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Commissioners approve vouchers, payroll, two summer hires and support for health-homes program; send letter to Gorge Commission
Summary
At the April 8 meeting the Skamania County Board of Commissioners approved routine financial items, reinstated two temporary seasonal positions for community events, voted to send a letter to the Columbia River Gorge Commission raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest, and approved a letter of support for the health-homes program.
Skamania County commissioners met April 8 and approved a package of routine and programmatic actions, including payment of vouchers and payroll, reinstatement of two temporary support positions for community events, and a county letter to the Columbia River Gorge Commission raising concerns about a possible conflict of interest.
The board voted to send the Gorge Commission a comment letter adapted from a neighboring county’s draft, after a motion and second to amend the agenda to add that item. The motion passed with commissioners voting "aye".
Why it matters: the letter will be transmitted to the Columbia River Gorge Commission during its public-comment period and was explicitly placed on the agenda because of a time-sensitive request. The reinstated seasonal positions restore summer staffing the county says is necessary to support events including the county fair and Bluegrass Festival; the health-homes support is intended to back a program aimed at keeping people in their homes and reducing longer-term public costs.
Key actions approved - Agenda amendment and authorization to send a letter to the Columbia River Gorge Commission voicing concerns about a potential conflict of interest with the Friends of the Gorge; motion passed. The board instructed staff to send the approved letter with the chair’s stamped signatures. - Vouchers dated April 8, 2025 totaling $128,746.92 (current expense $33,200.54) were approved. - Payroll for the March 16–March 31, 2025 pay period in the total amount of $795,460.82 (current expense $440,812.73) was approved. - Reinstatement of two temporary support and operations staff positions for 2025, with a hiring date of June 1, 2025, was approved to support community events and lodging-tax-funded activities. - A letter of support for the state’s health-homes program (template provided to commissioners) was approved.
What the board said and next steps The chair and commissioners expressed that the temporary hires are necessary to deliver summer events and maintain facilities. Staff were directed to process the hires and to send the Gorge Commission letter immediately with stamped signatures. The clerk will retain copies of public comments submitted on the related items.
Votes at a glance - Motion to amend the agenda to add Gorge Commission letter: carried (ayes recorded). - Motion to send the adapted letter to the Columbia River Gorge Commission: carried (ayes recorded). - Vouchers (04/08/2025) approval: carried. - Payroll approval (03/16–03/31/2025): carried. - Reinstatement of two temporary support/operations staff (hiring 06/01/2025): carried. - Letter of support for the health-homes program: carried.
No public hearing or external approvals are required for the financial items; the Gorge Commission letter will be part of an external public-comment record. The county clerk will process the staff hires and document the Gorge Commission transmittal.
