🏛 Skamania County BOCC

📅 February 3, 2026

💰 The Big Unknown: Title III Funding (Secure Rural Schools Act)

The central issue this week was uncertainty around Title III funding, one category of money distributed under the federal Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Act.

The impact of the prior failure to reauthorize SRS more broadly was felt deeply around the county: "The lack of Secure Rural Schools funding has greatly impacted the Stevenson-Carson School District, which cut its 2025-26 budget by $1.85 million, forcing the district to close one of its middle schools, cut 21 staff positions, and postpone its tentative plans to install air conditioning in its school buildings."

Restored Title III funds specifically may be used for:

• Emergency services
• Fire prevention & protection
• Law enforcement
• Telecommunications

Skamania County does not yet know how much Title III funding it will receive following Congress’s late-December reauthorization of SRS.

Why this matters:

• The County has already approved contracts and held hearings.
• The Sheriff’s Office has requested reimbursement through December.
• EMS (Emergency Medical Services) is waiting on 2026 funding.
• There could be up to $200,000+ remaining to allocate, but that depends entirely on the final federal number.

Clerk of the Board Roni Emerson confirmed previously authorized projects remain valid. The delay appears administrative; commissioners briefly wondered whether the federal government shutdown affected timelines but declined to speculate.

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🧑‍💼 New Position: Grant Writer / Procurement Specialist

Commissioners continued discussion of creating a new staff position to:

• Identify and write grants
• Manage grant reporting
• Assist with procurement (public purchasing & bidding compliance)

Historically, engineer technicians handled this work. That capacity is now gone.

The proposed role would:

• Potentially be funded from the Commissioners’ budget (first year)
• Possibly use leftover COVID-era funds
• Help departments with audits, elections funding, and competitive grants

Commissioners agreed there is ample work to justify the role. A formal job description is expected within 1-2 weeks.

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🏠 Homeless Housing Advisory Board Reappointment

Lucy Lauser was reappointed as Stevenson’s representative on the Skamania County Homeless Housing Council Advisory Board.

Discussion included:

• Potential for two Stevenson representatives
• A vacancy reserved for a religious ministry (no applicants yet)
• Plans to advertise sector-specific openings instead of general calls

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🚧 WSDOT Noise Variance (SR-14 Crib Wall Project)

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) requested a noise variance for nighttime work east of Cape Horn Bridge on State Route 14.

Under County code:

• The Board can approve a 30-day variance
• Or approve an indefinite (effectively permanent) variance

WSDOT requested 35 days, which legally forces the choice between 30 days or indefinite. A public hearing is scheduled for February 24.

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🐶 Dog Mountain Shuttle (Consent Agenda)

A $13,000 lodging tax contract with Columbia Area Transit (CAT) for the Dog Mountain shuttle was approved on the consent agenda (no discussion). This follows loss of prior funding from WSDOT and the U.S. Forest Service.

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🌲 WSU Extension Report

Hannah Brause (Washington State University Extension Director) reported:

• 139 youth enrolled in 4-H (Head, Heart, Hands, Health youth development program)
• 31 volunteers
• New scholarship fund from T-shirt sales
• Forest Youth Success program (18 youth last year)
• Cascadia Tech Academy forestry Career & Technical Education (CTE) pathway

She also noted that Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) funds from the Gifford Pinchot National Forest helped close funding gaps.

Transportation access for youth programs was raised as a possible policy issue.

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📅 February 10, 2026

This meeting was quieter procedurally, but department reports surfaced major policy issues.

🏥 Foundational Public Health Services (FPH) Cuts

Community Health Director Tamara Cissel warned of potential reductions to Foundational Public Health Services (FPH) funding.

FPH is a state funding model supporting:

• Community health assessments
• Emergency preparedness
• Epidemiology
• Behavioral health coordination

Recent funding levels were approximately $162 million statewide annually. Proposed reductions could drop funding back to ~$87.5 million levels.

Impacts to Skamania could include:

• Loss of epidemiology support
• Reduced emergency coordination
• Fewer specialized service contracts
• Potential hiring freezes

Commissioners agreed to issue a resolution supporting continued funding. Commissioner Farris emphasized:

“Services need to be last to go.”

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🛥 Fishing Guides & RCO Restrictions

Public Works Director David Waymire reported complications with guide access to county boat launches.

The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), a Washington State agency that funds parks and recreation facilities, has authority because it funded acquisition and improvements at:

• Home Valley Boat Launch
• Drano Lake Boat Launch

RCO rejected the County’s request to:

• Allow only in-county guides at Home Valley
• Allow all guides at Drano

Instead, RCO says the County must choose:

• All guides allowed at a site
• Or no guides allowed

Further complication: if RCO receives complaints that guides restrict public access, they can shut down guide access entirely.

Commissioners leaned toward focusing guide access at Drano. This is a developing issue affecting commercial fishing, local recreation users, and river access policy.

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🚧 Wind River Slide Stabilization

The Wind River Highway slide repair project is moving into contractor selection. Expected construction impacts:

• Downhill-only traffic toward Highway 14
• Carson-bound uphill traffic detoured via Hot Springs Avenue

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🏗 Scenic Area Development Uptick

At the February 10 meeting, Public Works Director David Waymire reported an increase in “scenic applications,” permits that require review under the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area rules.

He noted:

• ~36 scenic applications last year
• 17 already submitted early this year

These are applications subject to Scenic Area review, not all county building permits. This refers to properties within the National Scenic Area that are not in an Urban Exception Area.

Examples mentioned included:

• Some new construction
• Exterior additions or accessory structures
• Applications involving accessory dwellings where allowed under current zoning

Importantly, ADUs are not broadly permitted throughout the NSA under the current Gorge Management Plan, which will enter a new update cycle beginning this year. Any ADU application referenced would apply only where existing zoning already allows them (such as certain Urban Areas or Urban Exception Areas).

Scenic applications are processed locally by the County but must comply with the Gorge Commission’s Management Plan and federal Scenic Area standards, including noticing and appeal timelines.

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🚗 Separate Issue: State ADU Legislation

Waymire also noted that if pending state legislation (HB 1345) passes, the County may be required to update its ADU code, specifically removing its current allowance for separate driveways in certain cases and requiring shared driveways instead.

That discussion related to county code alignment with state law, not to expanding ADUs within the National Scenic Area.

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📜 Civil Service Commission Restart

Commissioners are exploring restarting the County’s Civil Service Commission (required under Washington law for counties).

A County Civil Service Commission is an independent board required under Washington law (RCW 41.14) that oversees hiring, promotions, and disciplinary appeals for sheriff’s office employees. It establishes merit-based hiring processes, maintains eligibility lists for deputies, and provides due process protections to help prevent political favoritism or arbitrary discipline. While appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, it operates independently and does not manage day-to-day law enforcement operations or the county’s broader workforce.

Options include:

• Re-establishing locally
• Sharing with Klickitat County

The Skamania County Sheriff's Office supports reestablishment.

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🏛 Legislative Watchlist

Commissioners discussed several state bills:

• HB 1345 – Would expand/standardize rules that make it easier to build Accessory Dwelling Units (backyard cottages/in-law units), potentially forcing local code updates.
• HB 1270 – Would require automatic enrollment of county employees into a deferred compensation retirement plan (with the option to opt out).
• SB 5838 – Would add tribal representation to Washington’s Board of Natural Resources, changing board composition/governance.
• SB 6346 – A revenue proposal often described as a “millionaire tax,” i.e., a new/expanded tax on high earners or high wealth to raise state funds.
• SB 5974 (likely referenced) – Would tighten standards/oversight for law enforcement leadership (including elected sheriffs), potentially affecting county authority and accountability mechanisms.

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💊 Vaccine Funding Question

Commissioner Nichols raised concern about potential conflicting guidance between:

• Federal health authorities
• The West Coast Health Alliance

And who would fund vaccines if federal support changes. This remains an open policy question.

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🧾 Consent Agenda Highlights (Feb 10)

Approved items included:

• 2026 Road Levy Certifications
• Designated Crisis Responder (DCR) approvals (behavioral health involuntary treatment authority)
• Department of Health consolidated contract amendment adding $6,045 for Maternal & Child Health and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) nutrition funding
• 5-Year Homeless Housing Plan

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🗓 How to Attend Upcoming BOCC Meetings

📅 Tuesdays at 9:30 AM
📍 Courthouse Annex, Room 19
240 NW Vancouver Ave, Stevenson

💻 Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88906321210
📞 Call-in: 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 889 0632 1210

🗣 Public comment is taken at the beginning of each meeting.
✉️ Written comments: commissioners@co.skamania.wa.us (by noon the day before)

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With thanks to Columbia Gorge Documenters releasing their notes under CC-by-4.0, powered by Uplift Local:
https://upliftlocal.news/columbia-gorge/columbia-gorge-documenters/