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.
09.03.2024 Tues PM BOCC
Meeting Highlights:
• State audit team explains upcoming audit of financial report and federal grant compliance audit; estimated cost: $38,000 plus travel expenses
• Courthouse window replacement to start soon
• Tonasket Ranger District quarterly report: uptick in prescribed burns–3,400 acres treated since last fall; “social license” needed to increase acres treated while keeping public informed; collaboration with DNR/Winthrop smokejumper base on firefighting; successful containment of fires; comment period but no possibility to object to Buckhorn scoping in advance of timber sales and fuels/vegetation “stuff” under Emergency Action Determination; Great Outdoors Act funds to pay for Lost lake water system and other campground upgrades; free firewood permits on Colville Forest; timber sales to allow for bunkhouse upgrade
• Discussion on “exempt subdivisions” being an oxymoron, and how subdivisions, especially in Tunk Valley, impact county’s road maintenance responsibilities, leads to brainstorming on how to remedy declining fuel tax revenues in wake of EV expansion; debate over utility of EVs