Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners approve interlocals for 2027 plan, outside counsel contract and several administrative items
Summary
At its Oct. 20 meeting Columbia County commissioners approved interlocal agreements to lead the 2027 comprehensive plan update, adopted the county'wide Housing and Homeless 5-year Action Plan, authorized a $50,000 outside counsel contract, approved a short plat and personnel appointment, and awarded a $378,500 aggregate contract.
Columbia County commissioners on Oct. 20 approved a package of administrative and policy items, including interlocal agreements to coordinate a 2027 comprehensive plan update, a contract for outside appellate counsel and a county housing-and-homelessness plan.
The board adopted Resolution 2025‑22 authorizing interlocal agreements with the city of Dayton and the town of Starbuck that make the county the lead agency for the 2027 periodic comprehensive plan update. Planning staff said the county'share of the grant is $350,000 and each municipality would receive $100,000. "The county gets 350,000, and then I think the city and the town each get a 100,000," Planning Director Dina said.
Commissioners also approved Short Plat 2025‑02 (Moyer Weinhart Road), a land‑division that separates an 8.14‑acre home site from a 77.86‑acre parent parcel. Planning staff told the board the parcel needed an administrative variance because the home site exceeded the usual 5‑acre allowance; staff said the land was not farmable and the short plat met the code conditions.
The board appointed Paul Strobine as the county'building official and fire marshal, retroactive to Sept. 1, and approved $3,000 credit card limits for two building staff to cover travel and training costs.
On legal services, staff reported that the prosecuting attorney''s office had recused itself from cases connected with a particular appellant, requiring outside counsel for appellate work. The county moved to contract with Bard Law Group on a flat $50,000 engagement to handle the identified appeals and related representation; staff described the arrangement as a block flat fee to ensure timely, full-service representation. "It's a $50,000 block rate," county staff said. The board approved the contract retroactive to Oct. 13.
The board also adopted Resolution 2025‑23, the Columbia County Housing and Homeless 5‑Year Action Plan, following a short public hearing in which a resident, Carrie Honeycutt, submitted a reference list of resources for people experiencing homelessness. "A reference list of people that, or places where help is available for homeless people," the chair recorded in the hearing.
Finally, commissioners awarded the 2025 aggregate supply crushing contract to D'Atley Crushing Company at the low bid of $378,500 after staff recommended the low responsive bidder. All motions described above passed by voice vote.
The board recessed into executive session on bargaining and later for personnel; no additional public actions were taken at the time of adjournment.
