Public comment highlights support for home energy disclosure ordinance; hearings on energy score and precinct plan set for 3:30 p.m.

Public comment at the Feb. 17 Thurston County commissioners meeting included support for a proposed residential energy performance rating and disclosure ordinance and several community announcements, and commissioners scheduled public hearings for those items at 3:30 p.m.

Cord Olsen, who identified himself as a green building consultant and coauthor of a Washington home energy score bill, urged commissioners to pass a Thurston Residential Energy Performance Rating and Disclosure Ordinance. Olsen said the county proposal aligns with federal Home Energy Score reporting tools and noted similar programs in Oregon; he said typical costs for such reports in Oregon have been about $250–$300 and that certification is handled by the federal Department of Energy tool. “I urge you to pass this ordinance,” he said on the record.

Other public commenters raised governance and community issues. John Pettet criticized the board’s practices and alleged statutory violations related to county spending and property tax certifications; he said he had provided information to the board and suggested state audit or attorney general review. Dean Jewett urged the board to preserve diversity of perspective on appointments and cautioned that excluding dissenting viewpoints can impede governance.

Melanie Rabalia invited the county to support the Procession of the Species, scheduled downtown for an evening luminary event on April 24 and the main procession on April 25, and asked for volunteers, rehearsal space and funding (website provided as www.procession.org).

Chair Ty Mentzer announced a short recess and said the board would return at 3:30 p.m. for two public hearings: the residential energy performance rating and disclosure policy (home energy score ordinance) and the 2026 election precinct maintenance plan.