These notes were taken by an Okanogan County Watch volunteer. Every attempt is made to be accurate. Notes are verbatim when possible, and otherwise summarized or paraphrased.
Note takers comments or clarifications are in italics. These notes are not the official county record of the meeting. For officially approved minutes, which are normally published at a later time, CLICK HERE.
The time stamps refer to the times on the AV Capture archive of the meeting on this date at the County livestream archive. To locate items in real time, the clock on the wall in the AV Capture screen can be helpful.
03.02.2026 Mon PM BOCC
Meeting Highlights:
The commissioners discuss the pros and cons of two different tax increases to put on the ballot—a additional sales tax of 0.1% to go to Public Safety, and an increase in the property tax from $0.88 to $1.15 per $1,000 of assessed value. After much discussion, they pass a motion to move forward with putting the property tax increase on the August, 2026, ballot. In the weeks to come, they’ll discuss the exact wording of the ballot measure.
Pete Palmer, Planning Director, and the commissioners discuss a Critical Areas Ordinance grant from the state’s Department of Ecology.
The commissioners hear a presentation from Mike Ward, of Trout Unlimited and Project Manager for the Enloe Dam Removal project, and others about the feasibility of removing the dam. Ward says it can be done without using taxpayer money or affecting the Okanogan PUD’s rate payers.
Meeting adjourned at 4:40.