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.
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08.17.2026 Mon AM BOCC
Meeting Highlights:
The commissioners try to dispel rumors on Facebook. They all say that they’re not in favor of data centers in the county and that the proposal to allow them only in areas zoned Industrial is an effort to restrict them. Commissioner Hover notes that because the only Industrial area in the county is near Twisp, and because data centers use a lot of water, that the Instream Flow Rule will preclude them from the Methow Valley. The commissioners add that they have no ability to affect the zoning rules in the incorporated towns and cities or on the Reservation.
Maurice Goodall, Emergency Management, tells of the frustration he experienced on Sunday trying to get the Level 3 evacuation order reduced to Level 2 for the Kaiser Canyon Fire. He says there was conflict about who had the authority to issue such an order—the county or the fire teams. Commissioner Hover says they’ll discuss the issue in the winter when Goodall will have more time, and they’ll write a set of procedures for future fires.
The commissioners hear updates from members of Team 4 and 5, fighting Kaiser Canyon Fire and the Reevas Basin Fire.
The commissioners discuss procedures for setting threat levels with Ben Machado, Law Enforcement Liaison Officer for Team 5. Machado says that his team recommends the threat level, taking into account the threat level for firefighters, but that local personnel, including the county’s Emergency Manager determine changes to threat levels.
Meeting adjourned at 12:42