RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS
OKANOGAN COUNTY
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020
The Okanogan County Board of Commissioners met for a
Regular session at 123 5th Avenue North, Okanogan, Washington on September 21,
2020, with Chairman, Commissioner Jim DeTro; Vice Chairman, Commissioner Chris
Branch; Member, Commissioner Andy Hover; and Clerk of the Board, Laleña Johns,
present.
The full detail of the commissioners’ proceedings was
captured via AV Capture video and is available to the public on the county’s
website.
Review Commissioners’ Agenda and Consent Agenda
Commissioners reviewed their agenda and consent agenda.
Briefing Among Commissioners-Discuss Individual Meeting
Schedules
Commissioner Branch informed the other two commissioners
about an interview that a candidate running for state auditor had with
Fairgrounds staff on Fairgrounds property. Commissioner Hover stated the Board
of Health post should also be addressed as well. The Board of Health is a policy
issue that should be addressed and made clear relative to the role of government
and neutrality of those representing the county. It is different in terms of
candidates for election versus appointees of elected officials. Commissioners
discussed the difference of supporting issues individually and supporting issues
as a board.
Motion Executive Session RCW 42.30.110 (1)(b)
Commissioner Hover moved to go into executive session at
9:45 for 10 minutes to consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of
real estate by lease or purchase when public knowledge regarding such
consideration would cause a likelihood of increased price. Motion was seconded,
all were in favor, motion carried.
Commissioners exited executive session at 9:55 a.m. no
decisions were made.
Commissioner Hover noted he has union mediation at 2:00
today and will be discussing those strategies with the Tanya Craig until the
meeting with Pest Control Agent.
Discussion WSDA Apple Maggot Update-Pest Control
Agent Dan McCarthy
Mr. McCarthy explained the next stage has been found with
363 adult flies on 47 different trapes and pupa finds in the native hawthorns.
Nothing in the apples. The discussion will happen later in the year. He doesn’t
have an argument as to why not. Contiguous borders with some break to prevent
the spread of it. It will be a big adjustment. Bill Walker will be at the Pest
Control Board meeting on Oct. 12. Trapping around the orchards, inspect the
fruit before shipped. Two areas where the most flies were caught one in the
Oroville area along Holmes Rd where there is solid hawthorn growing. Everyplace
with a positive test gets a high density trapping and where the majority of the
flies were caught. The other hot spot is around Alta Lake and near Malott. He
has no argument about quarantining the county. It is in the lower valley and
lower Methow Valley. He just heard that there is also a positive multiple life
stage in Douglas County and they will likely quarantine. All along the Columbia
river is where it is found. Hawthorn has many different varieties that are the
host pant.
Commissioner Hover asked what the financial cost is going
to be growers is. The problem is the logistics because there are only so many
inspectors. Getting inspectors out to every orchard will be very difficult. Mr.
McCarthy has been preaching to the warehouses about this coming to prepare them
and they all said they would wait until it got here. A plan with WSDA director
was discussed and where we go from here to figure out how to deal with it
economically. He suggested treating it similar to the Cherry Fruit Fly which is
a treatment before they are packed. Most warehouses have electronic sorter which
are infallible and finds all defects and could detect apple maggot. Getting the
fruit to the packing houses within the same county is alright. Fruit leaving the
county is the problem, but okay to bring fruit into the county. If Chelan,
Douglas, and Okanogan County were all under quarantined fruit could be moved
around within all the counties for packing and inspection purposes. It would be
practible if all were under quarantine but Chelan County just hasn’t gone
through all the incubated traps to find the multi life stages yet, but it is
possible they find the life stages once the fruit is incubated.
Mr. McCarthy said if at some point the other two pest
boards should get together and all three counties meet on this.
Rob Inlow commented on the processor apples since there is
only one processor in Selah where does a grower take all the junk fruit. East
Coast markets could be lost. 60 day cold treatment could be used before shipped
and those would not need to be inspected. Mr. Inlow asked about orchardists with
fruit orchards from Washington to Oregon as they would not be able to ship
unless inspected.
Commissioner Hover asked Mr. Inlow a question on the
challenges this presents to him. Mr. Inlow said this is significant due to the
number of inspectors needed to clear growers and what kind of paperwork is there
going to be, series of inspection tags, check points…. He is 100% shipped out of
the county. Anyone going further south, this will be a nightmare. There is on
the tree inspections where they walk down the block, or they look in the bins to
see damaged fruit. A written certificate of inspection is required for transport
for each individual apple block. Yes. Bill Walker is invited to the next pest
board meeting to explain what this entails.
Update-Planning Director Pete Palmer
Planning Director Palmer provided a packet for today’s
discussion with regards to the Shoreline Master Program that was updated in
2018. (attached) The goals and objectives were not updated in that version of
the plan and Commissioner Hover does not see reference to them as an addendum to
the plan as adopted.
Director Palmer stated the information, the Shoreline
Master Program information, is posted is on the Planning Dept website.
Director Palmer noted that the original cost for the Methow
Trails vaulted Toilet did not include the tax for the toilet. There is some
wiggle room in the Planning budget to pay that. Commissioners Hover noted that
it did not appear the goals and policies were updated in the adopted resolution
36-2018 that was transmitted to Dept of Ecology. Commissioner Branch will ask
Dept of Ecology what was transmitted to DOE.
Motion
Commissioner Hover moved to direct the planning dept to pay
the additional cost of the tax for the vaulted toilet from the planning budget.
Motion was seconded, all were in favor, motion carried
Director Palmer discussed the Well Tracking Grant. Aspect
does not believe they will have the work completed by the deadline. If
Department of Ecology is willing to make an exception and extend the deadline,
then Commissioners are alright with it taking additional time. Commissioners
Request an extension the board can authorize.
Discussion Relief Resources & Relief Coordination
Plan-Emergency Management
Emergency Manager Maurice Goodall stated the reason for the
meeting was to relay what roles the groups are involved with in the recovery due
to recent fires. Four major disasters in 6 years is ridiculous.
The county cannot be involved with the distribution of
public donations. There are entities more appropriate for this purpose.
Carlene Anders Okanogan County Long Term Recovery group was
founded in 2014 with their official name as Carlton Complex Long-Term recovery.
They have been working on recovery for the past 6 years. She explained they help
people through the program for rebuild and other things. The will help with
Disaster intake and coordination for the Palmer and Cold Springs fire in
Okanogan County and Douglas County. It is determined by Unmet needs and is
individual based. Fencing is challenging. There is also an advocacy piece that
advocates for funds in Olympia.
There is confusion about who the Long-Term Recovery group
is. Ms. Anders explained how it formed what it has become and who is involved.
The Long-Term Recovery helps steer people to where their need can be met.
Whoever is taking in the money does not make the decision where it goes.
We are not going to have the resources we’ve had in the
past due to other major disasters such as the Malden fire, Oregon and California
fires. Resources will be stretched thin. She would like to see the commissioners
extend its short-term recovery to the end October for a place to put the
donations. We cannot say no or it goes down the road to someplace else.
Commissioner Branch discussed having a structured agreement
in place for whatever the county is involved in and who the authority would be
who is representative of the particular group to be helped such as Cattlemen
association etc…... Ms. Anders stated the assessment of the needs is critical
also having a facility is critical. Protect infrastructure where fire victims
bring their waste.
Commissioner DeTro asked where the plan is and stated that
why we are here.
Naomie Peasley Fairgrounds Coordinator explained what help
the Fairgrounds is providing to the fire victims. Mostly the relief is for
immediate needs for animals and livestock. Everyone they have been in contact
with a binder has been created for each victim that has a list of their needs.
At the end of September this roll would be passed onto someone else. Ms. Anders
said relief officers for case management can be arranged for to take that piece.
Is there a separation between the Mom and Pop’s and the big-time ranchers? She
feels the mom and pops are just now getting off the mountain and getting
services and asking for their needs to be met.
Rod Haeberle said he knows one person who lost over 2000
hay. Coordination is critical for trucks bringing hay in to prevent loading and
unloading. Ms. Peasley explained why that has happened and it was due to the
drivers not knowing our county, fire districts not wanting strangers getting
lost or traveling on unstable roads and not knowing when they are coming. There
are also driver restrictions that must be accommodated. Commissioner Hover
stated the hay market is starting to move because of the uncertainty. Mr.
Haeberle said if the game department opened up their tens of thousands of acres
of graze land to the cattlemen affected so the cattle can be grazing now, then
the hay situation could be less of a concern in the winter. He usually doesn’t
start feeding until December, but with no graze land a lot more hay is going to
be needed sooner to start feeding now until spring. Mr. Haeberle said
Coordination is critical so people get help now, they lost everything, have
cattle running around with no where to go.
Kathy Powers said the immediate relief must be kept rolling
we cannot stop the momentum, we will lose the volunteers to fatigue. These
people need help. Six months down the road those same volunteers will be back to
work, tired, and not available. The groups felt the fairgrounds must be made
available for a longer period of time to avoid turning away resources and
volunteers. Fairgrounds is where folks are coming to for help and where Ms.
Peasley is able to arrange volunteer teams for the relief needed. When does that
transition to the organized groups happen?
The fairgrounds being used as the Single point of contact
to coordinate the resources coming in. Kory Heindselman agreed that was where
the missing piece was. The groups don’t have the means to broker the system.
Daniel Platt Okanogan Fire Watch commented on the need for
communication. Ms. Anders said they need the time in order to get the case
management piece together and stream that. Hay was going straight from the
producer directly to those in need.
Okanogan Fire Watch groups said Habitat for humanity is
ready to build but we are about three weeks out. Christian Disaster Relief is
who is doing Palmer Fire clean up.
Commissioner DeTro stated the commissioners intend to
approve a resolution to waive the fire debris fees for only fire debris and
there are conditions for being able to do that.
Trinity Stucker asked when Emergency Management will
release the numbers and assessments of those in need with miles of fence,
numbers of destroyed homes etc…. Mr. Goodall said things need to be broken out
and he is working on that and the numbers need to come from the ranchers. Ms.
Stucker said the information should come from one source. Mr. Goodall explained
where he will get the information from and that is still being worked on.
Ms. Power urged the county to be the lead on the
coordination efforts and is essential for our communities because the volunteers
cannot do it all by themselves. It is not sustainable.
Volunteer said this needs to be coordinated and a
commitment on the county commissioners to provide it. Everyone wants to do
something, but there is not an overall plan. The problem is a lot of wheels
spinning going on. This is her fifth disaster and not a lot has changed.
Building Official Dan Higbee assumes in terms of the
reservation, the tribe is going to take care of those permits.
The board adjourned at 4:00 p.m.