The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution adopting an amended special-assessment roll for Long Lake Management District No. 25, the board’s final step in formally renewing the district.

The resolution approved reinstates a 95% discount for seniors and disabled residents and adds a $300 credit toward the City of Lacey Park assessment; steering committee chair Michael Exner said those two changes would bring the roll beneath the previously proposed first‑year cap of $325,000.

Dr. Jen Freiheit, director of public health and social services, recapped the formation timeline: the BOCC approved a resolution of intention on 08/05/2025, forwarded the question to property‑owner ballots (mailed 10/08/2025, due 10/29/2025), ballots were publicly counted on 10/30/2025 and the ordinance creating the district was passed on 11/04/2025. The current vote was the final step to adopt the amended role of assessments pursuant to RCW 36.61.120.

During public comment, Chad Booth of Lake Forest—representing himself and the 138 petition signees he referenced—argued the proposed assessment does not follow the statutory methods for calculating special assessments and urged reconsideration of a flat fee for upland parcels. “Any other method to determine the assessment amount to these properties is unlawful,” Booth said, citing the four permissible methods in statute (front footage, acreage, extent of improvements or another fair factor).

Steering-committee members and residents who spoke at the hearing framed the changes as balancing fairness with the need to fund lake management. Long-time volunteer Linda Wolf described recent efforts to prevent toxic algae blooms and said the LMD’s work improved water quality this year. Steering committee chair Exner and county staff said the proposed roll and the two adjustments were the result of review and were intended to keep the roll within the stated cap; Exner said the committee had considered public suggestions and made those two specific adjustments.

County counsel and county staff told the board they believed the hearing could proceed and the board could adopt the revised roll because the adjustments did not add parcels or increase assessments. After discussion and expressions of support for reinstating the senior/disabled discount, the board voted; the clerk recorded four votes in favor and one abstention and the motion carried.

The motion approved the resolution to adopt the amended role of assessments for LMD No. 25; the record did not include an ordinance number for the resolution. Commissioners invited Mr. Booth to continue discussions with staff after the hearing regarding his statutory concerns.