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.
09.23.2024 Mon AM BOCC
Meeting Highlights:
Commissioner Hover discusses changes in the membership of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.
Isabelle Spohn, a member of the public, comments on appointing members to planning committees for Methow Review District’s sub-units B & C, and would also like clearly defined boundaries between the sub-units.
Nick Bates, Fairgrounds Manager, discusses a proposed raise for one of his employees. He also makes a case for more security after hours during next year’s fair.
Pete Palmer, Planning Director tells the commissioners that the comment period for the zone code review will begin a week later than originally planned.
The commissioners have recently received a number of emails complaining about new road closures on DNR for Off Road Vehicles. The DNR responds that no new roads have been closed, but that they’ve been able to hire new enforcement personnel and so there is more signage and enforcement of roads that have been closed for a long time but were being heavily used. The problem of illegal use of motorized vehicles is especially acute in the Loomis Landscape.
The commissioners discuss how to consolidate the Oroville Rural EMS District with the Tonasket EMS District with State Senator Shelly Short, Esther Milner, Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor and Larry Gilman, County Assessor. The RCW includes a process to consolidate fire districts, there is nothing in state law that allows a county to combine two rural EMS districts. Sen. Short will try to get the situation fixed in the next legislative session.
The commissioners hold an executive session for 12 minutes under RCW 42.20.110(1)(i)—potential litigation. Esther Milner and Shelley Keitzman (Human Resources and Risk Management) are included.
Meeting adjourns at 11:55.