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Skagit County commissioners report lobbying for bridge funds, indigent defense updates and timber revenue decline
Summary
Commissioners said they are pursuing state and federal funding for flood-damaged roads and bridges, reported on indigent defense capacity and noted a sharp drop in county timber revenue.
At the Feb. 3 meeting, county commissioners described their recent outreach in Olympia and plans for federal aid as they addressed infrastructure and justice-system concerns.
Commissioner Browning told the board he attended the County Road Administration Board and described a proposal to distribute $200 million to small counties to help with roads and bridges, a priority after recent flooding. "Bridges are painfully expensive," Browning said, and he described ongoing efforts to secure a fair share of state funds.
Commissioner Burns said he visited Olympia to meet elected officials and toured with representatives of the Skagit County Public Defender’s Office; he reported the public defender office is "on track" for indigent defense, per that office’s director. Resident Rebecca Peck had earlier urged more public defenders or measures to reduce caseloads so defendants can meet with counsel.
The chair announced county letters to the Washington State Department of Transportation asking for additional flood-related funding and urged the Department of Natural Resources to proceed with a local timber sale. The chair said Skagit County has about 85,000 acres of timberland and that roughly 40,000 acres are harvestable; he also said county timber revenue fell significantly in 2025 compared with 2024.
No formal votes on these topics were taken during the meeting; commissioners said they will continue lobbying and tracking federal and state funding opportunities.
