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Lewis County commissioners approve budget amendment notice, multiple resolutions and animal-control ordinance 13-61
Summary
At its April 1 meeting the Lewis County Board of Commissioners approved a notice of hearing for a first 2025 budget amendment, award of the county newspaper contract, several interlocal agreements and administrative resolutions, and adopted Ordinance 13-61 transferring animal-control duties to the sheriff’s office; all recorded votes were 3-0.
The Lewis County Board of Commissioners on April 1 approved a set of routine and substantive actions, including a notice of hearing for a 2025 budget amendment, several interlocal agreements and administrative resolutions, and adoption of Ordinance 13-61 to revise animal-control responsibilities.
The board approved one notice item, Resolution 25-089, setting a public hearing for the county’s first 2025 budget amendment. County staff said the notice covers all funds and reflects a revenue increase of $2,215,922, an expenditure increase of $2,565,216 and a change in fund balance of $349,294; staff told commissioners that the majority of the amendment is rollover for prior-year capital projects. The hearing is scheduled for April 15, with written comments accepted until 10 a.m. on April 14. The motion to approve the notice item passed 3-0.
The board also approved consent and deliberation items including payment warrants and payroll (Resolution 25-090), minutes from the March 25, 2025 meeting, and a suite of administrative and interlocal agreements. Actions approved by the board on a 3-0 vote included:
- Resolution 25-069: Approval of lease agreements for the Central Transfer Station and East Lewis County Transfer Station. Solid Waste briefed the board that the lease term is 24 months, set to expire at the end of 2026; the motion passed 3-0.
- Resolution 25-091: Adoption of an updated Lewis County Sheriff’s Office fee schedule related to animal services and a related proposed ordinance (see Ordinance 13-61). Deputy Gabriel Frase told the board the fees are tied to chapters 5.25, 6.05 and 6.15 of Lewis County Code and would allow the sheriff’s office to perform animal-control responsibilities formerly handled by public health; the resolution passed 3-0.
- Resolution 205-092: An interlocal agreement with Cowlitz County 911 Authority allowing that authority to use purchasing contracts developed by Lewis County 911 under RCW 39.34.030; approved 3-0.
- Resolution 205-093: Surplus of county vehicles and equipment. County engineering staff identified one sedan, one van, one SUV for surplus to general auction and a spray truck to be surplus to the city of Chehalis; approved 3-0.
- Resolution 25-094: Acceptance of a tax-title bid for a parcel on Airport Road. County staff reported an offer to purchase for $11,000; unpaid taxes and fees totaled $7,554.33. The board voted to accept the bid, 3-0.
- Resolution 25-095: Appointment of members to the Lewis County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), as required by state administrative code (WAC references provided in staff materials); approved 3-0.
- Resolution 25-096: Approval of a local interlocal agreement under which Lewis County Emergency Management provides services to municipalities including Vader, Toledo, Winlock, Morton, Mossyrock and Napavine; approved 3-0. Staff said the current per-unit price is $6.30 (previous year shown as $5.73).
- Resolution 25-097: Appointment of Erica Cat as Lewis County Community Emergency Coordinator and Bill Teitel as alternate for hazardous-material incident coordination (two-year term); approved 3-0.
- Resolution 25-098: Award of the county newspaper-of-record contract for 2025–2026 to The Chronicle as the low bidder under statutory competitive-bid requirements (RCW 36.72.075); approved 3-0.
- Resolution 25-099: A county resolution stating intent to protect access to natural gas in Lewis County and to align local building-code provisions with selected energy-efficiency provisions from the 2021 International Residential Code and the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code; approved 3-0.
Public hearing and ordinance: The board opened a public hearing on Ordinance 13-61, received no public testimony, and then voted to adopt the ordinance. Deputy Gabriel Frase presented the staff report, saying, “Ordinance 13-61 is meant to modify Lewis County Code chapters 5.25, 6.05, and 6.15 as they pertain to animal-control responsibilities, which were previously performed by the Department of Public Health and have been assumed by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.” The motion to approve Ordinance 13-61 passed 3-0.
All recorded motions on the consent and deliberation docket carried by unanimous recorded voice vote: three ayes, zero nos.
Ending: With those approvals the board concluded administrative business and moved to adjourn.
