Cowlitz County previews interlocal court agreement, trail funding and holds brief executive session on personnel

County staff outlined routine items the board will consider at the next meeting and reported personnel actions taken or requested.

On the consent/agenda preview, staff said the board will consider an interlocal agreement with the City of Kelso to provide district court services and an agreement with the City of Castle Rock for the Six Rivers Trails Phase 2 project for $70,800 from the paths-and-trails fund. Public works engineer Susan Eugenus told the board that a Ziply franchise public hearing is scheduled for the following day and that staff (including Doug) will attend to answer technical questions.

Human resources and commissioners reviewed several volunteer-board appointments and reappointments. The board discussed filling a veterans advisory vacancy (candidates discussed included a VFW-connected applicant and others) and reappointed Ruth to the homeless housing advisory body. Commissioners noted a longstanding difficulty filling one district-two volunteer seat.

Human resources director Jessica Warren requested a 10-minute executive session to discuss the performance of a public employee; the board recessed for the session and returned with no action taken. After returning, a clerk's office representative, Jennifer, requested reclassifying an open lead accounting specialist position to a lead deputy clerk (a decrease from salary grade 210 to 200) and inactivating two open positions; staff estimated one-time 2026 savings of about $206,000 and ongoing annual savings of about $163,000.

What happens next: the items previewed (interlocal agreement, Six Rivers Trails funding and the Ziply franchise public hearing) are on the agenda for the next meeting; staff said they will present more detail and be available to answer questions at that time.