Board to request county nomination for vacancy, consider committee to modernize administration and centralize applications

Board members discussed a vacant county-council-appointed seat on the district board following the resignation of Pat Matthews and agreed to ask the county council to nominate a replacement quickly. A meeting participant recommended the county engineer as a candidate; board members agreed to prepare a letter for the county council recommending that appointment.

Separately, the board discussed establishing a small committee to review administrative functions, including publishing ordinances and minutes on a central website, centralizing permit applications and streamlining fee collection. Staff and board members said the district’s online presence and publication of minutes have improved recently but remain incomplete; minutes through 2024 were available but January’s minutes had not yet been posted.

Discussion covered technical options for application processing and payment (digital application fees of roughly $200–$250 were mentioned as typical, and staff noted permit fees should cover review costs under the district’s ordinance). Staff proposed creating a central email or web portal (possibly through the county) to receive applications and payments, with staff handling intake and tracking. The board agreed to place nominations for the vacant seat and committee formation on the next agenda for further action.