Skamania County on June 3 heard presentations from local emergency responders and service providers seeking Title III funding as the county waits for Secure Rural Schools (SRS) reauthorization in a pending congressional reconciliation bill.

County staff and service providers told the Board that SRS Title III funds may be delayed or absent for the current cycle, leaving carryover funds and local budgets in question. The presentations featured requests and budget updates from North Country EMS, multiple fire districts, the sheriff’s search-and-rescue program and other local responders.

At a 2025 Title III presentation, a Sheriff’s Office representative (unnamed in the transcript) said search-and-rescue activity has risen sharply this year: "Today, we have 29 search and rescues during our normally slow time," and reported a 550% increase in the first quarter compared with 2024. The speaker asked the board to consider a larger Title III allocation as a “financial cushion” to support search-and-rescue operations and coordinators.

Dan Richardson, who said he has worked with Title III funds for more than a decade and operates wildfire-mitigation services, requested approximately $20,000 to support mitigation services that act as match funding and help leverage other grants. "A modest amount also helps us often leverage other funding sources," Richardson said.

A North Country EMS representative presented an agency budget and a Title III request. The presentation listed a total EMS/rescue budget of about $109,700 and calculated a Title III request of $87,250 to fund two EMTs for the July 1 holiday weekend and to cover the remaining year’s responses.

Peggy, identifying herself as a representative of Fire District 3, told commissioners the district is focusing on “essential needs” and requested $1,500 to update wildland personal protective equipment, radios and other equipment. Trevor, chief of Fire District 1, asked primarily to be reimbursed for costs the district has already absorbed responding to rescues on federally managed lands and for replacement gear and radios.

A representative of the Skamania County Hospital District estimated a roughly $139,000 project budget and requested $55,000 in Title III funds. The representative urged the board to consider a workshop on encumbered-lands funds and noted the hospital district has not historically received County encumbered-lands revenue.

County staff (Mandy and Josh, identified in the presentation) told the board that many agencies have nearly exhausted this year’s awards: Skamania County EMS reported no remaining award balance; Underwood Conservation District had $5,197.01 remaining; the sheriff’s office had $18,730.47 remaining; and North Country EMS reported $20.46 left to spend. Staff warned that if SRS funds are not reauthorized, there may be no new Title III allocations or only carryover funds and that carryover authorizations are time-limited under state rules.

Commissioners and agency presenters discussed timing uncertainties. County staff said SRS was “in the reconciliation bill with the senate” and that a Senate vote was not expected until July; they warned that the longer reauthorization is delayed the lower the chance of backdating. Staff also noted statutory notice and invoicing deadlines: the county must provide 45 days’ notice for a public hearing related to carryover and, for current invoices, requested that agencies aim to have invoices reflect work performed through June and be submitted in early July (specific contract date “around July 6 or July 10” was mentioned).

No formal Title III allocations or votes were taken at the meeting; the presentations were informational requests for potential award consideration after the county learns whether SRS Title III funds will be reauthorized and whether any carryover will be available.

If SRS is reauthorized and funds are backdated, staff said the county may reconvene to allocate any retroactive funds; if not, the presentations will serve as a basis for next year’s funding requests.

Ending: Commissioners recessed and reconvened for a separate workshop; no Title III funding decisions were made at the June 3 session.