> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://skamania-dispatch.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 📰 Energy Rules, Transit Wins, and Budget Trade-offs: Klickitat BOCC & PUD Summaries 8/26-9/4 - URL: https://skamania-dispatch.ghost.io/energy-rules-transit-wins-and-budget-trade-offs-klickitat-bocc-pud-summaries-8-26-9-4/ - Published: 2025-09-12T19:05:49.000Z - Updated: 2025-09-12T19:05:49.000Z - Description: 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). - Author: Dispatch Squatch - Tags: Klickitat Board of County Commissioners, Klickitat County, Klickitat Public Utilities Department ## 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. - **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 ### 📅 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. --- ### 📅 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**. 📂 **Next Steps** KPUD’s next board meetings are scheduled for September. The **annual employee meeting** will be October 13 at the Goldendale Grange Hall. --- ## 🗓 BOCC Next Steps & Participation 💻 Join future meetings on Zoom: [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/586587651](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/586587651?ref=skamania-dispatch.ghost.io) 📞 Dial-in: 1 (669) 900-6833 | Meeting ID: 586 587 651 📬 Submit written comments: [**bocc@klickitatcounty.org**](mailto:bocc@klickitatcounty.org) Comments are due by noon the day before a meeting to be acknowledged.