County departments and BOCC getting closer to next year's budget

DAYTON–The Columbia County Commissioners (BOCC) heard budget plans for the Flood Control Zone District 2022, Six-Year Transportation Plan, and the Annual Construction Project plan at the meeting December 6, 2021.

The Flood Control Zone District 2022 budget was adopted at a public hearing held prior to the BOCC meeting on December 6. The budget reported an ending cash balance of $8400 with $478,000 in expenditures which were reduced on the Dayton rehab levee extension rehabilitation from $250,000 to $100,000 to reflect having not received the expected FEMA reimbursements. Also approved was an agreement with the Department of Ecology to receive grant funds totaling $115,500 which was reflected in the budget for the development of a Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan. The estimated cost for the development of the plan is about $154,000.

Director Charles Eaton provided the Commissioners on flood repair updates and said that the permits for the permanent work for Area 3 under the bridges have been denied until the emergency work is done but that is held up because of mitigation requirements (habitat building in this case) by FEMA. There was some discussion about moving ahead without FEMA's involvement and pay the $45,000 to get the work completed with Army Corps of Engineers instead of waiting on FEMA for permitting and the 75% funding reimbursements.

The question of whether additional mitigation would also be required for the permanent work permits was discussed and Eaton said the "system is not really designed for that" and went on to say "One of the things that I've learned is that during the emergency you get in there and do the work and worry about the stuff after the fact...you have like 90 days within the emergency window to get in there and get rid of the debris...we just need to move a lot faster when these type of things happen. That doesn't help us in our current situation. I am not very hopeful for next summer with Area 3, and we won't even talk about Areas 1-7. The extra mitigation–remember, every time they add mitigation, so they're basically adding one to one mitigation. For every square foot that we do any kind of digging on, we have to provide a square foot of stream mitigation which is cost and we're still on the hook for 25% of that additional cost."

Amerein responded, "Getting the FEMA money is great, but if it doesn't protect the town, the waiting and dawdling...we're two years after the flood and we still haven't gotten the stuff out of the river. We've tried to play by the rules and do other things...but we're still not protecting our town."

Eaton claimed that there is imminent threat of flooding in the coming season and could get emergency permitting, but reminded the Commissioners they are responsible for work in the County over the City. He suggested participating in "somebody else's mitigation work" such as the Umatilla Tribe's work to fulfill in the mitigation requirement to obtain the FEMA permitting and the funding. The Commissioners thought it would be worth pursuing before considering more seriously the County moving forward with the work on their own.

A public hearing was also held for Public Works where Eaton presented resolutions for the Six–Year Transportation Improvement Program, Facility Capital Improvement Plan and the Annual Construction Program. The top projects of the 21 listed on the Facility Plan for 2022 are the emergency levee repair work from the flood of 2020, the Courthouse HVAC replacement, repairs to the lean-to building, chemical building improvements and the sand shed replacement. Projects partially funded by grants are the fairgrounds pavilion restrooms, west grandstand improvements and phase two of the golf course irrigation.

Next presented was the Annual Construction Program with 17 projects on it with the top three priorities for emergency repairs which are the North Touchet Road to reconstruct 150 feet of protective embankment where the river shifted, Tucannon Road including reconstruction of washed away road sections and shoulders and laying asphalt, and the reconstruction of the portions of the road and embankments on either side of the Bosley Bridge and to remove and reinstall the guard rail, the retaining wall and rip rap protection. Other projects on the list are replacements of the Vernon Smith and Starbuck bridges and repairs on the South Touchet Bridge. FEMA funded work for repairs for the Trump North Touchet Bridge and replacement of Coates Creek Bridge are also on the list. These projects were also listed as the top priorities on the Transportation Improvement Program. The resolutions passed for all three plans along with several other resolutions.

The Commissioners discussed the upcoming holiday schedule with multiple county workers and it was decided the paid holidays would be for December 24 and December 31. The court offices will remain open on the December 24.

The next meeting is December 14 for a work session.