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2016-12-13 MINUTES 1 <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />COMMISSIONER’S AUDITORIUM <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />TUESDAY 3:00 P.M. DECEMBER 13, 2016 <br /> <br />Board members present: Vice-Chairman Paul Jewell & Commissioner <br />Laura Osiadacz. Excused: Chairman Obie O’Brien. <br /> <br />Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Jerry Pettit, Auditor; <br />Susan Grindle, HopeSource Executive Director; and approximately 20 <br />members of the public. Jack Frost, David Miller & Nancy Goodloe, <br />members of the Homelessness & Affordable Housing Committee. <br /> <br />SPECIAL MEETING SPURLING PLACE APARTMENTS COMMISSIONERS <br /> <br />Commissioner Jewell reviewed how the Homelessness & Affordable <br />Housing Committee had previously recommended dedicating $500,000.00 <br />to the Spurling Place Apartments affordable housing project. <br /> <br />Susan Grindle, HopeSource Executive Director, explained how over the <br />past two years they have been working with the IOOF to convert 5 <br />acres of their land for an affordable housing unit project, <br />including a market analysis of the property. The IOOF has rescinded <br />their part of the offer and therefore HopeSource will no longer be <br />pursuing the property and abandoning the Spurling Place Apartments <br />project. She stated that HopeSource has just signed a Purchase & <br />Sale Agreement with another property owner and it’s the exact same <br />project as the Spurling Place Apartments, but in a different <br />location. She said they intend on pursuing the same funding, have <br />the same deadlines and hoped they could still partner with County. <br />They are currently working out the details and they would be <br />bringing a package to the Commissioners within the next week. <br /> <br />Commissioner Osiadacz said she had talked with the Auditor’s office <br />about the available fund balance and stated it has just over one- <br />million dollars available. She explained how she was interested in <br />allocating $500,000.00 out of that fund for an affordable housing <br />project, however not tying it to a specific project or organization. <br />She said there have been a lot of people voicing concerns with the <br />need of affordable housing and it’s something that needs to be <br />addressed as soon as possible. <br /> <br />David Miller, member of the Homelessness & Affordable Housing <br />Committee said the group was uncomfortable with the way the proposed <br />project had been handled, as their committee had not been issued a <br />Request for Proposals to review, or open to anyone who would want to <br />apply for the funds. They recognized the urgency due to applying for <br />grants, although it was still outside of their normal process. He