[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6094749,"mediaKeyId","2841978-1175213a3be194a4d82c3160564bea64","parentId",2841978,"title","Lewis County commissioners approve budget amendment notice, multiple resolutions and animal-control ordinance 13-61","audioSeconds",764,"startMs",1250000,"endMs",2014000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2841978-1175213a3be194a4d82c3160564bea64&start=1250&end=2014","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2841978-1175213a3be194a4d82c3160564bea64/thumbnail_1250000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6094749/Lewis-County/Washington/Lewis-County-commissioners-approve-budget-amendment-notice-multiple-resolutions-and-animal-control-ordinance-13-61","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6094749-a24a16bf7cfcebf4116d7475d40a8dc6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139559&Signature=PNtzQDAIvP5DIRlAIicPeckA9EnLlyFwHZAm6xR-0zWd7ngnN-Xj1sMnRiHDP3ZfI9LmLXUR6zVehtscCCZ3A9Cz0bB~RQqTOE4pS~TFnxrkrUD81R45Y3gq0Svo9gQwPv~5W-xIR-wZnj8S9CY0suFfLsyjHmRw61Hq62aUXpVS-2joUMMpIPxjkvcUyresUnxp3Uv~TniDxhcap9PXJVi6fy73kWL1ncYPT15A6kia5FYTZjwBLC21vCiuLgJohlwRubiic3evRCzjyZyd-1rhNpnjcK6d3HGqci2KWTuecBFHH8YgjHvIW-Er9rngG7LUNHWBJJ0BrQUkH71unA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lewis County WA","date","2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","article","The Lewis County Board of Commissioners on April 1 approved a set of routine and substantive actions, including a notice of hearing for a 2025 budget amendment, several interlocal agreements and administrative resolutions, and adoption of Ordinance 13-61 to revise animal-control responsibilities.

The board approved one notice item, Resolution 25-089, setting a public hearing for the county’s first 2025 budget amendment. County staff said the notice covers all funds and reflects a revenue increase of $2,215,922, an expenditure increase of $2,565,216 and a change in fund balance of $349,294; staff told commissioners that the majority of the amendment is rollover for prior-year capital projects. The hearing is scheduled for April 15, with written comments accepted until 10 a.m. on April 14. The motion to approve the notice item passed 3-0.

The board also approved consent and deliberation items including payment warrants and payroll (Resolution 25-090), minutes from the March 25, 2025 meeting, and a suite of administrative and interlocal agreements. Actions approved by the board on a 3-0 vote included:

- Resolution 25-069: Approval of lease agreements for the Central Transfer Station and East Lewis County Transfer Station. Solid Waste briefed the board that the lease term is 24 months, set to expire at the end of 2026; the motion passed 3-0.

- Resolution 25-091: Adoption of an updated Lewis County Sheriff’s Office fee schedule related to animal services and a related proposed ordinance (see Ordinance 13-61). Deputy Gabriel Frase told the board the fees are tied to chapters 5.25, 6.05 and 6.15 of Lewis County Code and would allow the sheriff’s office to perform animal-control responsibilities formerly handled by public health; the resolution passed 3-0.

- Resolution 205-092: An interlocal agreement with Cowlitz County 911 Authority allowing that authority to use purchasing contracts developed by Lewis County 911 under RCW 39.34.030; approved 3-0.

- Resolution 205-093: Surplus of county vehicles and equipment. County engineering staff identified one sedan, one van, one SUV for surplus to general auction and a spray truck to be surplus to the city of Chehalis; approved 3-0.

- Resolution 25-094: Acceptance of a tax-title bid for a parcel on Airport Road. County staff reported an offer to purchase for $11,000; unpaid taxes and fees totaled $7,554.33. The board voted to accept the bid, 3-0.

- Resolution 25-095: Appointment of members to the Lewis County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), as required by state administrative code (WAC references provided in staff materials); approved 3-0.

- Resolution 25-096: Approval of a local interlocal agreement under which Lewis County Emergency Management provides services to municipalities including Vader, Toledo, Winlock, Morton, Mossyrock and Napavine; approved 3-0. Staff said the current per-unit price is $6.30 (previous year shown as $5.73).

- Resolution 25-097: Appointment of Erica Cat as Lewis County Community Emergency Coordinator and Bill Teitel as alternate for hazardous-material incident coordination (two-year term); approved 3-0.

- Resolution 25-098: Award of the county newspaper-of-record contract for 2025–2026 to The Chronicle as the low bidder under statutory competitive-bid requirements (RCW 36.72.075); approved 3-0.

- Resolution 25-099: A county resolution stating intent to protect access to natural gas in Lewis County and to align local building-code provisions with selected energy-efficiency provisions from the 2021 International Residential Code and the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code; approved 3-0.

Public hearing and ordinance: The board opened a public hearing on Ordinance 13-61, received no public testimony, and then voted to adopt the ordinance. Deputy Gabriel Frase presented the staff report, saying, “Ordinance 13-61 is meant to modify Lewis County Code chapters 5.25, 6.05, and 6.15 as they pertain to animal-control responsibilities, which were previously performed by the Department of Public Health and have been assumed by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.” The motion to approve Ordinance 13-61 passed 3-0.

All recorded motions on the consent and deliberation docket carried by unanimous recorded voice vote: three ayes, zero nos.

Ending: With those approvals the board concluded administrative business and moved to adjourn.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOCC Meeting Apr 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its April 1 meeting the Lewis County Board of Commissioners approved a notice of hearing for a first 2025 budget amendment, award of the county newspaper contract, several interlocal agreements and administrative resolutions, and adopted Ordinance 13-61 transferring animal-control duties to the sheriff’s office; all recorded votes were 3-0.","taxTitle","Lewis County, Washington","taxId",51407,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6094753,"Lewis County broadband project nears closeout; Toledo Tel reports 2,400 home passings, 1,700 signups",864,142000,1006000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2841978-1175213a3be194a4d82c3160564bea64&start=142&end=1006","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2841978-1175213a3be194a4d82c3160564bea64/thumbnail_142000.jpg","/articles/6094753/Lewis-County/Washington/Lewis-County-broadband-project-nears-closeout-Toledo-Tel-reports-2400-home-passings-1700-signups","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6094753-4f99460bc73eac83b7a761e4798b2a9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139559&Signature=mB0Z1860lyfXaPccXQqy0M~a6wXDi56-4SPC4MIzC26vcx0hfqqfRLwFIzWWGTqTCEBXcg6N1bfOeWO2Pz7O9k3F1XyZaWVkd-yzo~PfdhHKyq9Bd6tI0xdNlX78z2JecMFPOtlpEF-fFO0RM7yr54Xs3UDfo8hyzsWkD~kGvWx2BmtfXJlqYpvmPAI07zJw0kfahhp0MPIygLYrdL5~6~ifB9GeiCT3Qy~rDqLXj2MVjbq4UsevlIEPOvAoMeoiHUiilcjgsFEdP6Y9skOmXLXc4eB2PEK7FlpxsRk1vNzHpMIaQkrMsEYwQKR-m3q8LvODGMdeqo0PeIelnxt81w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Toledo Tel told the Lewis County Board of Commissioners on April 1 that construction under a $25,000,000 county broadband grant is nearing closeout and that the project has reached thousands of homes across multiple phases.

Toledo Tel said the grant-funded program comprises two contracts covering phases 1–10. “So far in phases 1 through 3, there were 697 homes installed with duct and fiber,” the presenter said, adding that 317 homes have been completed with active fiber broadband service and 51 of those customers moved their home phone numbers to the new service.

The county and contractor are currently working on contract 2 (phases 4–10). Toledo Tel reported about 60 miles of duct installed in contract 2 and said there are about 2,400 total home passings across the project footprint. “We’ve signed up 1,700 customers to take a drop,” the presenter said, and staff said roughly 20 people have explicitly refused service. For contract 2 the company said roughly 1,040 customers had signed up for duct and fiber, with 367 of those now fully complete.

Why this matters: the project is funded by a large state or federal grant administered through the county; commissioners were told the contract is on track to close in July, after which connecting a home that was not completed before closeout could require the homeowner to pay for hookup costs.

Toledo Tel described technical and logistical challenges. The company said delays and inaccurate locates from CenturyLink/Lumen have caused crews to hit existing copper drops, producing interruptions that sometimes take weeks or months to restore. The presenter said the company has helped several affected customers file complaints with the Federal Communications Commission and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

On service speeds, Toledo Tel said the packages offered to end users range from 25 megabits per second up to 1 gigabit symmetrical. The underlying network, the company said, is capable of higher capacity—“this network that we built, that can do 10 gigs,” the presenter said—but the current retail packages top out at 1 Gbps. Technically, the company said it is deploying XGS-PON, a fiber technology that shares capacity among customers; the presenter described the architecture as sharing a connection among up to 32 customers while maintaining aggregate bandwidth well above individual usage.

Commissioners asked whether all signed-up homes will receive drops by July; Toledo Tel replied crews are on track with construction and expect to complete signups and drops on schedule. Commissioners also asked about the cost to connect a house after the grant closeout. Toledo Tel said if conduit and an open trench are already in place from new construction there may be no customer cost; otherwise customers could face a minimum trenching fee the company estimated at about $500, and more extensive hookups (boring under driveways, etc.) could cost substantially more.

The contractor described ongoing community outreach including radio spots and door-to-door canvassing; staff and contractors said they are encouraging homeowners who are unsure to at least have conduit installed now so a future hookup is less expensive. Toledo Tel and several county staff and commissioners praised project administration and accounting, and the presenter singled out county staff whose work helped keep reimbursements and audits clean.

The presenter and company staff answered commissioners’ questions but no formal county action was required on the update.

Quotes in context: Toledo Tel said, “I think the biggest accomplishment is… the happy customers that we’ve been able to cut over,” referring to residents gaining fiber service for the first time. During cost discussion the company said, “If there is an open trench, there would be no cost to the customer to hook into the service. The only cost would be if we had to open a trench or bore.”

What’s next: the county and contractor expect contract closeout in July and will continue customer outreach until then. After July, homeowners seeking new hookups should expect to pay out-of-pocket if their site is not already prepared for connection.

Ending: Commissioners thanked Toledo Tel, county staff, and contractor personnel for the work and noted particular appreciation for project accounting and operations that supported timely reimbursements and clean audits.","At the April 1 Lewis County commissioners meeting Toledo Tel gave a progress update on a $25 million county broadband grant: construction is mostly complete on early phases, signups are advancing but CenturyLink/Lumen locate delays have caused some outages; the grant will close out in July and late hookups may incur customer costs.","actionData","errors"]

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Lewis County commissioners approve budget amendment notice, multiple resolutions and animal-control ordinance 13-61

Lewis County broadband project nears closeout; Toledo Tel reports 2,400 home passings, 1,700 signups