Commissioners' Report

During Tuesday’s meeting of the Wahkiakum County Commissioners, the commissioners approved the re-appointment of Lore Twiet to the Noxious Weed Control Board. Twiet’s term recently expired, and the commissioners approved a new four-year term that will expire Dec. 31, 2029. The commissioners then noted there still is a vacancy in Weed District No. 1 / Deep River. More re-appointments followed, as it was noted the Johnson Park Advisory Board had two board members - Denise Blanchard and Jamie Samms - whose terms have expired. The commissioners moved to approve the re-appointment of Blanchard and Samms for new three-year terms that will expire Dec. 31, 2028.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the commissioners also approved the change of the Grays River Flood Control District meeting to the second Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. The meetings have previously taken place on the second Wednesday of the month at the same time.

As the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments (COG) is applying for a grant “to provide funding for an assessment of the Johnson Park School property,” the commissioners approved a letter of support for COG’s application for the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Regional Assessment Coalition grant. The commissioners approved yet another letter of support for a grant application; this one for WHEELhouse’s Department of Commerce Capital Capacity grant. According to Tuesday’s agenda, some of the grant funding “would be used for costs associated with the University of Washington student project.” In late 2025, members of WHEELhouse announced Cathlamet will host a University of Washington studio course “focused on learning from our community’s unique cultural heritage and local landscape.”

The commissioners then approved the Chair’s (Commissioner Dan Cothren) signature on the Right of Way Procedures and the Agency’s Waiver Valuation and to add Exhibit A - Agency’s Administrative Settlement Policy. According to Tuesday’s agenda, Wahkiakum County “needs to have a written procedure for acquiring right of way using federal funds.” The objective is to use the federal funds “to acquire right of way for the federally funded Wilson Creek Bridge East Valley Road Project.” According to County Engineer Paul Lacy, “the board approved the procedures in November, but they were not acceptable to WSDOT” and that an administrative settlement policy needed to be included; thus, necessitating a new signature from the Chair.

Emergency Technology Coordinator Beau Renfro asked that the Chair sign Quotation Number QWSQ11757, which was presented by More Power Technology Group in the amount of $35,967.47 to “complete the Commercial to Microsoft Office 365 Government Community Cloud Email migration.” The bid was among three opened on Dec. 23, 2025 and approved on Jan. 6, 2026. The commissioners unanimously approved and the Chair’s signature was provided. According to the meeting’s agenda, the amount is to be paid out of the Electronic Cumulative Reserve Fund.

Finally, the Chair’s signature was requested on the funding agreement “Direct Client Support Wahkiakum HHS (Health and Human Services) - June 2026.” This is a contract between HHS and CHOICE (Community Health Organization Improving Care and Equity) in the amount of $1,350 through June 2026. According to the agenda, the money “can be used for expenses such as gas, showers, and food vouchers, or for other immediate and emergency needs to assist the client in completing their pathway.” The commissioners approved the Chair’s signature for the contract amount of $1,350 between HHS and CHOICE.