The Board of Commissioners approved two Health & Human Services items that fund local sanitary surveys for larger water systems and channel federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money through the state to local service providers.

Gina James of Health & Human Services described a contract amendment with the Washington State Department of Health to add scope and funding to perform sanitary surveys on Group A water systems — those with 15 or more connections. "Group A systems are those larger systems that have 15 or more connections," James said. She said the state oversees those systems but pays local health jurisdictions to help complete required sanitary surveys every three to five years.

James also presented a Department of Commerce state contract for $70,000 of CDBG public-services funding and a pass-through agreement with Lower Columbia CAP for $66,500; the county retains $3,500 for administration. Commissioners asked whether the dollars are federal or state (James: federal funds passed through the state) and pressed how the county can verify that pass-through monies are spent only on the county-funded portion of services. James said the county can verify expenditures tied to funds it provides and will examine invoices and receipts to match billed services to the county-funded portion, though her remarks acknowledged limits on auditing other funding sources.

A commissioner urged that federal compliance requirements be clearly documented so local administrators can verify eligibility; James said she would review contract language to identify any federal parameters passed down by the state. The board approved both motions by voice vote; votes were recorded as 'Aye.'

The board asked HHS to follow up with clearer documentation showing how county funds are tracked and verified in pass-through arrangements.