By Dispatch Squatch in Skamania County Board of Commissioners — 04 Sep 2025

🧑‍⚖️ Who Will Shape Planning? BOCC Meeting Recap - Aug. 26

From wildfire funds to Planning Commission interviews, county commissioners weighed tough trade-offs Aug. 26, balancing prevention vs. rescue, reviewing wetlands and housing programs, and hearing from candidates on how they’d shape Skamania’s planning future.

🏛 Skamania County Commissioners Recap - August 26, 2025

The Board of County Commissioners handled routine approvals, heard updates from departments, debated Title III projects, and conducted four interviews for Planning Commission vacancies.

Approved minutes from the August 19 meeting.
Issued a Request for Qualifications for the Butler Eddy Bridge Replacement Project.
Renewed contracts for the Uniform Guardian Act AOC grant and CASA/VGAL program (supporting guardians ad litem for children in dependency cases).
Authorized Phase One capital improvements purchases.

🔥 Burn Ban

The Fire Marshal briefed commissioners on conditions. Moisture levels remain well below threshold, so the countywide burn ban will continue until significant rain arrives, likely into mid-September.

📊 Department Head Reports

Public Works: Updates on paving projects, snowpark patching, and upcoming road work. Mention of a Winter Slide repair project moving toward construction in 2026, with detours via Carson and Wind River Highway.
- It deals with a stretch of roadway damaged by recurring landslides during winter storms along the Columbia Gorge’s steep slopes where ground saturation and runoff cause the roadbed to slip.
- The project involves engineering a permanent fix: stabilizing the hillside, repairing the road surface, and adding drainage or retaining structures to reduce future slide risks.
- In the August 26 BOCC meeting, staff noted it’s moving toward construction in 2026, with traffic detours anticipated via Carson and Wind River Highway once work begins.
Community Development: Clarified that Skamania’s planning staff are certified professionals, pushing back on recent rumors to the contrary. Reported increased code enforcement actions, including a recent stop-work order near the Washougal River.
- They clarified that all current planning staff hold the professional certifications and training required for their positions.
- Staff regularly attend state and regional trainings, maintain continuing education, and work under professional standards.
- The department emphasized that while residents may disagree with planning outcomes, those outcomes are grounded in professional practice, not amateur or ad-hoc judgment.
Community Health: Shared 2nd-quarter substance use disorder service data. Announced interns joining the office, progress on new office space, and upcoming vaccination clinics.

🦺 Safety Committee Report

Reviewed workplace safety updates, incident follow-ups, and committee activities to address staff concerns.

🌊 Workshops

Wetland Delineation: Commissioners met with the Assessor to discuss mapping and classification of wetlands, which affect property taxes and land use decisions.
CHIP Program: Reviewed the Community Housing Improvement Program (via WA Dept. of Commerce), which provides state funds for affordable housing and rehab projects.
Boat Launch: Workshop explored options for improving and funding county-managed launches, including maintenance responsibilities and user fees.

🗣 Public Hearing – Title III Funds

The Board held a public hearing on how to allocate the county’s Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Title III funds for 2025-26. These dollars come from federal forest payments and can only be used for specific categories like wildfire prevention, community fire protection, and search & rescue.

Projects under review included:

Firewise outreach and homeowner education - to help residents learn how to reduce wildfire risks around their properties.
Fuel reduction and forest health projects - thinning, brush clearing, and other measures to reduce fire danger near residential areas.
Search & rescue training and equipment - to support the Sheriff’s Office in handling the rising number of rescues in the Gorge.

🔥 Debate in the Room

Commissioners split between prevention vs. emergency response:

Public comment reinforced the divide: some speakers urged investment in fuel reduction to protect entire neighborhoods, while others highlighted the strain on the Sheriff’s Office, with rescues pulling deputies away from patrol duties.

Firewise outreach drew cautious support:

“Outreach doesn’t cost much compared to heavy equipment, but it helps people protect their own property. That’s worth something.”

Another countered that prevention deserves priority:

“Every dollar we put into prevention saves us tenfold when fire season comes. We can’t keep waiting for the crisis to hit before we act.”

One commissioner stressed search & rescue as the urgent need:

“We’ve had more rescues this year than any year I can remember. If we don’t have the equipment to respond safely, then all the rest doesn’t matter.”

✅ Takeaway

No final allocations were made on August 26, but commissioners acknowledged that limited dollars mean difficult trade-offs between immediate safety (rescue response) and long-term resilience (wildfire prevention). The discussion will continue in future budget sessions.

🧑‍⚖️ Planning Commission Candidate Interviews

The Board of County Commissioners interviewed several candidates for the open Planning Commissioner seats. A short recap of each conversation:

Position #2

R. Broughton: Emphasized a background in natural resource management and a desire to balance growth with forest and habitat protection. Highlighted collaboration skills and familiarity with county codes.

Position #3

A. Lueders: Spoke about community involvement and experience with rural land issues. Priorities included improving transparency and public outreach, especially around permitting.
K. Bertash: Focused on data-driven decision making, transparency, and better public engagement. Noted experience in civic reporting and organizing, aiming to help residents better navigate Scenic Area restrictions.
K. Podruchny: Highlighted technical expertise in planning and permitting processes. Stressed the importance of keeping rules clear and consistent for landowners.

Commissioners will deliberate before making appointments.

📬 Participate & Stay Involved

💻 Join future meetings on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88906321210
📞 Dial-in: 1 (346) 248-7799 | Meeting ID: 889 0632 1210
📧 Submit written comments: commiss@co.skamania.wa.us (due by noon the day before a meeting).