Washington Conservation Corps crews to work three weeks in county parks; county to provide limited equipment support

Parks staff told the advisory board that the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) granted the county three weeks of crew time to finish the final weeks of an earlier grant. The crews are state‑funded conservation crews (part of Washington Conservation Corps / AmeriCorps in Washington) that provide labor, tools and most equipment. Why it matters: The WCC work supplies skilled labor for conservation and trail work at no direct county personnel cost and accelerates maintenance projects at two parks that staff identified as priorities. Staff said the WCC crews left temporarily to assist with tornado response in Iowa but that the county successfully requested the crews’ remaining three weeks of service. The schedule described by staff places the crews at Robin Hill for two weeks and Tylen Bay County Park for one week during the winter, where they will remove invasive vines from trees and perform trail work. The county will supply a county chipper for Clallam Bay work and a county employee to monitor and operate equipment when necessary; staff said WCC crews bring their own trucks, chainsaws and hand tools and carry insurance. Board members asked whether county trucks or other county departments would be used; staff said the WCC brings most equipment and that county personnel will provide monitoring and limited equipment operation support as needed. Staff named Tom Mix as the author of the WCC work report included in the packet and said the work offers “a great deal” of assistance for park projects. No formal vote or contract change was taken at the meeting.