[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6173344,"mediaKeyId","5382471-352f45b0f8d103f2357b4abb0cd16fc2","parentId",5382471,"title","County HR seeks interim and step changes; correctional promotion and brief executive session reported","audioSeconds",543,"startMs",4867435,"endMs",5410530,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5382471-352f45b0f8d103f2357b4abb0cd16fc2&start=4867&end=5410","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5382471-352f45b0f8d103f2357b4abb0cd16fc2/thumbnail_4867435.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6173344/Cowlitz-County/Washington/County-HR-seeks-interim-and-step-changes-correctional-promotion-and-brief-executive-session-reported","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6173344-4938c45a0e0d1f824c1ae446b0dc19a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078664&Signature=FKdmd42ArwFuwcRZHj2vqPOCamExMCPG0fxZZJIvbgxBKii0Phyzs0jZLpRBgoYoOVDKKWH~NikzvUkoOU7hDYIV8l3m9SGFQVXudC5B3W8DTbwDN3zeVZ5x04SM8GWduT5RA0cDcmhOu1I6O4hWLLbxvR2NA4nlAAIDqokdg4eXTaKuSCDfp2kziXG2tRQcAbbytwDHrdqN15v7sjlfI~zcZO5KwIdxCq-WDcIDANC2tEm3hwMhIvJeOYWrMqmdfOLLuBF~GhwhNm2OLbT0xdRVt6qGoeXQDPL502xO951~Xsu9pQfl8W~ONwORiOeNfWFeiD-I3ms4tDatMaVxZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cowlitz County Commissioners, Washington","date","2025-07-14T15:21:22Z","article","Human resources on Tuesday asked the Board of County Commissioners to approve several personnel-related items, including step placement for public-works hires and a promotion request from corrections, and the board briefly recessed to executive session on the performance of a public employee.

Jessica Warren, human-resources director, said Public Works requested starting the utilities foreman position at step 3 with a step date of Oct. 1, 2025, and asked to appoint an interim assistant county engineer at step 9, a monthly salary shown in the request as $11,652, with two weeks of vacation and retention of prior county service credit for vacation accrual purposes while the department finalizes the job description and conducts recruitment. Warren said the interim appointment would last while the county finalizes the position description and advertises the position.

Warren also relayed a corrections request to promote an Administrative Assistant 3 to an Offender Services Lead position at salary grade 21, representing a 5% pay increase. She said the promotion was requested by the Corrections director; the board did not vote on the personnel requests at Tuesday's meeting, which placed some items on the upcoming agenda.

Warren asked the board for a five-minute executive session on the performance of a public employee; the board recessed and later reported, \"Back from executive session. No decisions rendered.\" She then resumed personnel items.

What happened: HR presented personnel requests to be placed on future agendas; the board conducted a five-minute executive session on employee performance and returned without taking action.

Why it matters: step placement and interim appointments affect pay and recruitment timelines in hard-to-fill positions; promotions and personnel actions can affect departmental operations and budgets and may require formal approval at a future meeting.

Looking ahead: the personnel items will be included on the board's upcoming agenda for action, and HR will continue to work with departments to finalize job descriptions and recruitment timelines.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cowlitz County Commissioner Open Public Meetings","oneSentenceSummary","Human resources requested pay-step changes for two public-works positions and proposed a promotion in corrections; the board held a five-minute executive session on employee performance and returned with \"no decisions rendered.\"","taxTitle","Cowlitz County, Washington","taxId",5122,"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},6173349,"Corrections director: state per-diem for housed DOC inmates will rise; amendment on consent agenda",315,4536230,4851540,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5382471-352f45b0f8d103f2357b4abb0cd16fc2&start=4536&end=4851","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5382471-352f45b0f8d103f2357b4abb0cd16fc2/thumbnail_4536230.jpg","/articles/6173349/Cowlitz-County/Washington/Corrections-director-state-per-diem-for-housed-DOC-inmates-will-rise-amendment-on-consent-agenda","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6173349-247c8b4eb01c13773c233d80c78b93f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078664&Signature=P1tCs~UJXcJd53YRmFo5hWZGyi2mP8vOgdtiNvA6ha6aUAx8B~Hi0mdLc0RA2z5UsAlNRhiDa54h3fDlwpxG4UvstOdzvVkpqRW12z9crGBxKQpy1IRbvQAZlpxrOZ-dhRzvouJv6ybAzxFZa1Sc~TITdd3zxP7pqbzBM-NiR3D2~0GDVECljDr8RzTt~h4DP5GeeY-626dWagLm1dsnCR5u59wggB3AEFUjdezZAHG1DIaYnIiUZTwhZwCdrjkzUr-5u82AqRAA5Ja7M2l7vS0zNrPZOAhfEczOVz5N8jkDyfpsSAXK3BmUWdE69Fj5X24nRMssxQsaoeFJcqvvhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The county\forrections director told commissioners Tuesday that an existing contract to house Department of Corrections (DOC) inmates will include a 5% annual rate increase up to the statutory cap and that a contract amendment to reflect the change will be on the consent agenda at the next meeting.

\"This is the contract we've had in place for very many years, 20 plus, to hold their what would be commonly understood as probation violators,\" Ryn Fox, director of corrections, said. Fox said the increase brings the county\raily rate to $109.04 through June 2026 and then to $114.49 thereafter, and she confirmed the rate is calculated per inmate, per day.

Fox said the facility averages fewer than 10 DOC inmates at a time and that some counties choose not to accept DOC transfers because of space and the potential for higher medical or behavioral needs. She described the county's approach as coordinating with the DOC on transfers and occasionally holding higher-needs inmates overnight while transport is arranged.

What happened: Fox notified commissioners the contract amendment increasing the per-diem rate will appear on the consent agenda at the board's next meeting. No vote on the amendment occurred at Tuesday's meeting.

Why it matters: the per-diem affects a small but steady county revenue stream tied to housing out-of-jurisdiction inmates. The county's acceptance of DOC inmates is discretionary and influenced by local capacity and liability concerns.

Looking ahead: the amendment will be considered on the consent agenda at the upcoming meeting; commissioners did not take further action at Tuesday's session.","The county\forrections director said the Washington State Department of Corrections will increase the daily rate the county receives to house state inmates by the contract\fap of 5%; the contract amendment will appear on the consent agenda for the next meeting.",{"_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},6173354,"Clerk says court fees and BECCA reimbursements unpredictable; court-facilitator appointments are a growing revenue source",1272,2458590,3731300,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5382471-352f45b0f8d103f2357b4abb0cd16fc2&start=2458&end=3731","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5382471-352f45b0f8d103f2357b4abb0cd16fc2/thumbnail_2458590.jpg","/articles/6173354/Cowlitz-County/Washington/Clerk-says-court-fees-and-BECCA-reimbursements-unpredictable-court-facilitator-appointments-are-a-growing-revenue-source","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6173354-abb207fdec9006b507fa33c11af96d21/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078664&Signature=WV8vRL580WimmPnF8LY3KsWpw~UUqAoTqXk4qBK9Mxq45OBEy9KZzaJ~KDqR3shjO~KWSqoGkVoupq~J-xqWeX8nAubqNhkb6SHsB72JUBs1qrvdcCEMrm4lCZm8a5jP91cpxqhFDCJuZyT2GIdrv9pm3FOmUyGKA8HCPyw6cq7LBMBp5zZZdxP-hdZLPzkPxoYL2q0BTQWkxsoHa8hgUMeDmbNrVKjZw9sHABcoFJv3F-ntoQkxP60osidDuzVOf~SwzZzcciQInA24qAjTf1TOOs-r3NiHf1d51YQdNNUlKeM9C4Vx8QdJvCQRm9LD7t8DefKMYI78lL1VOPyEoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The county clerk told the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday that revenue from court fees is difficult to predict because the number and types of cases vary, but that several smaller revenue streams are helping the office this year.

\"It's really hard to determine what our budget's gonna be with that. We don't know how many divorces we're gonna file,\" Clerk Stacy Michael Busk said, describing volatility in case types and counts that drive fee revenue for copies, filings and other services.

Finance staff reported specific variances: a fines-and-penalties line had a $12,000 budget and had collected about $23,000 so far; miscellaneous revenue recorded roughly $13,000 to date, of which about $11,000 came from BECCA funding reimbursed by the state for cases such as truancy. Another line for other financing sources — principally transfers tied to the mental-health tax — had a $117,000 budget and posted $28,000 to date, staff said; they noted a second-quarter transfer of about $29,000 had arrived but was not yet reflected in the report.

Busk explained that BECCA reimbursements are associated with juvenile-department truancy petitions filed by school districts under state law. \"The juvenile department is the one that tracks all of that,\" she said, adding that the school district determines when to file petitions and that court action follows local interventions.

The clerk's office also noted growing revenue from a court-facilitator appointment service that helps litigants who represent themselves. The county requires self-represented parties to have their final divorce paperwork reviewed by an attorney, a limited-license legal technician, or the court facilitator; the facilitator provides a lower-cost half-hour review and scheduling assistance. \"Out of the 3, our court facilitator is by far the cheapest,\" Busk said. She and finance staff cautioned that the expansion of externally provided legal clinics — identified in the meeting as an initiative by Northwest Justice to offer regular clinics at the Hall of Justice — could reduce facilitator appointments and the associated revenue.

Staff told commissioners that the third-quarter budget amendment process typically updates revenue budgets to reflect actual collections, and the finance director said she had deliberately budgeted conservatively this year because of legislative changes that could affect filing volume.

What happened: commissioners heard detailed line-item updates and asked staff to include updated revenue figures in the third-quarter amendment. No formal budget changes were adopted at the meeting.

Why it matters: variable court caseloads drive several revenue lines in the county's budget. BECCA reimbursements and facilitator appointments are currently positive contributors but depend on school-district filing patterns and the availability of outside legal services.

Looking ahead: finance staff said they will adjust revenue estimates in the third-quarter budget amendment and monitor the impact of newly available legal clinics on facilitator appointments.","County clerk and finance staff told commissioners that fee revenues are hard to forecast because caseloads vary; BECCA reimbursements and an increase in appointments with the court facilitator for pro se divorce filings have added revenues but also face potential offset from newly available legal clinics.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6173359,"County reviews budget retreat ideas and weighs using reserves as rural-sales-tax rebate faces uncertainty",1093,3242635,4336345,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5382471-352f45b0f8d103f2357b4abb0cd16fc2&start=3242&end=4336","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5382471-352f45b0f8d103f2357b4abb0cd16fc2/thumbnail_3242635.jpg","/articles/6173359/Cowlitz-County/Washington/County-reviews-budget-retreat-ideas-and-weighs-using-reserves-as-rural-sales-tax-rebate-faces-uncertainty","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6173359-488968a291d3bf789a3f940beac98ae6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773078664&Signature=Qec~5S7kE-zb4PGJLdBDDplcIUogTyfOdLh94QKf9blVs~jMKZRJnvOTWBuXSku4X8QmGEGu1EfsIhkf4j72v-1RpV-6Px4KdHSiiOJf2sAyMS8kzKVhEC7jUPZttPHBOnGrHHqJugD613AxIzUO8U0ewjmu2KI~aO4~j9gAK5-KETn074l2VmZRy4oZUpG-Hr00YBG5IiV0ENuJ72X85X~2vz2ejvBlJiXYQXJpgKqE4UYtZgmp3vn~FK1FfJVStd6~BYlX0V35G0imjdKdAJngv-83TnfRa9WKx7LIp6ENCMPumrfNUWwMtMJ~VFDNkpGd4K6xazvtZNxDKS8E0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County finance staff on Tuesday presented ideas generated at a June budget retreat to reduce general-fund expenditures and identify new revenues, and commissioners discussed researching feasibility while weighing whether to use reserve funds to complete local park work as a state rebate may be at risk.

Finance Director Kathy Funk Baxter told the Board of County Commissioners the retreat produced roughly five pages of suggestions, ranging from vendor prompt-payment discounts to shifting eligible expenses from the general fund. \"None of the items were researched, as far as feasibility,\" she said, and the list will require follow-up analysis before implementation.

The discussion centered in part on the county\u000being designated no longer rural in the state\u000forecasting data, which could end a rural sales-tax rebate the county has used for infrastructure projects. County staff said the rebate has brought in roughly $2,000,000 a year; commissioners said they want an authoritative, written determination from the state before spending reserves. \"I'd like to get an authoritative answer on that,\" Funk Baxter said of whether the Department of Revenue will continue dispersing the rebate.

Commissioners also discussed a pending decision about using rural-development funds to complete final work at Scott Hill Park. One commissioner urged caution about drawing down the county\u000buffer but said the county has money available to finish the park's last phase if the board decides to proceed. The county previously disbursed $50,000 to Rotary Park/Scott Hill and has used rural-sales-tax receipts for projects that staff said total about $36,000,000 since the program began.

A commissioner criticized state policymaking as a driver of local budget strain, saying in part: \"This is a 100% government stupidity causing this problem.\" The comment was made during a broader discussion of state fiscal policy and county responses; no formal action was taken on that remark.

Funk Baxter said some proposed items could affect collective-bargaining agreements and that staff would prioritize what she called \"low-hanging fruit\" for feasibility checks. She told commissioners the first draft of the estimated revenue-and-expense budget will be presented the first Tuesday in September, followed by departmental workshops.

What happened: commissioners asked staff to research specific ideas from the retreat and to seek confirmation from the Office of Financial Management or Department of Revenue about the rural-sales-tax rebate and its timing. No votes or binding commitments to spend reserves were made during the meeting; commissioners directed staff to return with feasibility analyses and a written state determination about the rebate.

Why it matters: the rural-sales-tax rebate has funded local infrastructure projects such as water, sewer and parks and has been a regular revenue source for capital spending. Losing the rebate or prematurely spending reserves without confirmation could change the county\fapital priorities and available matching funds for grants such as the Recreation and Conservation Office awards the county is supporting.

Looking ahead: staff said they would provide copies of the retreat suggestions to commissioners and town-hall materials at the next meeting, and they will identify items to research and present recommendations at upcoming budget workshops.

","County finance staff presented suggestions from a June budget retreat to reduce reliance on the general fund; commissioners discussed researching options and whether to use reserves to finish Scott Hill Park while awaiting a state decision on a rural sales-tax rebate that supplies about $2 million a year.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County HR seeks interim and step changes; correctional promotion and brief executive session reported

Corrections director: state per-diem for housed DOC inmates will rise; amendment on consent agenda

Clerk says court fees and BECCA reimbursements unpredictable; court-facilitator appointments are a growing revenue source

County reviews budget retreat ideas and weighs using reserves as rural-sales-tax rebate faces uncertainty