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Kittitas County commissioners approve three advisory reappointments, set 2026 department oversight
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Summary
At an office-administration meeting Jan. 12, the Kittitas County Board of Commissioners unanimously reappointed three advisory members, acknowledged Ellensburg's committee nominations, and confirmed department oversight and public‑meeting notices for January and February.
The Kittitas County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved three advisory-board reappointments and confirmed department oversight assignments during a 31-minute office-administration meeting on Jan. 12, 2026.
Vice-Chairman Brett Wachsmith moved to reappoint Bradley Hinkle and Warren Taylor to the Kittitas County Planning Commission for four-year terms effective Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2029; Commissioner Laura Osiadacz seconded. The motion carried, 3-0. Wachsmith also moved to reappoint David McBride to the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee for a three-year term effective Jan. 7, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2028; Osiadacz seconded and the motion carried, 3-0. The Board moved and approved a two-year reappointment of Bradley Esparza to the Homelessness & Affordable Housing Committee effective Jan. 7, 2026; that motion likewise carried, 3-0.
The Board also approved and signed county employee personnel action forms and vouchers as recorded in the minutes; individual PAF details and voucher amounts were not specified in the minutes.
Commissioners acknowledged the City of Ellensburg's recommendations for municipal representatives: Joshua Thompson as the city's Airport Advisory Committee representative, and David Miller and Sarah Beauchamp as the city's Disability Board representatives (minutes note only one of the two would attend any given meeting). That acknowledgment was moved by Vice‑Chairman Wachsmith, seconded by Commissioner Osiadacz, and approved 3-0.
The Board reviewed and largely retained department head assignments from 2025 to allow two-year continuity: Chairman Cory Wright will oversee information technology, solid waste/maintenance and WSU Extension/noxious weed; Vice‑Chairman Wachsmith will oversee public works, community development services and the Event Center; Commissioner Laura Osiadacz will oversee human resources, public defense and public health. Commissioners also reviewed 2025 committee rosters and made adjustments to allow broader participation in 2026.
On communications, the Board directed social-media postings for the week of Jan. 12 to advertise two Kittitas County Community Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) public meetings (Jan. 21, 2026, at Hotel Windrow, Yakima Room, Ellensburg; and Feb. 3, 2026, at the Upper Kittitas County Senior Center, Cle Elum), to note courthouse closure for Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 19) and to promote the county's 2026 legislative priorities.
Chairman Wright provided a draft of the county's 2026 Washington legislative priorities for review and said he received minimal edits and would forward the draft to the county lobbyist Bill Clarke. The meeting adjourned at 9:31 a.m.
Next steps: reappointed members begin their terms on the dates noted above; department oversight and communications postings will proceed under the assignments approved at the meeting.