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12/16/2025 MINUTES 1 <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />AUDITORIUM <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />TUESDAY 2:00 P.M. DECEMBER 16, 2025 <br /> <br />Board members present: Chairman Laura Osiadacz; Vice-Chairman Cory <br />Wright & Commissioner Brett Wachsmith. <br /> <br />Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Mandy Buchholz, Office <br />Administrator; Kasey Knudson, Human Services Manager; Chelsey <br />Loeffers, Public Health Director; Laurie Holt, Developmental <br />Disabilities Specialist; Audelia Martinez, Health Promotion Manager; <br />Cambron Walker, Health Promotion Specialist II; Whitney Wheelock, <br />Medical Assistant; Kate Johnson, Communicable Disease Manager; <br />Stephanie Hartung, Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor; and approximately <br />10 members of the public. <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING 5-YEAR HOMELESS HOUSING PLAN PUBLIC HEALTH <br /> <br />At 2:00 p.m. CHAIRMAN OSIADACZ opened a Public Hearing to consider <br />adopting the 2025-2030 Local Homeless Housing Plan for Kittitas <br />County. <br /> <br />KASEY KNUTSON, HUMAN SERVICES MANAGER, reviewed a Staff Report and <br />said the Homelessness & Affordable Housing Committee recommended the <br />final version of the plan back in October. The Washington State <br />Department of Commerce requires public notice, participation, plan <br />components and reporting, and stakeholder engagement. As of this <br />date everything’s been satisfied and all they need to do is wait an <br />additional 30 days before officially adopting the plan. <br /> <br />THOSE PRESENT & TESTIFYING: JOAN NESLEND said a lot of the plan was <br />done with a lot of thought and was a coordinated approach to help <br />those who are homeless in our County. She was proud of it and <br />believed it would be successful. STEPHANIE BOHMAN, HABITAT FOR <br />HUMANITY, thanked the County for putting the plan together as it <br />will assist with more affordable home ownership since a large part <br />of our population is not able to be in home equity due to rising <br />price of homes. JESSICA KARRAKER felt the plan was good, but <br />HopeSource being one of the largest benefactors, she was concerned <br />there’s no third party to look at how the funds are being spent. She <br />thought it’s a conflict of interest to have someone be a committee <br />member and be a recipient of the funds. THERESA PLUE said she has <br />friends living off the streets who are trying to figure out <br />available resources and said there’d be a benefit to be able to sit <br />in with the HopeSource counselors. She agreed a third-party review <br />should be put into place and hoped HopeSource wasn’t the only one <br />benefiting so much financially. SARAH NORTON explained how she’s