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Lewis County approves 0.2% sales tax for 911 communications; rejects airport‑road tax‑title sale
Summary
On Jan. 14, 2025, the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners approved Ordinance 1360 to impose a 0.2% sales-and-use tax for emergency communications, approved a road vacation and routine consent items, and declined to accept a $11,000 bid on a county tax parcel on Airport Road.
On Jan. 14, 2025, the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners voted to adopt Ordinance 1360, imposing a sales-and-use tax of 0.2% countywide to fund emergency communications systems and facilities, and approved a separate county road vacation. The board also approved routine consent items and declined to accept a bid for a tax‑title parcel on Airport Road in Chehalis.
County Manager Ryan Barrett presented the ordinance, saying it implements a voter‑approved measure and will deposit revenue into a restricted communications fund. "The ordinance specifies a tax rate of two‑tenths of 1% on sales and use within the county," Barrett said during the staff report, adding the tax is authorized by state law and will support design, acquisition, construction, equipping, operation and maintenance of 911 communications systems. Barrett said the ordinance’s effective date is April 1, 2025.
The board approved a staff recommendation to vacate an unmaintained portion of Roper Road after a county engineer’s report concluded that 664.28 feet of right of way is "useless to the needs of the county" and recommended vacation under the county‑road statutes. Kimberly Edminster of Public Works delivered the engineer’s report to the board and asked that her opening statements be incorporated into the hearing record.
Other routine actions approved included Resolution 25‑015, a call for bids for up to four replacement public‑works pickup trucks (bids due Jan. 29, 2025), and Resolution 25‑016, approval of warrants, payroll and the Jan. 7, 2025 meeting minutes.
The board considered Resolution 25‑017, which would have accepted an $11,000 offer for a county tax parcel off Airport Road in Chehalis. Public comment during the meeting included a request from Julie Bamelli Powell to postpone the sale so she could research the property; staff noted the county previously offered the parcel at public auction and that the $11,000 offer exceeded unpaid taxes and fees (approximately $7,554). Public Works staff said parts of the larger parcel provide public access to the river and that one small remnant would likely be challenged if sold because of county road right‑of‑way considerations. After discussion, the motion to accept the $11,000 bid was not approved by the commission and the resolution failed.
Votes at a glance
- Ordinance 1360 (sales-and-use tax for emergency communications, authorized by RCW 82.14.420): Approved. Effective date stated as April 1, 2025. (Staff report: County Manager Ryan Barrett.) - Vacation 25‑001 (portion of Roper Road; engineer recommended 664.28 feet): Approved. (Staff report: Kimberly Edminster, Public Works.) - Resolution 25‑015 (call for bids for up to four pickup trucks): Approved. (Public Works Director Josh Metcalf provided details.) - Resolution 25‑016 (warrants, payroll, minutes): Approved. - Resolution 25‑017 (accept tax‑title bid of $11,000 for Airport Road parcel): Motion to accept the bid failed after board discussion and public comment; the board did not approve the sale at this meeting.
The county’s staff communications noted that revenue from Ordinance 1360 will be restricted to public‑safety communications uses and administered through the communications fund. The public‑hearing record for the Roper Road vacation includes the county engineer’s report filed Dec. 11, 2024, and the board’s Dec. 17, 2024 order setting the hearing date.
