Votes at a glance: Walla Walla County commissioners approve proclamation, annexation, surplus declaration, bid award and equipment-rate change

The Walla Walla County Board of County Commissioners took action on a series of agenda items and resolutions during its April 14 meeting. All listed motions passed by recorded voice vote of three ayes to zero noes. Key approvals and outcomes are listed below.

Votes at a glance

- Approve agenda as presented — Motion carried 3–0. - Approve commissioners’ consent items and minutes — Motion carried 3–0. - Approve county vouchers, warrants and electronic payments — Motion carried 3–0. - Proclaim April 13–19, 2025 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in Walla Walla County — Resolution approved, motion carried 3–0. (Board read and signed a proclamation recognizing dispatch staff.) - Update appointment to the Walla Walla County Solid Waste Advisory Committee — Motion carried 3–0; appointment details listed on the board’s agenda. - Designate the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin as the county legal newspaper for county printing and advertising for July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026 — Resolution approved 3–0. - Approve annexation of approximately 2.42 acres to the City of Walla Walla — Motion carried 3–0; commissioners said resolution language had been tightened from prior weeks before approval. - Close public hearing on surplus equipment and declare specified equipment, parts, tools and office furniture as surplus — Motion to close hearing carried 3–0; motion to declare surplus carried 3–0. The public-works director read a list of vehicles and equipment proposed as surplus and said the items will be offered on an online auction platform; "The online auction actually goes online tomorrow for some of these vehicles right on here," he said. - Approve bid award: Sims Pit 2025 drilling, blasting, crushed rock — award to Western Construction of Lewiston, Inc., $894,500 (lowest responsible bidder); resolution/motion carried 3–0. - Approve revision of rental rates for equipment owned by the equipment rental and revolving fund (Sheriff’s Office equipment No. 206) — Motion carried 3–0; commissioners discussed fleet replacement cycles and asked staff to include clarifying notes about replacement-rate accounting in future reports. - Approve payroll action forms and other personnel forms requiring board approval — Motion carried 3–0. - Adjourn — Motion carried 3–0.

Details and context

Surplus hearing and auction: Public Works Director Dan Mack presented the list of surplus vehicles and equipment and said the county is using an online auction platform (govdeals-type cooperative) to sell items; he said the auction typically stays open for about two weeks. Mack also listed several specific units proposed for surplus, including multiple older Williamson pup trailers and several fleet vehicles.

Bid award: Mack summarized that three bids were opened, and Western Construction of Lewiston, Inc. submitted the lowest responsible bid of $894,500 for the Sims Pit 2025 drilling, blasting and crushed rock contract. Commissioners confirmed the bid was within the engineer’s estimate range and approved the award.

Sheriff’s Office equipment rates and fleet discussion: Commissioners and staff discussed the county’s fleet replacement policy and life-cycle thresholds for patrol vehicles (the county uses a 15-year or 130,000-mile lifecycle for replacements, changed from an earlier 100,000-mile practice). Commissioners requested clearer documentation in future staff reports explaining why monthly rental or replacement rates change when a vehicle that was previously fully funded is removed from service.

How the board voted: All recorded motions during the meeting were adopted unanimously by the three commissioners present: Gunnar Fulmer (Chairman), Todd L. Kimball (Commissioner), and Bertha J. Clayton (Commissioner).