Wahkiakum County Commissioners report

The County Commissioners met on Tuesday, July 1, and appointed Bruce Craven and Steven Lake to the District 1 Planning Commission. There is still a vacancy to be filled for District 3, which serves Skamokawa and the Westend. The commissioners officially approved the contract between Wahkiakum County and the Washington State Conservation Commission for the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP). The program aims to protect critical areas such as streams, habitats, and wetlands located on agricultural lands without hindering production or infringing on landowners' rights. VSP promotes voluntary, locally driven conservation practices without enforcing strict regulations.

The Public Works Department plans to purchase a Matco Tools Diagnostic Scan Tool, which will enable them to communicate with all their vehicles across the country, including ferry engines, Sheriff’s vehicles, etc., and avoid taking these vehicles into a shop for diagnostics. “It’s a great tool,” said Public Works Director Chuck Beyer. The tool costs $11,445, with an annual update fee of $1,000. The commissioners approved the bid for janitorial services from ClearSense Cleaning & Maintenance LLC at an annual rate of $51,000.

The commissioners approved the Memorandum of Understanding with the Columbia Land Trust for re-leveling Mill Road in Rosburg. The road has sunk 18 inches since 2012, and the Columbia Land Trust will cover all project costs. Operations Manager Duncan Cruickshank gave a presentation on the Re-Entry Targeted Case Management Program (rTCMP) that is now being offered at the Wahkiakum County Jail. RTCMP is a program that allows incarcerated individuals to opt in to Apple Health, should they be eligible, and receive treatment to ensure they are healthy and ready for re-entry to their community. This program will help alleviate the cost of treatment for Wahkiakum and other participating jails. This program also offers re-entry care plans and coordination, as well as numerous other benefits designed to facilitate a smooth and healthy reintegration into society for individuals serving jail time. Washington is only the second state to adopt the rTCMP, and Wahkiakum is one of seven counties in Washington to participate.