Commissioners approve a payment and a contract

Commissioners met on Tuesday with Gene Strong attending via zoom. Much of the agenda had to be put off until a later date but some decisions were made.

The commissioners approved a payment of $2,649.30 to the sheriff's office for cost overruns on the sheriff's department remodel. Commissioners praised the department for staying as close as possible to the 148,000 budget. The extra payment is only 1.8 percent of the total budgeted for the remodel.

The board approved the contract with Cowlitz County for housing juvenile inmates, and requested new bids for the removal of recycling at four sites in the county. A grant covers 75 percent of the cost of the recycling program.

A large portion of the shortened agenda was used to discuss the situation of the HVAC system in the county courthouse. Employees have complained that on Mondays the building takes a long time to warm up, that the system is unable to keep up with heating and cooling needs and that many windows do not open. Chuck Beyer, head of public works said he would contact the company that did the remodel in 1994 to see if they could take a look at the system and recommend a solution. Dan Cothren was adamant that after spending $613,000 on the remodel the system should work properly.

Commissioners will be present at the Grays Bay resilience workshop Thursday at 6 p.m., at the Rosburg fire hall.