[{"_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",5982245,"mediaKeyId","5774470-983348a4096ecf4324b08faca9268aa3","parentId",5774470,"title","Facilities staff explains square-foot cost allocation, retro-billing and limits on capital in operational rates","audioSeconds",128,"startMs",2276950,"endMs",2405775,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774470-983348a4096ecf4324b08faca9268aa3&start=2276&end=2405","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774470-983348a4096ecf4324b08faca9268aa3/thumbnail_2276950.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5982245/Cowlitz-County/Washington/Facilities-staff-explains-square-foot-cost-allocation-retro-billing-and-limits-on-capital-in-operational-rates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982245-e96d6bab1146da8696e4d96d5acfa59f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773547204&Signature=mXpOIGburaXYYBNgaukm-mZDjiLPc7tx3Dy-LT2wcrn-L2j~OvY5CXeIW0gxMUdQpEewQo9LqYcyotzJGKPU1vkeCXlrOX7T~aygMNNmaQYFjgY~mjaRuO5oKoZP4KTt3KCNSmNISrhSacjUWfBfP10VI11fmCXP-A9BUbw423VNJEFnWTyeTnvEBd4YaOt6LIy5-QNuiFAtCWtrFR-IQ7s63k2j5708Zg89qL1fEqION2VuxoMf4lFfiWshDRlipeFSkz5WJnTkv94M~RqfLSgJIRQs0fKaZtXoMdEcLI0XxbaGV-kLF8PV9fSbMqe~~abyGdakJ4XWuaJItP602w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cowlitz County Commissioners, Washington","date","2025-09-17T00:00:00Z","article","Facilities staff explained Wednesday that the county's facilities-cost allocation covers direct operational costs — utilities, janitorial, repairs, supplies, taxes and fire protection — and that property insurance and maintenance labor are allocated based on a building's share of total direct operating cost. \"Each building has their direct operational cost. They have repairs. They have utilities. They have janitorial. They have supplies, taxes, and fire protection,\" a facilities presenter said.
Staff said occupancy-based square footage (excluding non-occupiable areas) is the basis for departmental charges in shared buildings such as the Hall of Justice, Admin and Annex, and that district court costs are apportioned to cities based on case volume. Facilities staff noted that the allocation does not include depreciation or capital reserves; major capital work such as roof replacement is handled through a separate capital reserve fund.
Billing process and timing: staff said estimated allocations are provided to departments during budget preparation, then the county carries out a year-end reconciliation and issues the actual bill after the close of the year (the presenter said 2025 actuals would be billed in mid-2026). Staff also said they are evaluating whether property-insurance allocation might be done by building valuation instead of direct operational cost.
Ending: the presenter told the board that facilities' full budget will be discussed in a later public-works budget presentation and that staff are exploring more granular labor-allocation methods tied to work-order histories.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wednesday Business Meeting - 09.17.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Facilities staff told the board that building operational costs (utilities, janitorial, repairs, insurance) are allocated by direct operational cost and occupancy square footage; capital projects and depreciation are excluded and departments are retro-billed after year close.","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},5982251,"County outlines motor-pool method for sheriff vehicles; estimates $105,000 to outfit patrol cars",968,1271309,2240305,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774470-983348a4096ecf4324b08faca9268aa3&start=1271&end=2240","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774470-983348a4096ecf4324b08faca9268aa3/thumbnail_1271309.jpg","/articles/5982251/Cowlitz-County/Washington/County-outlines-motor-pool-method-for-sheriff-vehicles-estimates-105000-to-outfit-patrol-cars","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982251-13949eff5f3a1653a9e95e863702eded/orig.mp4?Expires=1773547204&Signature=SISZK0EsP9tkxjJZTWVOh5i77hQIfUT~REMRDMRsgCZSjIHFM3x4KXxXtyLavCyFn6-hLdTaMPCkkVnJ6TU03e37~IGMo8hE7UETEVSTfGNgy183lHIb5pWtXl5Y9NAsN4jlODZD35rGhCMXuR3zwAxxg8EUrva1ShykkR4wjndPTscj788uAARryjukUi5wvYy639nMc16LXXHlH9p9fIVmt3GkzQs2NDEgKFKO6xvxN-ZgSLwb2-eP69~WkkN-bn7yJPwtfvaEwUPV0IY78WwkErlf1NooscH0VHpRDH~As-tPANYnMagActS1i4aEYBwRHb57bpo9jz3GhL~xVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sean Roehrig, public works (presenting the motor pool budget), told the board Wednesday that the county uses a fixed-value method to smooth sharp year-to-year replacement-cost swings for sheriff vehicles. \"For example, we have 47 active sheriff vehicles and then 6 spares,\" Roehrig said. \"For the fixed fee, we do a $21,000 replacement that does full replacement of the vehicle over a 5 year period, and then we do a $5,000 maintenance repair annually as well. So the total cost on a per vehicle basis is $26,000.\"
Roehrig said the county estimates a purchase-and-outfit cost of about $105,000 per patrol vehicle this year; the same $105,000 figure was cited when staff estimated six new patrol cars in a future year at a combined $630,000. He said the motor pool replaces vehicles based on mileage, repair history and condition and that replacements have ranged from three to eight years of service, with five years being the typical average.
Funding and insurance: Roehrig said the motor pool is funded by department payments into the fund and by interest on reserves; the county self-insures vehicles for collision and repair costs and maintains a smaller general-fund transfer (staff cited approximately $105,000) to help cover repairs and unanticipated replacements. \"No. They're self insured,\" Roehrig said when asked about insurance coverage.
Fleet and use: staff reported roughly 70 motor-pool vehicles across 15 departments, including small SUVs, passenger vans, work trucks and specialty equipment. Roehrig said average fleet age is from 2016 with roughly 50,000 miles average, though some vehicles are older with varying mileage patterns. All vehicles are assigned to departments and kept at department buildings; some departments have begun rightsizing their fleets, the presenter said.
Ending: Roehrig said the motor pool will return annually for budget review, that staff will continue to evaluate vehicle life and usage, and that planned replacements for upcoming years will be brought to the board for approval.","Public works staff described a fixed-fee funding method for sheriff vehicles, said the motor pool holds 70 vehicles across 15 departments, and reported self-insurance and reserve practices for repairs and replacements.",{"_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},5982257,"Hall of Justice enters construction; staff outlines moves, emergency power work and facade funding options",66,407130,473775,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774470-983348a4096ecf4324b08faca9268aa3&start=407&end=473","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774470-983348a4096ecf4324b08faca9268aa3/thumbnail_407130.jpg","/articles/5982257/Cowlitz-County/Washington/Hall-of-Justice-enters-construction-staff-outlines-moves-emergency-power-work-and-facade-funding-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982257-17b0617fedae8109c3983e03b4a2dff7/orig.mp4?Expires=1773547204&Signature=a3BMa3gTAoRy3Nwb3Dc50YRe7sor3zufVhYq2gENIOgf7gBfh8xJhAMrabmOMC7hcAXQ7xSbAXeRxIQDFJhmXpQE2QeiLmrtS3dmjI0sjb4zg9-0crSdPQru0pejqVwzT6fTeyectBXABMk2-MdbZfj3ZWe~hTgGLNlHfFnVvPbkYwns543ubI2X5jermk8LYPRuiJquJXKxRCMaJoq0LlpkZSc45l6Q-PIlkkgPS1HJ0sm23QliW0B3x4Qo-7sHVOV~p-~r2cg-Tw9u30lYKezUKZQC1bWT23-H~BhTGmkq8AWhtk8qadtUS364eCzpbiCIJ7N3RPy3NCO36L5nug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Savannah Clement, Public Services, told the board Wednesday that construction at the Hall of Justice is under way and that crews began work in the basement on the first day of physical construction. “Today was day 1 of actually being in the basement, and starting construction,” Clement said, adding that the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) has already moved out of affected space.
Clement said the clerk’s office will move out next week and \"won't be moving back into their space until May, or earlier of next year,\" and that superior court administrative staff will temporarily relocate to the building's first floor. She warned the board that a future planned electrical work — installation of a new transfer switch for the emergency panel that powers 911, records and sheriff operations — will require a brief, planned outage expected to be scheduled around December. \"There'll be a lot of communications on it,\" Clement said.
Facility coordination and power concerns: staff reported that the courthouse café was unexpectedly tied to the same panel as a third-floor jail climate unit; the cafe lost power when other circuits were switched. Clement said staff will document and label power sources and coordinate with Information Technology and the Alertus representative to preserve emergency communications during any shutdowns.
Facade and funding: Clement reviewed an initial informal facade assessment with the board and described visible deterioration that requires continued scaffolding and likely repairs. She said staff have identified historic-preservation grant programs in Washington state as potential funding sources and will pursue grants after a formal scope of work is prepared. \"We have actually looked at other grant funding through the Washington State historical grant programs,\" she said.
Energy grant: Clement said the county was approved for a state Clean Buildings Performance grant of $98,000 to help pay for work tied to an energy audit and HVAC improvements. She said the grant award will come to the board for acceptance within the next one to two weeks.
Annex/hoteling policy and short-term occupancy: staff described requests to occupy a recently updated annex building and said they are following the county's new policy for short-term hoteling and space requests. Clement said the Noxious Weeds group requested use of the annex and that staff expect the request to go to committee and then return to the board; she said staff are advising people that moves may be paused through June 2026 while the major Hall of Justice project continues.
Ending: Clement said staff will continue communication with affected departments, courts and IT, will schedule the emergency-panel transfer work during a low-activity period, and will present the Clean Buildings grant paperwork to the board in the coming weeks.","Public services staff said construction at the Hall of Justice has begun, one large department will be displaced until next spring, an emergency transfer-switch will require a planned outage, and staff are evaluating facade repairs and historic-grant options.",{"_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},5982263,"County reports dramatic drop in transfer-station wait times after layout changes; residential trailer access expanded",338,20675,359230,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774470-983348a4096ecf4324b08faca9268aa3&start=20&end=359","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774470-983348a4096ecf4324b08faca9268aa3/thumbnail_20675.jpg","/articles/5982263/Cowlitz-County/Washington/County-reports-dramatic-drop-in-transfer-station-wait-times-after-layout-changes-residential-trailer-access-expanded","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982263-f7fd78b77455ca27b2831cab1b00bc0f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773547204&Signature=CS6BFnv2tv82WOPA6q2KQRz5vZH8feQoNvsy2af3j~VpByVxdIdyPXm4qZBADNaQ~hNNJJOoSu7uWM-h6BgxaBHKx-I0Z7nFqF8NULz6U4npAJRsVKdVNyHJvevmlz-QKW6JEqLhlb2Bpmf4HFVQeAJtvyy~U2bq7vBvYxgBM9-~6VHxvN5RnNOlvMlOC5Aic7PXwLmaiFs5kUBoMeNww7YN8~dLmi1EDzH35R0xwMsYdVHOptbfCDQKExRkS42d~rf99mdFXNnV8iVPTAKJHAYgTRpX~9HHDmyHwuFcURA1VoqLPjt7RMwCkrJW4WB0q54tri6F6-R5LNcBERWcXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mike Moss, public services director, told the board Wednesday that recent physical and operational changes at the county transfer station sharply cut commercial-trailer wait times that had stretched to three to three-and-a-half hours. \"We think we overcame a large hurdle there this last week,\" Moss said, describing the removal of a wall near the conveyor belt and a new traffic pattern that separated packer trucks from commercial trailers.
The change nearly doubled floor space in the conveyor area, Moss said, and staff observed wait times fall to about 17–23 minutes after the work. “The longest I saw yesterday is, like, 23 minutes,” he said. Moss said staff made spot checks two mornings and would continue monitoring; he added that he had contacted residents who had previously complained and would report back on their feedback.
Why it matters: long queue times had caused repeated citizen complaints and operational strain for commercial haulers. County staff described a three-part approach: physical reconfiguration at the transfer station, allowing residential trailers at the Toodle drop box, and permitting some North County packer trucks to haul directly to the landfill to reduce transfer-station traffic.
Operational details and limits: under the new rules, residential trailers will be allowed at the Toodle drop box starting Saturday, but commercial traffic remains prohibited; payment at the Toodle drop box is handled on-site by Waste Control employees and is taken per load rather than by weight. Moss said direct hauls from Toodle to the landfill will be allowed for drop-box loads because Toodle is close to the landfill, while larger commercial accounts going to the landfill remain account-based (not cash). He added that packer trucks will use a separate ground-truck road at the landfill and will not queue at the landfill lifts, which staff said should avoid creating new bottlenecks.
Unresolved items and monitoring: staff cautioned that landfill mornings still see long waits for some tipper trucks (\"we usually have 25 to 30 trucks show up\"), and said they will revert to contingency plans if issues return. Moss said the county receives daily or weekly time reports from Waste Control and that staff will continue spot checks and citizen outreach. If wait times climb again, staff will pursue a \"plan B\" of additional operational changes.
Ending: County staff asked residents and commercial haulers to report any renewed problems and said they would update the board after further monitoring.","Public services staff said reconfiguration at the county transfer station and operational changes at a nearby drop box reduced commercial trailer wait times from hours to under 30 minutes; county will monitor performance and has opened the Toodle drop box to residential trailers starting Saturday.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Facilities staff explains square-foot cost allocation, retro-billing and limits on capital in operational rates

County outlines motor-pool method for sheriff vehicles; estimates $105,000 to outfit patrol cars

Hall of Justice enters construction; staff outlines moves, emergency power work and facade funding options

County reports dramatic drop in transfer-station wait times after layout changes; residential trailer access expanded