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.
12.08.2025 Mon AM BOCC
Meeting Highlights:
Commissioner Neal says he’s heard from Robert Weidner, a lobbyist working on public land issues, that the House will vote on the SRS (Secure Rural Schools) funding on Wednesday. (Public Works has been expecting $750,000 for 2024 and 2025 in SRS funds, but had not received much of it because Congress hadn’t passed the legislation.) Neal mentions that Dan Newhouse, Member of Congress for Washington’s 4th district) did not attend the meeting where the decision to bring SRS up for a vote was made.
During public comments, Pete Hone, Shelter Manager of the Okanogan Community Homeless Shelter, introduces himself. The shelter offer showers, laundry facilities, meals and 32 beds. The address is 505 4th Ave, Okanogan. He calls his organization “the best kept secret in the county” and hopes it becomes better known.
Commissioners discuss the Noxious Weed assessment portion of the property tax. The Weed Board isn’t asking for a bigger assessment, but they may do so in the future. The commissioners would be reluctant to grant it, even if the result were more noxious weeds.
Commissioners, Josh Thomson and Gary George from Public Works, Mike Worden and three people from the city of Omak, discuss the cost of improving the infrastructure on a parcel of land owned by the county. A non-profit animal shelter could be sited there, but not if adding a water line was too costly.
Meeting adjourned at 12:21.