HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-01-13-minutes-forest-health-funding-bill- 01/13/2020 MINUTES 1
COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON COMMISSIONER’S CONFERENCE ROOM SPECIAL MEETING MONDAY 11:00 A.M. JANUARY 13, 2020
Board members present: Chairman Brett Wachsmith; Vice-Chairman Laura
Osiadacz (arrived at 11:09 a.m.) and Commissioner Cory Wright.
Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Gary Berndt, Department of
Natural Resources; John Sinclair, Kittitas Valley Fire & Rescue Chief;
Darcy Batura, The Nature Conservancy; and Reese Lolley, The Nature
Conservancy. Via phone: Loren Torgerson, Wildfire Policy Advisor for
the Public Lands Commissioner; Chelan County Commissioners Kevin
Overbay, Bob Burgert, (joined the meeting at 11:15 a.m.) Doug England;
Okanogan County Commissioner Chris Branch (joined the meeting at 11:40
a.m.).
SPECIAL MEETING DEDICATED FOREST HEALTH FUNDING BILL COMMISSIONERS
At 11:00 a.m. Chairman Wachsmith opened a Special Meeting to receive an
update on the draft Dedicated Forest Health Funding Bill.
Loren Torgerson, Wildfire Policy Advisor for the Public Lands
Commissioner, reviewed the proposed Bill concerning funding for wildfire
prevention and preparedness activities. The Office of the Insurance
Commissioner are aware of the proposed Bill, but they are not part of
the team. The Bill includes increasing the resources required to
implement the State’s 20-Year Eastern Forest Health Strategy”, “10-Year
Wildland Fire Protection Strategy” and the “Forest Action Plan”. There
was discussion on the differences between suppression versus
preparedness. The models being projected demonstrate the westside of the
State will eventually become impacted too, as they are already seeing
results of poor air quality from the wildfires on the eastside. It was
noted that insurance agencies are not supporting the Bill at this time.
Commissioner Osiadacz said WSAC was supporting the Bill. She reviewed a
letter of support she had drafted and could be signed by the Kittitas,
Chelan and Okanogan County Commissioners. There were suggestions to
include in the letter such as making sure the funds were a dedicated
resource and could not be swept by the State.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.
01/13/2020 MINUTES 2
KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLERK OF THE BOARD KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON Julie Kjorsvik Brett Wachsmith, Chairman