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12/02/2025 MINUTES 1 <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />AUDITORIUM <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />TUESDAY 2:00 P.M. DECEMBER 2, 2025 <br /> <br />Board members present: Chairman Laura Osiadacz; Vice-Chairman Cory <br />Wright & Commissioner Brett Wachsmith. <br /> <br />Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Mandy Buchholz, Office <br />Administrator; Sarah Keith, Superior Court Administrator; Kasey <br />Knutson, Human Services Manager; Candi Blackford, Chief <br />Administrator; Ed Buntin, Jail Lieutenant; Mark Larson, Public <br />Health Officer; Paul Sander, Lower District Court Judge; Erin Moore, <br />Deputy Public Health Director; Doug Fessler, IT Director; Stephanie <br />Hartung, Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor; Emma Madland, Human Services <br />Admin. Specialist; Emily Brown, Treatment Court Coordinator; and <br />approximately 45 members of the public. <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING 1/10TH OF 1% TAX FUNDING PUBLIC HEALTH <br /> <br />At 2:00 p.m. CHAIRMAN OSIADACZ opened a Public Hearing to consider <br />1/10th of 1% Tax Funding for Mental Health and Substance Use <br />Disorders programs and services in Kittitas County, to receive <br />comments on the use of 1/10th MH and SUD funding, then deny, approve <br />or continue the hearing to address the sunset clause for funding. <br /> <br />KASEY KNUTSON, HUMAN SERVICES MANAGER, reviewed a Staff Report and <br />provided information on the history of the tax, which was <br />implemented in 2021, with a sunset clause for 2027. She said the <br />sunset clause was to allow funding of programs, time to gather data, <br />and to show results of impacts to the community. JUDGE PAUL SANDER, <br />LOWER DISTRICT COURT, reviewed the therapeutic courts’ success from <br />receiving funds as well as data resulting from the programs since <br />the tax was implemented. ED BUNTIN, LIEUTENANT, reviewed some of the <br />programs and successes at the Jail due to the funding they’ve <br />received. He noted an award they recently received from the <br />Washington Association of Counties which was based on impacts from <br />the projects. He indicated they are continuing to help change lives <br />before the person gets out of jail and he recommend continuing the <br />tax. MICHELLE GURTLER, CWU COMMUNITY CLINIC, provided information <br />on the benefits of their program, along with data and the successes. <br />She said it’s been an excellent experience and everyone’s thankful <br />to be able to provide the services to our community. DAWN BASS <br />provided information about the youth programs and their successes. <br />She said the free programs have offered teens to have continued <br />growth as the needs are rising. She encouraged the Board to continue <br />the tax and to remove the sunset clause. SHASTA MARIEN explained how <br />she’s been impacted from the programs in the Upper County and is now