[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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",6180416,"mediaKeyId","5119348-44e9c569a70873c9eaa87a1b614edb83","parentId",5119348,"title","Residents and officials report USDA tour, county says Pasco plant ponds cleaned","audioSeconds",1050,"startMs",461480,"endMs",1512065,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5119348-44e9c569a70873c9eaa87a1b614edb83&start=461&end=1512","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5119348-44e9c569a70873c9eaa87a1b614edb83/thumbnail_461480.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6180416/Franklin-County/Washington/Residents-and-officials-report-USDA-tour-county-says-Pasco-plant-ponds-cleaned","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6180416-5965c48364321b80c58153364e3c23da/orig.mp4?Expires=1775356946&Signature=htLdR5fsSOh4Gavx2kTJlGECdFa2e~iAxYsF4nLDi4mvU-DqxXD88TyGKZc6hpToPwBumxeDhauok8A6feZeM8Yh~U4nzKRPWTvzU1YBB3cN3oU3DG1dV3WyRhoSHm4cZaoc14g6FjG6ErhNb6NkSejPQSrQ2kd-adXS~iiJ61neoo8vGd5sD~BggaAIKxbeaWjuP2O1j2l4nXbG3tw-r3ww~7cNSO4tftCuWxSAAztMedg8jhmNhQ8SWcyjVJmpyKH1dnA2rmItGzekSHl7BPMA8ksC~i8ypVxgXdP6iKI2~Ke8ISIPjVSBlEPYJvjmcp8AgkpX~NxyoyovgddJ7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Franklin County, WA","date","2025-07-03T04:25:14Z","article","During public comment at the July 2 Franklin County commissioners meeting, speakers reported a recent visit by a U.S. Department of Agriculture delegation and said county and federal officials toured multiple local water-treatment sites, including a Pasco facility where a large pond had previously caused odor complaints.

An unnamed public commenter told the board the USDA representatives ‘‘got a really good review of everything’’ during the tour and said officials understood that a boil-water condition elevated the sites’ priority for assistance. The commenter asked whether a measure that had been submitted to the regional council of governments concerning water for Benton and Franklin counties had been acted on and requested follow-up.

Later in the public-comment period, another commenter said they had toured sites with Kirk Pearson from USDA World Development and reported that ‘‘that large pond that was creating some of the air quality issues … is completely clean.’’ The speaker said that future inflows to the pond would be limited to processed water during the winter and that the odor issue at that pond \"should be going away.\" The commenter added that if odor complaints continue they would likely originate from a different source.

County Administrator Mister Danzel and the board thanked the USDA representative for visiting and said Mr. Pearson plans another trip with county staff to bring additional resources. No formal board action was taken during the public-comment discussion; the remarks were informational and commissioners did not direct immediate follow-up in the meeting record.

The transcript identifies affected communities visited during the USDA tour as Mesa, Basin City, Connell, and Colotes (also transcribed as “Cay Lotus” in one place), and notes that some locations experienced boil-water advisories. The record does not provide technical water-quality measurements, specific agency commitments or timelines for corrective work beyond the visit and planned follow-up.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","07/02/2025 Franklin County, WA Board of County Commissioners Regular meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters and county staff reported a USDA visit to multiple water treatment sites and said a large pond at the Pasco water treatment facility has been cleaned; residents raised boil-water concerns at Colotes/Colotus.","taxTitle","Franklin County, Washington","taxId",5109,"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},6180419,"Franklin County repeals 1988 smoking ordinance, updates policy to match state law",84,663584,748140,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5119348-44e9c569a70873c9eaa87a1b614edb83&start=663&end=748","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5119348-44e9c569a70873c9eaa87a1b614edb83/thumbnail_663584.jpg","/articles/6180419/Franklin-County/Washington/Franklin-County-repeals-1988-smoking-ordinance-updates-policy-to-match-state-law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6180419-e6ca535ab4f7a61534151dbd4616227e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775356946&Signature=ROpKU8zegYdy41QrW5y9xnz6a-beCVD510qPEobhEI8NQhvgSsPFl8UDIrDz9CRvVxjlX5dK6ziUBaXNathMcPzdVEk3i-d0AcoZJtnyk40XGJwdPBkM4Y~2CIYYxJ7hmPZJJqx-EfB0hG2l4UDGIdkYUwR3wo5fmYjpB5vBCLnV4r0RvNGQYjUsfxNbkKVNvTfunv8kqs3EFyUfXNlRi5lzQPywAh6bklguLLWYE7mlVrSSRkkfSbu7cBXBSzNx0oU4lykaunQsfP0OW-YDjWBKKunJq3-iGZMlXw3I7lgfiG6fspPdfymqt87vOmbVmAOZ3lLe8dtMX51JyojNCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Franklin County commissioners on July 2 voted to repeal a 1988 county smoking ordinance and adopt an updated county policy that aligns with Washington state’s current laws on smoking in public places.

Margo Wyler, who presented the item during an open public hearing, told the board the old ordinance dated to 1988 and that the county’s revised policy is “essentially just the rules for what Washington’s laws for smoking in public locations” now require. Wyler said the 1988 ordinance was long and descriptive and that the update was intended to reflect changes in state law.

During the hearing, members of the public asked whether the new policy covers vaping and whether designated smoking locations on county property apply to employees, the public or both. A member of staff added, “I don't think they vaped [in 1988]. And so I think that you added vaping to the—” and Wyler confirmed vaping was included in the updated language. Commissioners and staff also noted the policy maintains designated smoking areas on county property, such as courtyards, and that state rules generally prohibit smoking within a specified distance of public entrances.

Commissioner Baumann moved approval of Ordinance O7-2025 to repeal Ordinance 2-88; the motion was seconded and carried by vote of the board. The board then opened and approved Resolution 2025-207 to rescind the earlier county ordinance consistent with the ordinance vote.

The record shows no amendments to the ordinance text during the hearing. No additional implementation schedule or enforcement details were specified in the public meeting record beyond the statement that the county policy was updated to reflect state law.","The county commissioners voted to repeal a 1988 Franklin County smoking ordinance and adopt an updated policy aligning county rules with current Washington state smoking laws, including vaping provisions and designated smoking areas.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6180426,"Franklin County approves revised interlocal autopsy agreement with Benton County",80,567980,648800,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5119348-44e9c569a70873c9eaa87a1b614edb83&start=567&end=648","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5119348-44e9c569a70873c9eaa87a1b614edb83/thumbnail_567980.jpg","/articles/6180426/Franklin-County/Washington/Franklin-County-approves-revised-interlocal-autopsy-agreement-with-Benton-County","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6180426-07e2993a7637ef30712516795e226659/orig.mp4?Expires=1775356946&Signature=IMEYxwmx4iJ2DtUt~0BICWzFg-0FPfAwQNXY~RVBMwiYzJxDk3s0T-1dLEafSvsTc1DPBzkBgjVY44lw5~NpqxJjO5t~qB~1Hh2cDlDjrKaZIc5zGinnMz~6EdRG7LS~bW8ZeTfYIAEjra30TYMLP-CbnUZHFb211xKNqedSQHgwCaNQyObhrhIGTOFjeL9dXlkJ34dtXkbuTG8eo9ufY-o9kCRqa4iWI1hOXcD5XrtWKPDA~i8sZ8knwP8y9ZaQKy~I1wEsMoF~Y97CbLt-nqOvf~Y1rIMDUj7a8JfrlgNw9fnykuHFnuVMl2K1ExFmq0alI1-xGPbWgy-YAdZy4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Franklin County Board of Commissioners on July 2 approved a revised interlocal agreement with Benton County to govern autopsy exams, rescinding an earlier county resolution on the subject.

The change was presented by Mister McGarry, who said work on the agreement began in early June and that county staff revised language to reduce Franklin County’s potential liability. “There was language in there that, really made us liable for things that Benton County would do that they wouldn't take ownership for themselves,” McGarry said, and he thanked Jeff Briggs for revising the wording to “look out for us.”

Commissioner Baumann moved to approve the resolution and the commissioners voted in favor. The board’s action rescinds the earlier county resolution cited during the meeting and replaces it with the newly negotiated interlocal agreement with Benton County’s coroner’s office.

The meeting record shows the item was presented and approved without additional public comment or requests for amendment. The board did not attach conditions or direct additional staff follow-up during the motion and vote on the floor.

The decision affects how Franklin County will refer and process autopsy examinations under the intergovernmental agreement with Benton County; the transcript identifies the action as a resolution replacing the prior county resolution number referenced at the meeting.","The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a revised interlocal agreement with Benton County for autopsy exams, rescinding an earlier resolution after staff reworded liability terms.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents and officials report USDA tour, county says Pasco plant ponds cleaned

Franklin County repeals 1988 smoking ordinance, updates policy to match state law

Franklin County approves revised interlocal autopsy agreement with Benton County