The Washington County Board of Commissioners, also acting in its capacity as the Clean Water Services board of directors, approved a set of corporate actions on Dec. 16 to dissolve two related entities: the Research Innovation Partnership Lab (referred to in the meeting as "Ripple") and the Clean Water Institute (CWI).

Caroline Lobdell, CWS general counsel and chief compliance officer, explained the steps: appoint Rick Shanley as interim CEO/General Manager to serve as director and authorized representative for Ripple to effectuate its dissolution; approve articles and a plan of dissolution for Ripple; and adopt corporate actions to dissolve the Clean Water Institute, empowering Rick Shanley and Jay Waldron to act as necessary to complete dissolution steps. Lobdell noted that some originating documents conflate roles between the board of directors and the county board, so the board acted in both capacities and voted in serial fashion as commissioners and then as CWS directors.

The board voted to authorize the dissolution actions and to empower the named individuals to execute the attached articles and plan of dissolution. The motions were recorded on the dais as carrying unanimously in the meeting context. Lobdell and staff said the actions align with the board’s earlier direction to prioritize a “back to basics” approach.