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Cowlitz County commissioners approve bridge contract, health and housing agreements, CDBG pass-through and Cooper Hill subdivision preliminary plat
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Summary
The Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners approved consent contracts including an Allender Road bridge replacement, a Washington State Department of Health amendment for Group A water-system sanitary surveys, CDBG public-services funding with a $66,500 pass-through to Lower Columbia CAP, an agreement for supportive services at Phoenix House, and the Cooper Hill preliminary subdivision plat.
The Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a bundle of consent items and separate agenda motions that advance public-works, public-health, housing and land-use work across the county.
In the consent agenda, the board approved a contract award to Western United Civil Group LLC for the Allender Road bridge replacement; the listed contract amount was $1,000,006.47, with the project described as funded up to $2,000,000. The board also approved a personal services agreement with Green Osborne for municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) sanitary-survey support (not to exceed $120,000 through Dec. 31, 2028) and a one-year extension with Advanced Electrical Technologies for on-call electrical services at county facilities (up to $150,000).
Gina James, director of Health & Human Services, presented a contract amendment with the Washington State Department of Health to add scope and funding to cover sanitary surveys for 'Group A' water systems, which she defined as systems with 15 or more connections. "Group A systems are those larger systems that have 15 or more connections," James said, describing the county's role in performing sanitary surveys the state requests and reimbursing county costs for that work. A commissioner moved to approve the amendment and the board adopted it by voice vote.
James also presented two related housing and service funding items under the Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant program: a $70,000 state contract and a $66,500 pass-through agreement to Lower Columbia CAP to support Meals on Wheels and other community-based nutrition services for low-income, homebound seniors. James said the county may retain $3,500 of the allocation for administration. Commissioners raised questions about whether federal compliance requirements and audit language flow through state contracts and how the county can verify that pass-through funds are used for the county-funded portion of services; James said staff will review contract language and match invoices and receipts to reimbursements.
On housing, the board approved an agreement with Housing Opportunities of Southwest Washington (HOSWA) to provide on-site supportive services at Phoenix House, a roughly 20-unit project serving people exiting inpatient substance-use treatment with case management, budgeting help and referrals to community resources. "The supportive services here is to make sure that they're staying connected with that treatment and moving towards other goals," James said. The motion to approve the HOSWA agreement passed by voice vote.
In land use, Sahara Cui, senior planner for Building and Planning, presented the Cooper Hill Subdivision preliminary plat (Case No. 25-70.02) proposed by Chilton Development Services for property near Cooper Hill Court in Castle Rock. The proposal reconfigures three lots and creates one additional lot ranging from 2 to 4.17 acres; all lots would use individual on-site septic systems and receive water from the Cowlitz County Public Works water system. "Based on the findings, conclusions, and conditions in the 12/02/2025 staff report, staff recommends approval of the Cooper Hill Subdivision preliminary plat," Cui said. The board voted to approve the preliminary plat subject to the conditions of approval.
Votes reported during the meeting were taken by voice ('Aye'); the transcript records voice approvals for minutes, the consent agenda, the Department of Health amendment, the CDBG items, the HOSWA agreement, and the Cooper Hill preliminary plat. Where specific tallies or individual commissioner roll-call votes were not recorded in the transcript, outcomes are noted as board-approved by voice vote.
The meeting closed with brief logistics updates — county crews began repairs on Barnes Drive in Castle Rock following a recent water incident, and the board announced an upcoming Board of Health meeting and a one-week meeting break — then adjourned.
