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.
04.27.2026 Mon AM BOCC
Meeting Highlights:
Mike Worden, County Dispatch Center, tells the commissioners that the FCC is considering the repeal of a requirement that telecommunications companies must provide land-line service to areas where cell service is not available. There are a few areas in Okanogan county that could be affected by this rule change. He recommends that the county engage with the 7th District legislators in Olympia as well as our senators and representative in DC.
Pete Palmer, Planning Director, tells the commissioners that the Department of Ecology, the EPA and Washington’s Attorney General would like to take the lead in prosecuting an unlicensed scrap metal operator in Ellisforde. There have been several fires on his property and now there are reports that he’s dumping fluids on the ground. Palmer will meet with the AG’s office, the DOE and EPA remotely later in the day to discuss the issue and invites interested commissioners to attend too.
The commissioners accept the bid for the underground irrigation system for the fairgrounds.
The commissioners meet with Chelan County’s Commissioner Kevin Overbay to discuss a multi-county (Chelan, Douglas, and possibly Okanogan and Grant Counties) Diversion Center for people in crisis. He is asking for a commitment to support a Request for Proposal for the Center. The BOCC will discuss the issue.
Esther Milner (Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor), Larry Gilman (County Assessor), and the commissioners put the finishing touches on the ballot statement for the levy lid lift that will appear on the August ballot. The measure would raise the property assessment by approximately $0.27 per $1,000 of assessed value to pay for county services and public facilities.
Meeting adjourned for the day at 12:27.