🏛 Klickitat County Commissioners – November & December 2025 Recap

Meetings of November 12, November 25, December 2, and December 9-12, 2025

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📅 November 12, 2025 – Public Works, Planning, Emergency Radio System, ADUs, and Staffing

Public Works Update
Directors reported progress on construction, road design, facility work, and maintenance projects. Bid packets were prepared for major overlays and repairs. A temporary summer worker was approved for promotion to permanent Buildings & Grounds.

Planning Department - ADU Reform Begins
Planning Director Scott Edelman outlined an approach to split the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) update into two amendments:

• Quick amendment: convert ADUs to conditional use to reduce costs for applicants.
• Second amendment: later address size limits, setbacks, and the 100-ft rule.
  11.25.2025 Agenda Packet

Emergency Management - Public Safety Radio System
Ongoing maintenance issues, upgrade planning, and lease renewals were discussed. The department is still addressing reliability concerns with aging components.

Health Department Contracts
Commissioners approved:

• Consolidated Contract Amendment #9
• Youth Center support agreement with WAGAP
• Mail-back medication disposal program
• Jury room asbestos abatement & flooring contracts
  11.25.2025 Agenda Packet

Road Project Bids
Snowden Road overlay and Wood Gulch preventive maintenance received multiple bids; most came in significantly above engineering estimates.

Dana Peck Memorial Plaque
Community members presented a plaque honoring longtime county advocate Dana Peck. The Board adopted a proclamation in his memory.

County Administrator Position Created
The Board formally created a County Administrator role and appointed Robb Van Cleave as Interim County Administrator. HR and IT leadership promotions followed.

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📅 November 25, 2025 - Budget Adjustments, Bids, Public Defense RFP, & Parks Planning

Public Works
Routine updates continued for construction, maintenance, airport projects, and preliminary park planning discussions for Trout Lake and other communities.

Supplemental Budget 2025-3 Approved
After a brief public hearing, the Board adopted amendments addressing increased expenditures and revenue adjustments.

Short Plats & BLAs
Final approvals issued for Stafford (SPL 2024-16 ALT), Smith & Clifford (BLA 2024-20).

Consent Agenda Highlights

• Certification of the 2026 property tax levies
• New HR Analyst and IT System Administrator recruitment
• Professional services agreement with KCPEDA
• Senior Services Board appointments
• Change Order #1 for CGRA Business Park Phase 2
• Temporary credit-limit increases for Emergency Management cards
• Snowden Road Overlay contractor award

Public Defense Services RFP
Two proposals were received. The Board will hold a follow-up meeting with applicants to evaluate scope, feasibility, and alignment with service needs.

Burdoin Fire Lessons-Learned Workshop Prep
Commissioners discussed desired questions and outcomes for the upcoming workshop on the Burdoin Fire response.

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📅 December 2, 2025 - Public Health Update, Budget Hearings, Childcare Workshop

Public Works
Updates on bridge bundle repairs, signs/guidepost installations, snow prep, and airport T-hangar progress.

Economic Development & Natural Resources
Brief updates on county-wide economic development projects and natural resource planning efforts.

Public Health: October 2025 Data Review

Erinn Quinn presented updated clinical, environmental, and behavioral health dashboards.

Key Notes:

• Communicable disease investigations: 33 in October
• WIC: 144 families served in October (1,581 YTD)
• Mental health crisis responses: steady through the year, with 10-17 crisis contacts monthly
• Clients served by location: KVH (240), Skyline (136), Jail (106), Schools (10)

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👶 Childcare Workshop: Early Signals, No Decisions Yet

The Board held an exploratory workshop on childcare availability, framing the issue as a workforce and economic-development challenge, not just a family-services concern. Commissioners and staff noted that limited childcare options are increasingly cited as a barrier to hiring and retaining worker, particularly in health care, public safety, construction, and service-sector jobs.

Key Takeaways

• Acknowledged shortage: The Board recognized that childcare availability is a growing constraint across the county, affecting both east- and west-end communities.
• Limited county role: Staff emphasized that Klickitat County does not operate childcare facilities and has limited direct authority in this area.
• Partnership-focused approach: Any future county involvement would likely center on convening partners, supporting grant applications, or helping coordinate training, siting, or use of existing facilities.
• No actions taken: The workshop did not include a proposal, funding allocation, or timeline. No decisions were made.

Why This Matters

While no immediate changes resulted from the workshop, its inclusion on the agenda signals that childcare shortages are now being discussed alongside workforce recruitment, public-safety staffing, and health-care access. Similar conversations in other rural counties have later led to pilot programs or grant-funded partnerships.

Inclusion of this issue in public conversation has led to greater awareness of and local action on ex: the structural barriers that can affect childcare providers' ability to operate. These can include closing zoning gaps, connecting with business development advice and resources, and coordination with public health offices.

For now, this remains an issue to watch, especially as organizers plan to hold this workshop on a quarterly basis. Success here can especially help expand what's possible, and what residents can feel inspired to take action on, in Skamania and other neighboring counties.

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Public Hearings

• 2026 Budget & Property Tax Levies
• Six-Year TIP (Transportation Improvement Program)
  Evening continuation held in White Salmon.
  12.02.25 Agenda packet

Short Plats & Boundary Adjustments
Grindling SPL 2025-09; Kennedy/Twohy/Randall BLA 2024-14; Pyle SPL 2025-04 and others scheduled.

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📅 December 9-12, 2025 – Road Safety Plan, Parks Funding Requests, Wastewater Survey Results

Road Safety Plan
Consultants are preparing public-outreach materials for a county-wide Road Safety Plan, active through early 2026.

Snowden Road / Lock Hill Open House
An open house (not a public meeting) was held to gather input on potential future improvements to the steep and winding Lock Hill segment. Options range from minor widening to full rebuild.

Wishram & Dallesport - Parks Funding Requests
Community groups requested legislative funding for park improvements.

• Dallesport: likely to pursue a planning grant first.
• Wishram: community seeks full construction funding, but Public Works reiterated maintenance limits unless the school district or community can support operations.

Dallasport Wastewater Survey Results Released
McKed Consulting conducted door-to-door surveys within the wastewater service area.

• Average satisfaction: 7.5/10
• Ownership transfer to PUD: 12.6% support, 61.2% neutral, 26.2% oppose
• Primary concern: future rate increases.

Survey results will be shared with the Community Council and PUD.

Public Works Operations
East and West End crews continue winter grading, ditching, guardrail repair, and tree removal. Airport turf establishment is nearly complete.

Flagpole Maintenance Funding
Public Works continues gathering cost estimates for repairing the large county flagpole’s lighting system, requiring a crane and potentially costing up to $50,000.

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🗓 Next Steps & Participation

💻 Join BOCC Meetings: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/586587651
📞 Dial-in: 1 (346) 248-7799 | Meeting ID 586 587 651
✉️ Submit written comments: bocc@klickitatcounty.org (before noon the prior day)