Chair Catherine Harrington opened the afternoon roundtable of the Washington County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 8, 2026, and led a review of committee assignments and external liaison appointments. Harrington said the packet included both a "by commissioner" view and a full set and asked the board to confirm corrections and alternates before closing assignments for the year.

Multiple commissioners volunteered for or discussed specific assignments. Commissioner Jason Snyder was identified as the most appropriate incumbent for WEA and fairgrounds continuity, and the board agreed not to change those roles to avoid disruption. Harrington asked the board to close who will follow the AOC/OJD courthouse standards task force meetings (attendance or follow-up required even if not a formal task force member).

The board agreed that community action liaison duties would move to the chair with Snyder assisting on the transition. Commissioners also clarified distinctions between mandatory board contact roles (for example, the Council of Forest Trust Lands liaison) and voluntary seats on advisory or nonprofit boards. Harrington said some entities (e.g., ACRE) had scheduling conflicts and that continuity should be considered when reassigning seats next year.

Why it matters: These liaisons and external board seats are how Washington County maintains relationships with regional partners, state-led committees and nonprofit service providers. Continuity on certain boards was cited by staff and commissioners as important to maintain institutional knowledge and ongoing projects.

What’s next: Chair Harrington asked staff to update the assignment charts and publish corrected lists. No formal motion was recorded; the board signaled agreement during the roundtable exchange. The board then moved on to the budget and financial policy agenda items.