🚨Public Safety & Stabilization: Klickitat BOCC 1/6–1/13
Klickitat County’s early-January BOCC meetings focused on stabilizing public safety staffing, restructuring Emergency Management, approving routine infrastructure work, and setting priorities for a cautious 2026. Here’s what changed, what escalated, and what’s next.
Klickitat County’s early-January BOCC meetings focused on public safety staffing, emergency management restructuring, routine infrastructure approvals, and setting the tone for a cautious, stabilization-focused 2026.
🏛 Klickitat County Board of Commissioners
Meetings of January 6 & January 13, 2026
🚧 Public Works, Roads & Facilities
Commissioners approved a slate of routine but necessary infrastructure actions, including guardrail repairs, culvert work, curve-warning signage, and bridge-related safety projects across the county. These upgrades are part of ongoing efforts to address known safety issues while managing rising construction and materials costs.
Bids were opened for the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport Business Park Training Facility, though staff reported that bids came in above the engineer’s estimate. This is another example of inflation continuing to pressure capital projects.
Public Works also assumed operational oversight of Emergency Management, following the loss of federal funding that previously supported the standalone program. While day-to-day operations will continue, the transition raised concerns from some fire district leaders about process, timing, and preparedness continuity.
🚓 Emergency Communications & Public Safety Staffing
The most urgent discussion this week centered on 911 dispatch staffing.
With dispatch vacancies persisting and overtime increasing, commissioners directed staff to move forward with a short-term contract for two fully trained temporary dispatchers (approximately 1,733 total hours). The goal is to stabilize coverage while longer-term recruitment continues.
Funding is expected to come largely from fund balance, with partial offsets from vacancy savings. The contract will return for final approval via the consent agenda.
Commissioners emphasized that this is a stopgap measure, not a long-term solution, but acknowledged that service continuity requires interim action.
⚖️ County Organization, HR & Legal Services
The Board continued early-year organizational housekeeping:
- Leadership roles for 2026 were confirmed, with Ron Ihrig serving as Chair and Todd Andrews as Vice Chair.
- Commissioners expressed support for moving Civil Service administration into HR, directing staff to continue coordination and return with a formal proposal by March.
- Ongoing legal-system pressures were noted, following late-2025 prosecutor turnover and rising public defense contract costs.
These items reflect a broader effort to streamline internal operations while managing workload and staffing strain.
✈️ Airport & Public Assets
Infrastructure work continues quietly but steadily at the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport, including safety upgrades and planning tied to the adjacent business park.
As in recent months, commissioners framed airport investments as long-term, practical steps to support emergency response, wildfire operations, and regional economic activity, not expansion for its own sake.
🔎 What Changed This Week
- Emergency Management formally moved under Public Works oversight.
- The county authorized moving toward temporary contracted 911 dispatch staffing, marking a shift from discussion to action.
- 2026 BOCC leadership and priorities were set.
⚠️ What Escalated
- Public safety staffing pressures became more acute, prompting use of temporary labor.
- Fire district concerns about Emergency Management restructuring entered the public record.
- Infrastructure costs again exceeded estimates, reinforcing inflation constraints.
🧭 What’s Next
- Temporary 911 dispatcher contracts return for final approval and monitoring.
- Civil Service consolidation proposal expected by March.
- Follow-up conversations on Emergency Management governance and partner coordination.
- Continued attention to prosecutor and public defense staffing stability.
🗓 Join the Next Klickitat County BOCC Meeting
📍 Klickitat County Board of Commissioners
Meetings are typically held Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m., with some items continuing into the afternoon.
💻 Join via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/586587651
📞 Dial-in:
1-346-248-7799
Meeting ID: 586 587 651
🗣 Public Comment:
In-person comments are taken during the designated comment period.
Written comments may be submitted to bocc@klickitatcounty.org and must be received by noon the day prior to be acknowledged.