Laserfiche WebLink
5/20/21 MINUTES 1 <br /> <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON WEBEX SPECIAL MEETING <br /> THURSDAY 9:00 A.M. MAY 20, 2021 <br />Board members present via Webex: Chairman Brett Wachsmith, Vice- <br />Chairman Laura Osiadacz, and Commissioner Cory Wright. <br /> <br />Others via Webex: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Taylor Crouch, <br />Administrative Assistant; Jerry Pettit, Auditor; Sue Higginbotham, <br />Chief Administrator; Greg Zempel, Prosecutor; and Elishia Harvill, <br />Chief Administrator. SPECIAL MEETING MENTAL HEALTH TAX COMMISSIONERS <br />At 9:00 a.m. Chairman Wachsmith opened a Special Meeting to consider <br />the Prosecutor’s office legal opinion relating to the Mental Health <br />and Substance Abuse Disorder Sales & Use Tax. <br /> <br />Greg Zempel, Prosecutor, provided an update and reviewed the legal <br />opinion relating to the proposed Sales & Use Tax. He said the <br />authority rests with the Board of County Commissioners and advisory <br />elections. Commissioner Wright said the information he received <br />from Municipal Research and an advisory vote was unclear. The Board <br />had a discussion and wanted more clarity for an advisory vote. Greg <br />Zempel said he would submit a CAMAS request to provide further <br />clarity. Vice-Chairman Osiadacz said she had worked with the Public <br />Health Administrator and the Budget & Finance Director and they are <br />currently looking for funding outside of having to have a vote to <br />increase the sales and use tax. She said they were looking at what <br />is best for Kittitas County to fund it from resources that may <br />already exist. She did not support strictly imposing an additional <br />tax without a vote of the citizens. Jerry Pettit, Auditor said they <br />could prepare a cost estimate by the end of June for placing it on <br />either the General ballot or having it on a Special/Primary ballot. <br />The deadline to place it on the November General Ballot is August 3rd <br />at 5:00 p.m. <br /> <br />Commissioner Wright said he would like to give Commissioner Osiadacz <br />time to look at other possible funding options without an additional <br />tax. Vice-Chairman Osiadacz said they hoped to get information by <br />the beginning of July. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />