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KITTITAS COUNTY Board of County Commissioners AGENDA STAFF REPORT AGENDA DATE: April 19, 2016 ACTION REQUESTED: Approve or Deny Claim of Greg Lutovsky. BACKGROUND: The claimant, Greg Lutovsky, (“Mr. Lutovsky”) claims a county dump truck/snowplow dumped sand/gravel on his 2015 Audi Q5, allegedly causing damage to the hood, roof, windshield, grill, and fenders of his vehicle. More specifically, Mr. Lutovsky claims that on December 16, 2015, at 8:30-8:40 am, he was driving behind a county dump truck/snowplow on Kilmore Road (the “pavement was bare and dry”). He states the county dump truck/snowplow was traveling at a rate of 30-35 mph. Due to the slow rate of speed of the county vehicle, Mr. Lutovsky tried passing several times, but was not able to pass because the county vehicle was close to the centerline of the road and “tried to run me off the road.” Mr. Lutovsky further claims that, at some point when Mr. Lutovsky’s vehicle was “100-125 feet” behind the county dump truck/snowplow, the dump truck/snowplow dropped sand/gravel on the road, Mr. Lutovsky “slammed on the brakes,” but his Audi was hit with the gravel/sand nonetheless. Mr. Lutovsky claims there were no lights or signs on the county vehicle alerting drivers sanding operations were taking place. The total amount of the claim is $8,191.58, which is the amount Mr. Lutovsky claims it will cost to repair the damage to his vehicle. Kittitas County Claim #201603040039. INTERACTION: Public Works confirms the county was engaged in sanding operations along Kilmore Road at approximately 8:30 am on the morning of December 16, 2016. Public Works also confirms the damage claimed to the Audi is consistent with prolonged exposure to sand released from a sanding truck. However, Public Works states the maximum sand deployment range of the sander, at full speed, is less than the 100-125 feet claimed by Mr. Lutovsky. In other words, Mr. Lutovksy was probably following the county vehicle at a much shorter distance than he admits in his claim. Public Works states all warning lights on the snowplow/sander were activated during the snowplow/sanding operations. Public Works disputes the description of the road conditions (“pavement was bare and dry”) contained in the claim because the county does not perform sanding operations during bare and dry conditions. Public Works states the sanding operation was performed due to icy conditions resulting from precipitation the night before.