đź“° Energy Rules, Transit Wins, and Budget Trade-offs: Klickitat BOCC & PUD Summaries 8/26-9/4
Klickitat Commissioners advanced transit and road items, backed Port grant bids, and heard fire-recovery updates (8/26); extended the BESS moratorium and narrowly okayed a Bluebird Solar haul route (9/2); then weighed wildfire recovery costs in a budget workshop (9/4).
Klickitat County BOCC Meeting Summaries
(August 26 – September 4, 2025)
📅 August 26, 2025 – Regular Meeting
- Public Works Update – Routine reports on road construction, design projects, and maintenance on both east and west ends.
- Senior Services – Director Sharon Carter discussed:
- New grant opportunities for a bus barn and commuter routes.
- Plans for new connector service between communities.
- Public Health – Director Erinn Quinn highlighted:
- Ongoing fire recovery coordination.
- Disaster Assistance Center: Public Health is working closely with Emergency Management at the new Disaster Assistance Center in Goldendale, which is serving as a one-stop hub for Burdoin and Snyder Canyon Fire survivors to access housing, insurance, and recovery services.
- Case Management & Outreach: Staff are helping connect displaced families with medical, behavioral health, and social service referrals. This includes coordination with nonprofits like the Red Cross and local clinics.
- Behavioral Health Needs: The department is monitoring and addressing increased demand for mental health support following the fire, especially trauma counseling and stress services.
- Agency Coordination: Public Health is at the table with county departments, the Columbia River Gorge Commission (on permitting), and state/federal agencies to make sure public health concerns are integrated into recovery planning (e.g., air quality, water safety, sanitation in temporary housing).
- The state’s 1115 Medicaid Waiver - a special federal approval that lets states test new ways of using Medicaid dollars beyond traditional coverage for opioid treatment, crisis care, and more.
- Updates from the Opioid Abatement Council, ensuring opioid settlement dollars support local priorities like Narcan distribution, outreach, and treatment access.
- Ongoing fire recovery coordination.
- Corrections Department – Jail Administrator Bill Frantz reported:
- Ongoing staff vacancies and recruitment.
- The Jail Administrator reported ongoing problems with inmate meals, citing rising costs, limited menu variety, and difficulties accommodating medical and religious diets.
- Vehicle replacement needs and upcoming training requirements.
- Consent Agenda approvals included:
- Community litter cleanup program contract.
- Transit operations and capital funding (new vehicles).
- Declaration of surplus vehicles.
- Letter of support for the Port of Klickitat infrastructure grant.
- Public Hearing – Approved short plat SPL2024-35.
- WSU Extension – Update on county partnerships and funding.
📅 September 2, 2025 – Regular Meeting
- Consent Agenda approvals included:
- Contracts for road projects (Snowden Road overlay, Sleepy Hollow Road Phase 1, curve warning signs).
- Election technology upgrades (Easy Vote and Tyler Technologies).
- Opioid settlement allocation agreements.
- Road haul agreement with Bluebird Solar Power.
- Letter of support for changes to the National Scenic Area Management Plan.
- Public Hearing: Road Vacations – Approved vacating portions of Old Mountain Road, Courtney Road, Old Hwy 8, and Sundale Road after reconstruction projects.
- Public Hearing: Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) – After testimony citing fire and safety risks, the moratorium was extended to March 2026.
- Board Discussion – The Bluebird Solar road haul agreement drew debate:
- Commissioners Ihrig and Zoller approved, while Andrews opposed, citing community concerns.
📅 September 4, 2025 – Budget Workshop
- Supplemental Budget Requests presented included:
- $41,101 for wildfire-related overtime and recovery coordination.
- Funding for sheriff’s marine unit, corrections vehicles, and phone system upgrades.
- Recovery Coordinator – Commissioners debated how to structure the new role:
- Whether it should be temporary, contracted, or a staff position.
- Noted that the first candidate had already declined the job.
- Treasurer’s Report – Greg Gallagher briefed the Board on:
- Revenue trends and landfill fund balances.
- The county’s new line of credit.
- Commissioner Concerns – Stress on balancing immediate recovery spending with long-term fiscal control.
- Wildfire Recovery Costs – The county needed to cover immediate overtime for emergency staff, contracts for debris cleanup, and a coordinator to organize long-term recovery. These were seen as essential but unplanned expenses.
- Short-Term vs. Permanent Staffing – Commissioners questioned whether the new recovery coordinator should be a permanent county position or a temporary/contracted role, noting the first candidate already declined. They worried about creating ongoing personnel costs for what may be a short-lived need.
- Revenue Limitations – The Treasurer reminded them that while the county secured a new line of credit and had some extra state/federal funds, Klickitat’s tax base is small, and federal settlement funds (like opioid money) are earmarked and can’t fill general gaps.
- Fiscal Control – Commissioners stressed the importance of carefully vetting each supplemental budget request, approving only what is urgent, and avoiding commitments that could strain the budget in future years.
🚧 Major Funding Wins Highlighted
- Public Works noted Klickitat secured $3.6 million in federal STP transportation funds, one of the highest awards statewide, supporting major road and bridge improvements.
⚡ Klickitat PUD Board of Commissioners – August Updates
đź“… August 12, 2025
- Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Operations – Staff reported compressor and pipeline failures at the landfill RNG plant, resulting in over 11,000 Dth of lost production. Repairs and contamination cleanup are underway.
- Finance & Power Management – BPA’s new rates will increase KPUD costs by about 4% annually starting Q4, roughly $200,000 per year. A new exclusivity agreement was signed for potential development at the old aluminum plant site; Dallesport customers also advanced projects.
- Community Solar & KVH Project – KPUD is preparing an RFP for a low-income community solar project, with hopes of covering much of the cost with a grant. The KVH solar project was scaled down from 498 kW to 375 kW, with schools stepping back after FEMA funding fell through.
- Commissioner Reports – Discussion of the Dallesport wastewater system: Commissioners stressed community support and county cost-sharing would be required before PUD takes it on.
- Burdoin Fire Damage – Crews identified 36 poles damaged by the fire; replacements were nearly complete, with thanks given to crews for round-the-clock work.
- Strategic Planning – Staff are working to integrate budget and management planning into a year-end strategic plan update.
đź“… August 26, 2025
- Operations – Reliability impacts from the Burdoin Fire were less than expected. Crews are catching up on customer work. Vegetation crews trimmed 17.5 miles in July and removed 200 dead/diseased trees; a new journeyman tree trimmer joined the team.
- Engineering –
- Wildfire cameras will be installed at Stacker Butte and Juniper radio sites in September.
- New NOJA electronic reclosers are being integrated in Woodland and Box Canyon, with plans to expand into Lyle and High Prairie.
- Customer work is ramping up: Goldendale completed 9 installations; Box Canyon development begins next week; White Salmon has 13 fire-damaged structures pending repairs.
- Easements secured to underground lines along Hwy 142; evaluation ongoing for further undergrounding near Courtney and Cook Roads.
- General Manager Report –
- Staff participation at the Klickitat County Fair and upcoming Code of Excellence training with IBEW.
- Fitch Ratings upgraded KPUD’s bond rating from A- to A, citing strong project performance and financial stability.
- Warehouse land preparation underway for future expansion.
- Satus distribution line contract anticipated by end of September.
- Commissioner Reports –
- Discussion of Snohomish County’s waste RFP and potential impact on the Roosevelt landfill.
- Concerns raised about possible state legislation limiting local rate-setting authority.
- Commissioners reaffirmed that water/wastewater systems are financially separate but treated as integral parts of the utility.
- Upcoming Planning – Public hearings set for October 28 and December 9 to review and adopt KPUD’s 2026-2029 Clean Energy Implementation Plan.
đź“‚ Next Steps
KPUD’s next board meetings are scheduled for September. The annual employee meeting will be October 13 at the Goldendale Grange Hall.
đź—“ BOCC Next Steps & Participation
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