By Dispatch Squatch in Klickitat County — 21 Mar 2026

⚡ Klickitat Hits Pause on Battery Storage, Again - BOCC Updates 3/3 & 3/10

Klickitat extended its battery storage moratorium through September 2026, advanced road and infrastructure projects, and navigated ongoing state funding uncertainty. From energy siting to staffing and spring construction, March meetings show a county balancing growth, risk, and limited resources.

📅 March 3, 2026

🔋 BESS Moratorium Extended: Decision Deferred, Not Settled

The central action of the March 3 meeting was the extension of the county’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) moratorium, following a public hearing that drew multiple speakers and highlighted ongoing uncertainty.

Rather than adopt permanent regulations, commissioners chose to extend the pause, signaling that key questions around fire safety, siting, and long-term impacts are still unresolved.

Moratorium extended to September 4, 2026
Applies to new utility-scale battery storage applications
Vote was unanimous
This keeps large-scale battery projects on hold, but more importantly shows the county is still working through how to regulate a rapidly emerging industry without overstepping local authority.

🏛 State Legislative Update: Counties Watching Closely

A legislative briefing made clear that state-level policy decisions could significantly impact Klickitat’s finances. Commissioners discussed proposals that may increase obligations while reducing revenue flexibility.

Proposed millionaire income tax may not include county revenue sharing
Potential sales tax exemptions could reduce local funding
Continued pressure from public defense requirements that aren't necessarily accompanied by funds to meet those constitutional obligations

For rural counties, even small changes in state policy, particularly those that are meant to collect or reallocate taxes, can have outsized impacts on budgets and service levels.

⚖ Courts & Legal Capacity: Ongoing Pressure

The Board approved steps to maintain legal capacity in a system already under strain.

Approval to hire a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
Discussion of retaining outside counsel (Foster Garvey)

These actions reflect continued pressure from staffing shortages and rising costs in the justice system.

🚧 Public Works & Operations

Public Works updates reflected steady movement toward spring construction and ongoing system maintenance.

Road maintenance and design work continuing countywide
Solid waste and emergency systems operating as planned
Approval to pursue funding for the Fuel Island project

✈️ Airport & Regional Coordination

The Board continued positioning the county within regional infrastructure systems, providing updates on Columbia Gorge Regional Airport planning and improvements. While not headline-grabbing, these efforts tie into long-term economic development and emergency response capacity.

🏢 Tourism & Economic Development

Chamber updates provided a grounded view of the local economy. Tourism remains a key driver, but not a stable one, heavily influenced by weather, wildfire smoke, and broader travel trends.

Continued reliance on grants and partnerships
Variable visitor patterns
Cautious outlook for 2026

Chamber updates underscored how much Klickitat’s economy still depends on inconsistent, seasonal tourism, and how much work it takes to keep that system functioning.

Local chambers described chasing down grants and outside funding to support events, small businesses, and basic visitor infrastructure, work that increasingly fills the gap where stable public funding falls short. Tourism is still a major economic driver, but it’s not a steady one. Visitor patterns fluctuate with wildfire smoke, weather, and regional travel shifts, making year-to-year planning difficult.

The outlook for 2026 was cautiously optimistic, but grounded. Growth isn’t guaranteed, as it depends on continued investment in infrastructure, coordination across communities, and the ability to adapt to changing travel patterns rather than rely on them.

Bridge maintenance contracts and materials procurement
Health department agreements
Interlocal and economic development contracts

📅 March 10, 2026

🏗 Courthouse Repairs: Investing in Core Facilities

The March 10 meeting advanced several facility maintenance projects through the consent agenda, including significant work on the courthouse exterior.

Exterior painting project: ~$250,000–$320,000
Stucco repair project: ~$50,000–$75,000

Why this matters:
These projects reflect the growing cost of maintaining aging public buildings—work that is often delayed until it becomes unavoidable.

🌉 Bridge Authority Still Unresolved

One notable item did not move forward. The Board discussed the appointment to the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority, but ultimately chose not to act. Instead, they agreed to bring back a formal resolution at a future meeting and follow up further with the applicant.

After multiple meetings touching this appointment, the continued delay suggests either:

Ongoing deliberation about representation
Or broader sensitivity around the bridge project itself

⚡ EFSEC & The Bigger Picture (From the Packet)

Although not discussed live in detail at this meeting, the packet included a formal letter confirming Jan Sokol’s appointment to EFSEC (Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council).

That role is specifically tied to the Cascade Renewable Transmission Project, a proposed high-voltage transmission line running through the Columbia River corridor. This is a major piece of regional infrastructure, and this appointment formalizes Klickitat County’s voice in that process.

🧑‍💼 Staffing & Administrative Changes

The March 10 meeting included several internal administrative actions that reflect ongoing capacity needs.

Approval to hire an Adult Probation Case Manager
Plan to transfer the Civil Services Commission to HR (by June 15, 2026)
Closed session planned for labor negotiations

These incremental changes shape how the county manages personnel and internal systems.

🏗 Infrastructure & Systems

Several operational and system-level updates moved forward:

Continued development of the Fuel Island project
Renewal of Granicus (SmartGov) permitting and licensing system
Final payment approved for road safety project (~$64,000)

✈️ Regional Representation (CARB)

County Administrator approved as representative to the Community Aviation Revitalization Board (CARB) This positions the county in aviation funding and planning decisions.

💰 Financial Actions

~$446,000 accounts payable approved
Routine expenditures and contracts processed

🧭 What to Watch Next

Several threads from these meetings will carry forward:

BESS ordinance development ahead of September deadline
State legislative outcomes affecting county funding
Courthouse repair projects moving toward construction
EFSEC participation in transmission project decisions
Bridge Authority appointment returning for resolution

🗓 Join the Next Klickitat County BOCC Meeting

📍 Klickitat County Board of Commissioners
🕘 Meetings typically begin Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m.

💻 Join via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/586587651

📞 Dial-in:
1-346-248-7799
Meeting ID: 586 587 651

✉️ Public Comment:
bocc@klickitatcounty.org (by noon the day prior)