HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-12-11-minutes-legislative-update2017-12-11 MINUTES 1
COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES
KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
COMMISSIONERS AUDITORIUM
SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY 3:00 P.M. DECEMBER 11, 2017
Board members present: Chairman Paul Jewell; Vice Chairman Laura
Osiadacz and Commissioner Obie O’Brien.
Others: Mandy Buchholz, Deputy Clerk of the Board II; Senator
Judy Warnick; Representative Tom Dent; Jerry Pettit, Kittitas
County Auditor; Greg Zempel, Kittitas County Prosecutor; Brett
Wachsmith, Kittitas County Treasurer; Nick Henderson, Kittitas
County Coroner; Gene Dana, Sheriff; Clay Myers, Undersheriff;
Juliana Roe, WSAC Policy Director & Bill Clarke, County Lobbyist
– by phone.
SPECIAL MEETING WSAC/LSC DELEGATION UPDATE COMMISSIONERS
At 3:00 p.m. Chairman Jewell opened a Special Meeting to discuss
with Senator Judy Warnick, Representative Tom Dent and WSAC
Representative Juliana Roe the Kittitas County Legislative
priorities and WSAC Legislative priorities.
Chairman Jewell reviewed the two priorities Kittitas County has
for 2018. 1. PILT Funding (Fish & Wildlife PILT funding). 2.
Chairman Jewell presented proposed legislation for an ACT
relating to Authorizing Counties to establish Community Wildfire
Risk Management (previously Community Wildfire Protection
Zones). He stated it’s something he has been working on with
Kittitas County’s Lobbyist Bill Clarke. He stated that he would
like to see it sponsored by Senator Warnick and Representative
Dent. Bill Clarke, Kittitas County Lobbyist stated that he has
been routing the draft to his contacts and they are supportive
of the proposal. Representative Dent stated that if he can get
sponsors he will get a hearing set up. Senator Warnick provided
names of Senators and Representatives that Chairman Jewell
should reach out to and work on getting some support as well.
There was discussion and information shared on various issues at
the County level. There were frustrations expressed to Senator
Warnick and Representative Dent about the fiscal condition of
the Counties. There was discussion on the challenges the
Counties are facing in balancing their budgets to deliver the
services required by the Constitution and Statues.
2017-12-11 MINUTES 2
Juliana Roe, WSAC Policy Director provided a handout and
reviewed the 2018 Legislative Priorities and the background: 1.
Adequate Funding for Indigent Defense. 2. Rural Water Solutions.
3. Foundational Public Health Services. 4. Local Government
Property Tax Revenue.
There was brief discussion on funding locations for Senator
Warnick and Representative Dent to look at in an attempt to free
up funding for other areas of concern presented today.
Jerry Pettit, Auditor briefly discussed concerns on behalf of
the Auditor division at WACO.
The Board thanked Senator Warnick and Representative Dent for
their time and all the on-going support throughout each year.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:31 p.m.
KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
DEPUTY CLERK OF THE BOARD KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Mandy Buchholz Paul Jewell, Chairman