Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homeless Services Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County warns grant funding for Camp Hope garbage pickup is ending; staff to meet Longview
Summary
Public Works staff told commissioners a grant that paid part of garbage-disposal costs for Camp Hope, Alabama Street and Camp Mint runs out in June; the county has been paying about half of bills and may need to decide whether to continue funding from local funds or seek other grants.
County Engineer Susan Eugenas told the board that grant funding that previously paid part of garbage-disposal costs at three local encampment sites expired in June 2025 and the county’s grant funding allocation has ended. Eugenas said the county historically paid half of the disposal costs; the county’s share recently averaged about $1,000 per month and the board in 2021 placed a $1,500 monthly cap on county contributions. "We were kind of on the fence of how we were gonna pay for it then, until that grant opportunity," Eugenas said, describing the prior funding source as a COVID-related public-health grant and later an ecology hazardous-waste grant. Why it matters: Staff said Longview previously paid the other half of the cost but county staff have not confirmed whether the city remains aware the county was covering half of the bill. The current contract for camp operations expires in November and the Salvation Army is not pursuing the next contract, staff said, creating uncertainty about who will operate and fund services. Discussion and next steps: Commissioners expressed reluctance to continue open-ended county funding without a role in decisions about operations at the sites. Staff proposed to seek a meeting with city of Longview officials to discuss cost-sharing and to return to the board with options. No formal vote was taken; staff will try to set a meeting and provide recommendations to the board.
