Lewis County commissioners approve package of resolutions including sale of small tax-title parcel and funding moves

The Lewis County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a package of consent and deliberation items that included the sale of a tax-title parcel off Taylor Road, an interfund loan extension to the county’s homeless shelter capital fund, a state grant for jail lighting upgrades and multiple appointments and contracts.

The 3-0 vote approved consent resolution 25-054 (warrants, payroll and minutes) and deliberation resolutions 25-055 through 25-065 after motions to move and second the items. The board recorded the outcome as “Motion passes 3-0.”

The most discussed item in the bundle was resolution 25-055, concerning a 0.24-acre parcel off Taylor Road in Chehalis that has $2,504.38 in unpaid taxes and miscellaneous fees. Public works director Josh Metcalfe told the board the county had received two offers: $2,810.50 and a higher offer of $7,810.50 from an adjacent landowner. Metcalfe said the parcel is considered unbuildable and, under state law (RCW), may be disposed of without a formal call for bids when outside city limits. The board voted to accept the higher offer and dispose of the parcel as proposed in the resolution.

Resolution 25-056 extends an existing interfund loan of $500,000 from REIT fund to the homeless shelter capital fund (fund 3500) to cover cash flow until grant revenues are received. Becky Butler, speaking for the auditor’s office, said the extension does not increase the loan principal and will remain at $500,000, with the extension running through the end of the year to cover outstanding invoices while closing the related grant.

The board also approved execution of a contract with the Washington State Department of Commerce to fund engineering and design for a proposed fair equestrian facility project (resolution 25-057). The exact grant amount was unclear in the meeting transcript; the resolution and contract were approved as presented.

Other items approved included a personal services agreement expanding project-management services with Lewis County Community Health (Valley View Health Center) for capital projects; the award of an on-call critical areas contract to Radikey Associates Inc.; and acceptance of Department of Commerce grant funds for a jail LED upgrade project, which county manager Ryan Barrett said is expected to start in April and include monitoring that could yield an estimated 15–30% reduction in power use after fine-tuning and rebates.

The board also approved multiple appointments and reappointments: Marika Bertolini to the PacMtn Workforce Development Council; a slate of members to the Distressed Counties Board (including Dr. Pollock, Paul Erickson, Kyle Markstrom, Fred Morton, Bob Spahr, Mayor Sean O’Neil, Kirk V. Gray, Stuart Cabiness and Ben Kostick); Ross Peterson to the Fair Advisory Board; Kevin Ryan reappointed to the Civil Service Commission; and reappointments of Lee Gross, Fred Morton and Amy Besunder to the East Lewis County Public Development Authority board of directors. The board moved and seconded the motion to approve resolutions 25-055 through 25-065 and recorded a 3-0 vote in favor.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 25-054 (approve warrants/payroll and minutes): approved, vote 3-0. - Resolution 25-055 (accept offer and dispose of 0.24-acre tax-title parcel off Taylor Road): approved, vote 3-0. Parcel: 0.24 acre; unpaid taxes/fees $2,504.38; accepted offer $7,810.50 from adjacent landowner. - Resolution 25-056 (extend interfund loan of $500,000 to homeless shelter capital fund 3500): approved, vote 3-0. - Resolution 25-057 (execute contract with WA Dept. of Commerce for engineering/design for proposed fair equestrian facility): approved, vote 3-0. Grant amount not specified in the transcript. - Additional resolutions in the 25-055–25-065 range (appointments, contracts including Radikey Associates on-call critical areas, expanded Valley View agreement, jail LED project grant): approved, vote 3-0.

The board recorded that no directors meet tomorrow and there is no business meeting next week. Several agenda items will return to the docket as needed (one tax-title parcel was pulled for a later meeting to allow PA office covenant language work).