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Columbia County commissioners approve board appointments, personnel actions and $2,500 event funding; one abstention
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Summary
On March 19, Columbia County commissioners approved appointments to regional boards, multiple county personnel actions and the use of $2,500 in hotel tax funds for the Stuart Tank 2026 WWII weekend; Commissioner Kovach abstained on the hotel tax allocation.
Columbia County commissioners on March 19 approved appointments to two regional boards, accepted a slate of county personnel actions and authorized use of $2,500 in hotel tax funds for the Stuart Tank 2026 World War II weekend, with Commissioner Kovach recorded as abstaining on the hotel‑tax vote.
The board approved naming Chris Anderson to the SEDA‑COG Metropolitan Planning Organization board and appointed Matt Bower to a three‑year term on the DRIVE Board through 2029. Both appointments were approved by motion and unanimous consent during the meeting.
The commissioners also approved a list of hires, promotions and step increases affecting Children and Youth Services, the Public Defender’s office and county jail staff. Examples listed in the minutes include Brittany Swilley (CYS supervisor, step effective 1/26/25), Ashley Pelton (CYS aide, hire effective 3/23/26), Levi Yoder (CYS caseworker II, two‑year step effective 2/27/26) and RyLee Sortman (full‑time corrections officer, six‑month step effective 3/28/26). The minutes record motions approving the personnel items without further discussion.
Separately, the board approved use of the courthouse flagpole and building lighting for the national “Light to Unite” event scheduled for April 2 at noon.
Under ACT‑156 (noted in the minutes as the abandoned‑property statute), the commissioners approved exoneration of tax, costs and interest for a leasehold trailer parcel (03‑12‑00600‑079) in the amount of $67.36.
The meeting minutes also note that, during an earlier work session summarized for the board, a staff member identified as Shelly (Shelly Crawford) asked why minutes after the Jan. 2 meeting were not posted; the minutes state those records have since been posted. The minutes say Marcie Strachko reviewed personnel moves and that a person identified in the text as “Jeannie” provided updates on available cash and bills; the attendance list in the minutes separately lists Jean Lapinski via Zoom (the minutes do not specify whether “Jeannie” and Jean Lapinski are the same person).
The meeting adjourned after the scheduled agenda items were completed.