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COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES
KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
COMMISSIONERS AUDITORIUM
SPECIAL MEETING
FRIDAY 2:00 P.M. DECEMBER 9, 2016
Board members present: Chairman Obie O’Brien; Vice Chairman Paul
Jewell and Commissioner Laura Osiadacz.
Others: Mandy Buchholz, Deputy Clerk of the Board; Senator Judy
Warnick; Representative Matt Manweller; Thad Duvall, Douglas
County Auditor; Jerry Pettit, Kittitas County Auditor; Greg
Zempel, Kittitas County Prosecutor; Cindy Carter, Grant County
Commissioner; Brett Wachsmith, Kittitas County Treasurer; Nick
Henderson, Kittitas County Coroner; Marsha Weyand, Assessor;
Scott Hutsell, Lincoln Co. Commissioner; Richard Stevens, Grant
County; Rob Coffman, Lincoln County; Scott Blonien, WACO and
Josh Weiss, WSAC Policy and Legislative Relations Director.
SPECIAL MEETING WSAC/LSC DELEGATION UPDATE COMMISSIONERS
At 2:00 p.m. Chairman O’Brien opened a Special Meeting to
discuss with the WSAC & LSC Regional Legislative Delegation and
receive updates.
Josh Weiss, WSAC Policy and Legislative Relations Director
provided handouts and initiated introductions. He reviewed the
2017 Legislative Priorities and the background as well as their
proposal: 1. Limit Property Tax Revenue Growth to Inflation and
Population. 2. Update the Public Records Act. 3. Provide
Adequate Funding for Indigent Defense Services. He explained
that due to lack of progress in prior years they have narrowed
down their agenda considerably in hopes of making progress. He
discussed the services that Counties provide for regional and
local agencies as well as revenue projections and WSAC’s
Legislative priorities. He stated that the priorities are
consistent with the County Fiscal Sustainability Initiative and
the central them for these meeting has been the fiscal
challenges counties are facing.
There was discussion and information shared on various issues at
the County level. There were frustrations expressed to Senator
Warnick, and Representative Manweller about the fiscal condition
of the Counties present as well as reductions and efficiencies
the Counties have made. There was discussion on the challenges
2016-12-09 MINUTES 2
the Counties present are facing in balancing their budgets to
deliver the services required by the Constitution and Statues.
Mr. Weiss thanked everyone for attending and expressed how
pleased he was with the turnout and thanked Senator Warnick and
Representative Manweller for attending.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:39 p.m.
KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
DEPUTY CLERK OF THE BOARD KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Mandy Buchholz Obie O’Brien, Chairman