternatives discussed. SMP -Ecology has given county 30 days to respond to recent letter. Fairgrounds: Work session on 2018 Fairground budget.

bocc_3-6-2018.pdf
File Size:	95 kb
File Type:	pdf

Civil Attorney Report (HIPPA issues, French Creek Hearing on Summary Judgment, Executive Session, Discussing a potential litigation), Planning (Fair Grounds budget discussion), Risk Manager report, Admin update (Possible Website Update), PWorks – BR Admin report (SWMP Prelim. Draft, Apple Maggot outbreak), Draft Comprehensive Plan review

bocc_notes_3-5-18.pdf
File Size:	137 kb
File Type:	pdf

Public Works road maintenance grants, WRIA 49 Watershed plan, Permit-exempt well tracking system, Planning Dept website, Comp. plan, SMP, Lake Mgmt District, Champerty Shores, Fairgrounds upgrades and management. NOTE: A video of this afternoon session is available for viewing on our Facebook page.

rcw_90.82.060.pdf
File Size:	89 kb
File Type:	pdf

RCW relating to watershed planning (handed out at BOCC meeting on 3/5/18)

essb6091-part2.pdf
File Size:	60 kb
File Type:	pdf

Senate Bill 6091, Part 2. Also handed out at BOCC meeting on 3/5/18

bocc_notes_2-27-2018.pdf
File Size:	93 kb
File Type:	pdf

Cannabis moratorium & Interim Control, Civil Attorney Updates, Maintenance & Grounds Update, Assessor Update, Admin Update, HR Business & Employment, Bid opening – legal newspaper, Fair well project, Resolutions, Public Works Engineering, 2018 Homeless Housing Plan

February 26, 2018
Link to You Tube video of Planning commission meeting

Topics covered include:
OCC Title 20, ESSB 6091 and the Okanogan Watershed
Comprehensive plan
Cannibis moratorium
Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP)

bocc_mtg_02-26-18.pdf
File Size:	274 kb
File Type:	pdf

Cannabis moratorium; Tonasket EMS; Veterans’ Affairs; Fairgrounds; Comprehensive Plan; Shoreline Management Plan; BLM Restoration Project; OCC 20 Public Hearing; Supplemental Appropriation

bocc_2-20-2018.pdf
File Size:	56 kb
File Type:	pdf

DG – Civil Attorney activity, PH (Planning & Admin), JP (Admin Maintenance), DH (Bldg Dept), Exec. Session. Negotiations and review of personal, Well rehab at Fair, PWorks (Engineering: JT, Admin: BR), JD re-election bid to District 3 position, BOCC members attending meetings, Civil Service exams in house, budgeting hypothetical discussion, Bid opening on Grader/packer roller & PU Trucks, Voucher Approvals

bocc_notes_2.13.18.pdf
File Size:	69 kb
File Type:	pdf

Executive Session on Ongoing litigation, Staff Reports: Planning, Civil Attorney, Risk Reduction, Admin & Courthouse Maintenance, BOCC Clerk, Treasurer, Public Works (Admin & Engineering), Board of Public Health, Human Resources, Agriplex Fee Waiver Request

bocc_notes_2.12.18.pdf
File Size:	364 kb
File Type:	pdf

Cannabis Adv. Committee: Prog. update/discussion. Pub Hearing: Repeal of Moratorium, 2/26/18, 1:30. OCC Title 20 Pub hearing 2/26/18, 3:00; repeal of OCC 20 for OCC 20A interim control; Detailed: WRIA 48/49, outdoor watering ban, grant app, WRIA 49 planning unit recall; Comp Plan: Ag/ Forest Resource designations & "viability; "coordination" as tool. Mt.Hull Restoration: Road decommissioning.

bocc_notes_2.6.18.pdf
File Size:	162 kb
File Type:	pdf

Building Dept. Staff Report, Conflict of Interest, PWorks Staff Report, PWorks Hirst/Ecology Update, Citizen Comment , Hirst Decision / Law revision (SB 6091) update, North Central Forest Health Collaborative, Finance Committee, Fair Grounds facilities Current Expense budget, WSU Extension Staffing.
NOTE: A video of the DOE update on the Hirst legislation (ESSB 6091) is available for viewing on our Facebook page.

bocc_2-5-2018__pm__.pdf
File Size:	157 kb
File Type:	pdf

Four Tunk Valley roads closed to WATV traffic after hearing; Review of changes to OCC Title 20 due to new state law (SB 6091); WRIA implications discussed; Comp Plan is top priority for Perry this week.

For previous minutes from 2018 go to the Archived Notes page.

Commissioners Agenda
To access the most current agenda for BOCC meetings, click here.

The BOCC meetings often include Planning Study Sessions conducted by the Director of Planning and Development and Administrative Officer, Perry Huston. For the most current updates on the Study Session topics, click here to go to the planning department website, then click on the "Study Session" tab at the top of the page.

Our County Commissioners

(Click here to view a map that shows the Okanogan County Districts.)

Jim DeTro, Chair
Represents District 3 (North Okanogan County)

Chris Branch, Vice-Chair
Represents District 1 (South Okanogan County)

Andy Hover
Represents District 2 (West Okanogan County)

The Commissioners hearing room is located at 123 5th Ave, Room 150, Okanogan, WA 98840