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Public works reshuffles WSDOT funding, seeks testing contract increase and adds asphalt overlay work

Cowlitz County Commissioner Open Public Meetings · July 7, 2025

Summary

Susan Eugenes, county engineer, told commissioners that WSDOT changed eligibility rules for local agency agreements and that staff is requesting contract amendments for testing services and a change order to add paving work.

Susan Eugenes, county engineer, briefed commissioners on several public‑works items: WSDOT local agency agreement adjustments, a requested amendment with ALS Environmental for testing services, and a change order to expand this year’s overlay contract with Lakeside Industries.

"These local agency agreements are WSDOT changed their mind about what was and was not eligible," Eugenes said, explaining staff moved funding between line items for the South Cloverdale Road project and the South Cloverdale/Confer Road intersection improvements without changing total project funding.

On the testing contract, Eugenes told the board staff requested a second amendment with ALS Environmental to add $100,000 and extend the agreement by one year. She said annual spending on testing averages $40,000–$50,000 across water, sewer and solid‑waste programs but can escalate; the amendment provides headroom for unexpected needs. No vote was recorded during the briefing.

Eugenes also presented a change order request to add overlay work to this year’s paving contract with Lakeside Industries. She said staff asked the contractor to add additional pavement at unit prices after favorable bids, increasing the contract to just over $2.8 million with a reported $315,000 change order; staff said the addition equated to roughly 2,322 tons of material and 2,893 square yards of grinding added to the scope. Eugenes said a third of the added work is on Coal Creek Road and that the county had budget capacity for the expansion.

Commissioners asked for conversions to miles and other unit clarifications; Eugenes said she would provide exact mileage calculations at a later date. On the WSDOT adjustments, she said the changes were administrative reallocations because WSDOT revised which line items are eligible for certain costs, for example municipal waterline work.

All three items were framed as requests for consent or motion on an upcoming agenda; no formal approval or recorded vote was reported during the briefing.

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