Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board reviews 2026 capital priorities; staff seeks life‑safety, asset‑preservation focus
Summary
Staff presented an early draft of the 2026 capital program emphasizing life‑safety, asset preservation and operational imperatives — including vehicle and equipment needs, dock piling replacements and prefab restroom replacements — and said many 2026 items may be pushed into the five‑year plan depending on countywide capital pressures.
Clallam County parks staff presented a draft 2026 capital program that prioritizes life‑safety work, asset preservation and operational imperatives and warned that countywide capital demands are likely to push some items into future years.
Staff described several near‑term capital needs: replacing rotted pilings on a swim dock (staff identified pilings and dock work as a likely mid‑term expense), replacing outdated restroom buildings at Freshwater Bay with a prefabricated CXT model (staff said the quote includes removal of the old unit, permits and contingency), and purchasing maintenance equipment such as a UTV ("gator") and a truck with maintenance body to support new park responsibilities. "We need that to manage that part," a staff member said of the UTV, describing tasks such as hauling gravel and carrying trash bags for trail work.
Why it matters: staff argued that a modest investment in vehicles and equipment is necessary to manage newly acquired or newly memorialized properties without adding full‑time staff. Staff proposed storing equipment at Robin Hill and using existing personnel redeployed across sites rather than immediate new hires.
Board members asked about cost drivers and timing. Staff said one dock piling project is likely to come due in the next few years and estimated pilings replacement and associated permitting as a notable capital expense; a board member referenced a $40,000 figure when asking about piling costs. For prefab restroom replacements, staff noted an approximate 6% contingency in the estimate due to permitting and access requirements in national park areas.
Staff framed the 2026 list as preliminary and said many items will be refined after the board provides feedback and after countywide capital priorities are reconciled. Board members asked that staff keep the list focused on life‑safety and core operations rather than a long laundry list unlikely to be funded in the near term.
