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08/15/2023 MINUTES 1 <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />AUDITORIUM <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />TUESDAY 2:00 P.M. AUGUST 15, 2023 <br /> <br />Board members present: Chairman Cory Wright & Vice-Chairman Brett <br />Wachsmith. Excused: Commissioner Laura Osiadacz. <br /> <br />Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Mandy Buchholz, Office <br />Administrator; Mark Cook, Public Works/CDS Director; Josh <br />Fredrickson, Engineer; Arden Thomas, Water Resource Program Manager; <br />Brian Carlson, Budget & Finance Manager; Zack DeHaven, Accountant <br />II; and 4 members of the public. <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING SPEED LIMIT WILSON CREEK ROAD PUBLIC WORKS <br /> <br />At 2:00 p.m. CHAIRMAN WRIGHT opened a Public Hearing to consider a <br />Speed Increase on Wilson Creek Road and to Amend the Kittitas County <br />Code Chapter 10.08.020, Speed Limits. <br /> <br />JOSH FREDRICKSON, ENGINEER, reviewed a Staff Report including the <br />background of a request they received to increase the speed limit <br />from 35 mph to 50 mph on Wilson Creek Road. He reviewed the speed <br />data collected, safety standards, history of vehicle crashes, and <br />direct access along the section. He mentioned the public comments <br />that had been received. <br /> <br />THOSE PRESENT & TESTIFYING: DIRK JOHNSON said he owns a home off <br />Wilson Creek Road, and they’ve counted 17 families who access the <br />road from their home. He said it’s elevated out of most driveways <br />and does not feel the reward is worth the risk to increase the speed <br />limit. CHERYL JOHNSON said there were a lot of families who walk, <br />ride bikes, including the cross-country team that runs that road, <br />and with no shoulders on the road, it’s a risk in itself. She didn’t <br />see what would be gained by increasing the speed limit. PAT KELLEHER <br />said 85% of the traffic is already going above the posted speed and <br />believed it’s a compliance issue. He said law enforcement should <br />either be ticketing people for speeding, or the County should <br />increase the speed limit. He felt the speed study should have been <br />conducted at the mid-point of the road and not near Judge Ronald <br />Road to get better accuracy. THERE BEING NO OTHERS REQUESTING TO <br />TESTIFY, THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THE HEARING WAS CLOSED. <br /> <br />CHAIRMAN WRIGHT moved to deny the request to increase speed limit on <br />Wilson Creek Road. VICE-CHAIRMAN WACHSMITH seconded. VICE-CHAIRMAN <br />WACHSMITH said he drives that road frequently and there’s a lot of <br />driveways in the area, and if the speed was increased it would only <br />encourage people to drive faster. CHAIRMAN WRIGHT explained how