Commissioners discuss issues large and small

Commissioners met in their regular Tuesday meeting to discuss issues large and small. In the public comment portion of the meeting a local resident expressed concern over the grant process that is funding an emergency source of water for island residents. The commenter felt that they neglected to assist West end residents when their water system was in trouble. Another citizen asked commissioners if there was anything they could do about trash at the wildlife refuge.

The board members could not decide between two applicants to the Lower Columbia Fish Board. After discussion they decided to nominate both candidates and let the Fish Board decide. The board approved the use of the small works roster to obtain proposals for the courthouse landscape project. Treasurer Tammy Peterson briefed the board on the application process for a credit card to allow for larger purchases to streamline the payment processes for county workers. Director of public works, Chuck Beyer said he is waiting for final approval of the increase of state funds for the Puget Island-Westport ferry. He believes that the state will approve funding 80 to 85 percent of the operating costs.

Lily Kolditz of the Property rights advisory board advocated for their group to be the administrator implementing the shoreline master plan. Other groups such as the Columbia Estuary Study Taskforce have done this work in the past. However, Colditz thought that their status as an unelected taskforce makes them unsuited to make decisions regarding private property. Either group must have their findings approved by the County planning department. Human resource managers stressed that contractors may not take away the work of unionized county employees such as the building and planning department. The position of the union is that if the planning department is over burdened they should hire another employee.