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05/20/2025 MINUTES 1 <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />AUDITORIUM <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />TUESDAY 2:00 P.M. MAY 20, 2025 <br /> <br />Board members present: Chairman Laura Osiadacz; Vice-Chairman Cory <br />Wright and Commissioner Brett Wachsmith. <br /> <br />Others: Shelise Smithgall, Administrative Assistant; Stephanie <br />Hartung, Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor; Josh Fredrickson, Public <br />Works Director; Nancy Shaff, Chief Administrative Deputy Sheriff; <br />Chelsey Loeffers, Public Health Director; Cameron Curtis, County <br />Engineer; Darren Higashiyama, Chief Deputy; and 19 members of the <br />public. <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING TITLE III FUNDS SAR SHERIFF <br /> <br />At 2:00 p.m. CHAIRMAN OSIADACZ opened a Public Hearing for the use <br />of Title III funds to improve/update Kittitas County Search and <br />Rescue equipment. <br /> <br />CHAIRMAN OSIADACZ stated that the Agenda items would be considered <br />in a different order than advertised, so that the item that was <br />anticipated to have the longest discussion could be heard last. <br /> <br />DARREN HIGASHIYAMA, CHIEF DEPUTY, reviewed a Staff Report regarding <br />the Title III funds the Sheriff’s office had received from the US <br />Forest Service through Washington State. He stated that the Title <br />III funds may be used to reimburse counties for Search and Rescue <br />and other emergency response activities. He stated that one of the <br />criteria regarding the Title III funds is that the Search and Rescue <br />funds need to be used for Forest Service lands and that the majority <br />of Search and Rescue operations are conducted on Forest Service <br />lands, therefore it would be appropriate to use these funds for <br />Search and Rescue. <br /> <br />THERE BEING NO PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE REQUESTING TO TESTIFY, THE <br />PUBLIC PORTION OF THE HEARING WAS CLOSED. <br /> <br />VICE-CHAIRMAN WRIGHT moved to approve the request to use Title III <br />funds to improve/update Search and Rescue equipment. COMMISSIONER <br />WACHSMITH seconded. CHAIRMAN OSIADACZ asked the Board if they had <br />any discussion regarding the matter. VICE-CHAIRMAN WRIGHT voiced his <br />support of using the Title III funds to update Search and Rescue <br />equipment. CHAIRMAN OSIADACZ stated that she agreed with VICE- <br />CHAIRMAN WRIGHT. Motion carried 3-0. <br /> <br />