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Lewis County commissioners approve multiple resolutions, contracts and a natural gas franchise; transportation plan adopted
Summary
The Lewis County Board approved deliberation items including a temporary cash-flow loan, IT hardware purchase, shelter and housing contract amendments, a public defense funding agreement and a franchise for Cardinal FG; the 2026–2031 TIP and 2026 ACP were also approved.
At its Nov. 25, 2025 meeting the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners approved a package of notice, consent and deliberation items, including contracts, grant agreements and a franchise. The board recorded unanimous votes (3–0) on the listed actions.
Key items approved included notices of public hearing for critical areas updates, an RFP for the 2026 rodeo, and routine consent items (warrants, payroll and minutes). In deliberation the board approved:
- Resolution 25-327: authorize a temporary cash-flow loan from the Solid Waste Disposal District (fund 4150) to the Rhodes Fund 117 (Grace Jimenez, Auditor’s Office). The loan will be used on an as-needed basis and had previously been approved by the disposal district board.
- Resolution 25-329: IT contract with CDW for a Pure Storage flash array ($713,794.34, tax included), funded with LATCF resources; staff said the current array will fall out of service in June and the purchase is to ensure data continuity (Gabe Anzlini, IT).
- Resolution 25-330: amendment to the Kimley-Horn contract to extend through Dec. 31 so consultants can complete the critical areas ordinance work (Community Development).
- Resolution 25-331: grant agreement with the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) to cover the gap between Protect grant funding and final construction costs for the Van Ornam Creek at Bunker Creek Road fish passage project (Jeff Soderquist, Public Works).
- Resolutions 25-332 and 25-333: amendments to contracts supporting homeless services. An amendment with the Salvation Army extends the contract to 06/30/2026 and adds $578,287.50 for operations and homelessness prevention, increasing total consideration to $771,050; an amendment with Reliable Enterprises adds $138,208.85, bringing their maximum to $189,585.09 (Caroline Garvey, Public Health and Social Services).
- Resolution 25-334: collective bargaining agreement with Teamsters Local 252 covering sheriff’s sergeants, effective Nov. 1, 2025 through Dec. 31, 2028 (Ryan Barrett, County Manager).
- Resolution 25-335: adoption of an Emergency Management policy establishing service charges and scope for non-ILA cities beginning Jan. 2026 (Erica Cat, Emergency Management).
- Resolutions 25-336/25-337: authorize legal defense/indemnity for an employee named in prior action and approve a public defense funding agreement with Washington State Office of Public Defense for $218,417.77 (Becky Butler).
The board also approved Resolution 25-338, renewing a nonexclusive franchise for Cardinal FG Company to construct and maintain natural gas utility facilities in county rights-of-way, after a staff report from Public Works recommended approval. The 2026–2031 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and 2026 Annual Construction Program (ACP) were presented by County Engineer Wes Anderson and approved by the board (Resolution 25-339). All of the above votes were recorded as unanimous (3–0).
Votes at a glance: all listed resolutions under deliberation and the franchise/TIP were approved by recorded unanimous votes (Aye—3). Specific dollar figures and effective dates were read into the record for the CDW purchase, shelter and housing amendments, the Teamsters agreement and Public Defense funding.
Next steps: Contract executions, grant paperwork and administrative follow-up will proceed per staff direction; staff indicated a workshop presentation on critical areas is scheduled for Dec. 3 and hearings on critical areas and public defense rules are scheduled in early December.
