🗣 Budget Workshops: Housing, Health & Sheriff’s Auxiliaries on the Table - Skamania BOCC 9/23-9/24

🏛 Skamania County Commissioners Recap – Sept. 23–24, 2025

Commissioners held a three-day series of workshops and hearings focused on 2026 budget planning, public safety proposals, and state-federal funding challenges.

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📅 Monday, Sept. 22 – Special Session

• Budget Workshops:
  • Prosecutor’s Office – Requested funds for case backlog management, highlighting state mandates for timely prosecution.
  • Clerk’s Office – Outlined staff workload increases, particularly from e-filing and records digitization.
  • Community Health – Reported ongoing maternal/child health block grant support, COVID-19 response contracts, and new interns joining the department. Emphasized demand for housing assistance programs and vaccination clinics.

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📅 Tuesday, Sept. 23

Public Comment:

• One resident urged commissioners to oppose potential Medicaid and SNAP cuts, citing major impacts on vulnerable families.
• Another raised concerns about the Sheriff’s proposal for a new auxiliary program, comparing it to Klickitat County’s controversial “posse” and stressing risks around training and liability.

Consent Agenda Approvals:

• Reappointed members to the Homeless Housing Council Advisory Board.
• Accepted resignations from the Klickitat-Skamania Developmental Disability Advisory Board.
• Approved updates to interagency agreements, including the GMA periodic update grant and federal COVID-19 contracts.

Workshops & Reports:

• 🧾 Assessor’s Office
  • Main Issues:
    • The county’s Terascan property assessment software is outdated and limited. Staff struggle with slow workflows and data exports.
    • Assessor recommended building reserves over multiple years for eventual replacement, rather than waiting for a crisis.
  • Commissioner Response:
    • Agreed on the need for planning ahead.
    • Discussion included whether the county could earmark small annual contributions into a reserve line item for tech upgrades.
    • One commissioner asked for a clear “end-of-life” plan so the county doesn’t get blindsided.
• 🌿 Noxious Weed Department
  • Main Issues:
• Department continues to suppress invasive species like knotweed, partnering with state and regional groups.
• Budget pressure stems from grant-dependent funding. If state or federal money is reduced, local taxpayers may have to fill gaps.
• Commissioner Response:
  • Expressed appreciation for the work, noting weeds are a top complaint from landowners.
  • Asked staff to identify stable local match options to avoid service disruptions if grants dry up.
• 👮 Sheriff’s Auxiliary Proposal (Workshop)
  • While not formally part of the budget line item, Sheriff Scheyer described how a volunteer auxiliary program could help offset staffing costs.
  • Commissioner Concerns:
    • Training standards: ensuring volunteers don’t step into law enforcement roles.
    • Liability: how the county would insure or indemnify auxiliaries.
    • Public optics: avoiding comparisons to Klickitat County’s controversial “posse” model.

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📅 Wednesday, Sept. 24

Sheriff’s Office Budget Workshop:

• Main Issues:
  • Staffing remains tight, especially during peak recreation season. Overtime costs are rising.
  • Fleet is aging: vehicle maintenance and replacement is a significant expense.
  • Sheriff proposed buying replacements as needed; commissioners pushed for a dedicated reserve fund.
• Commissioner Debate:
  • Some worried about dipping into general reserves each time a vehicle fails.
  • Others noted that a dedicated account would improve transparency and long-term planning.
  • Sheriff emphasized unpredictability - can’t always forecast breakdowns.

Superior Court & Juvenile Probation:

• Superior Court:
  • Caseloads have grown, straining staff and facilities.
  • Funding requests include staffing support and equipment to meet state judicial mandates.
• Juvenile Probation:
  • Emphasized the importance of rehabilitation and diversion programs.
  • Struggles with staff retention due to lower wages compared to neighboring counties.
• Commissioner Response:
  • Acknowledged mandates are non-negotiable, but pressed for prioritization within budget limits.
  • Encouraged exploring grants or shared services with other counties.

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✅ Overall takeaway from Sept. 23–24:
Commissioners are pressing departments to plan for reserves (software, vehicles), avoid over-reliance on unpredictable grants, and show clearer priorities. Public safety and courts highlighted unavoidable state mandates, while smaller departments (like Noxious Weeds) pointed to fragile external funding.

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🗓 Stay Involved

💻 Join future meetings on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88906321210
📞 Dial-in: 1 (346) 248-7799 | Meeting ID: 889 0632 1210
📧 Submit written comments: commiss@co.skamania.wa.us (due by noon the day before a meeting).