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POMEROY–Garfield County Commissioner Justin Dixon updated the East Washingtonian about the May 8approval letter from Secretary of Health John Leseman which informed Garfield County that it is among the five out of ten counties to re-open in Phase 2. “We appreciate the efforts by everyone in Garfield County who adhered to the Stay-at-Home order to maintain an element of safety and would like to see this practice continue,” Dixon said. Governor Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 “Stay-at-Home” orders have been in effect since March 11, 2020, which offic...
POMEROY-School District Superintendent Rachel Gwinn updated the School Board on the latest directions coming from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and the current practices put into place for Pomeroy schools during at a meeting on April 27. She also updated the East Washingtonian on April 30, that she had been notified by OSPI that the school year must be extended by five days to June 10, 2020, as the last day. All school districts in Washington are required to...
POMEROY–Garfield County Public Works Director Grant Morgan, requests $12,000 to retain legal counsel to resolve a contract issue with Scarsella Brothers Construction at the Garfield County Commissioners meeting held April 27. He stated work has stopped on the Gould City Phase 4 road project until there is a resolution. Due to a contract issue with Scarsella Brothers Construction, Morgan requested approval for funding to retain outside legal counsel from Lewiston, who specializes in this type of dispute, at an estimated cost of $10,000 to $...
POMEROY–Garfield County Commissioner Justin Dixon discussed a letter received from the Stevens County Commissioners during the Garfield County Commissioners’ meeting April 27, asking Governor Inslee and Secretary Eastman to consider allowing northeastern Washington counties to begin re-opening businesses that have been shut down due to the “Stay at Home” requirements relating to the COVID-19 pandemic 27. The letter stated northeastern Washington counties have not been hit as hard with the coronavirus as western Washington counties. Stevens...
POMEROY-Port of Garfield Director Diana Ruchert announced construction for the installation of broadband network has been shut down temporarily because of the Gov. Jay Inslee’s business closures until broadband construction was deemed essential. She also stated at the April 21 Port meeting that an extension to the construction contract deadline may be necessary, but not a grant extension. Ruchert will alert the Commissioners if that occurs. Ruchert asked the commissioners to sign an interlocal agreement with the County, committing them to c...
POMEROY–Director of the Garfield County Transportation Authority (GCTA) Rachel Anderson, announced precautions taken, the effects of distancing and service schedule changes due to the COVID-19 stay at home order, which included the governor mandated modifications to the public meetings. No public members are allowed in the office; the staff wipe down office doors; drivers wear masks and gloves and wipe down the buses upon return. Ridership has diminished requiring a reduction in personnel and hours. The changes are reduced shopper service to t...
POMEROY- McKenzie Lueck was unanimously appointed Garfield County Auditor by the Garfield County Commissioners on April 20 and will begin May 1, 2020. Retiring Garfield County Auditor, Donna Deal, referred Lueck as her replacement when she officially announced her retirement on March 2, 2020. The Democratic Central Committee Chair Lynn Leverington, also submitted Lueck as their only recommendation. Indigent Defense Attorney Julie Karl, is asking for a forty percent increase in the renewal contract with the county. The commissioners consider it...
POMEROY–Garfield County still remains COVID-19 free, according to Garfield County Health District Administrator Martha Lanman, but Asotin County has one case and five more in Walla Walla County as of the Garfield County Commissioners meeting on April 20. The Health District wants the community to stay vigilant and stay home, Lanman said.She stated that the new presidential guidelines are allowing businesses with 10 or fewer employees to reopen, but locally, Garfield County is following state-guided openings. About 4,500 tests are being done e...
POMEROY–The Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) received a letter from Garfield County Interim Fire Chief Kyle Pearson, dated April 5, 2020, in response to an official complaint made by Commissioner Justin Dixon on March 28, 2020, that an unpublicized special meeting had been conducted after the governor’s order prohibited face-to-face meetings by governmental entities. Garfield County Fire Commissioners Terry John, Gary Bowles and Aaron Stallcop, joined by Garfield County Fire District Secretary Deanna (Deedee) Weymouth, Interim Fire Chi...
POMEROY-Garfield County Hospital District (GCHD) co-CEO Mat Slaybaugh, briefed the board of commissioners on several grant and loan opportunities that are in the works at the meeting April 6. The $250,000 legislative grant has already been awarded to the GCHD for upgrades to the HVAC system at the hospital, but has been delayed for several reasons. However, a contract from the Department of Commerce, has been received and is in review with the attorney. They are hopeful to have the contract...
POMEROY-The last payment of $94,176.33 to Wellens Farwell was made for the construction of the new fire station, and the work has been finished. Deedee Weymouth, Fire District Secretary, added that the washer and dryer are now in place and ready to be used for any decontamination needs. The search for a new Fire Chief is ongoing with new advertisements being placed with outlying newspapers, and applications accepted through May 1, 2020. Interviews conducted during a non-publicized special meeting on Saturday March 28, did not produce a...
POMEROY–County Commissioners favorably consider lawn service as an essential service to the community and social distancing can be maintained through advanced preparations. During the teleconference meeting Monday, April 6, the issue of allowing lawn services to do business as essential services was discussed. Sheriff Drew Hyer stated legal counsel advised lawn service as a business allowed under the current COVID-19 restrictions. Commissioners Wynne McCabe, Bob Johnson and Justin Dixon d...
POMEROY–In the press conference given by Governor Jay Inslee and the State Superintendent of Schools, Chris Reykdal, Monday, April 6, 2020, it was announced that all Washington school districts will not reopen for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, an extension from the previous date of May 4, 2020. Inslee has stated that reopening of school in the fall is still uncertain. Pomeroy School District Superintendent Rachel Gwinn said school will not start earlier than the scheduled start d...
POMEROY–Garfield County Hospital District (GCHD) co-CEO Jayd Keener stated the clinic now has a screening process to ask incoming patients several questions at the door before entering the reception area. Regular well-patient visits are being postponed for now, and telehealth services are being set up to assist patients. A trailer has been set up at the hospital for testing for the coronavirus, and Dr. Hauser, Garfield County Health District Health Officer, has approved in-car testing as well a...
POMEROY–In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Garfield County Commissioner Justin Dixon stated Garfield, Columbia and Walla Walla Counties applied for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through the Washington State Department of Commerce and received $53,000 of the $8.1 million fund. The grant is for counties with current DCBG Public Services Grant contracts and will help with economic, social and health recovery resulting from a declared emergency or disaster. Dixon added that the funds will be sent to the Blue Mountain Action C...
POMEROY-Garfield County Public Health (GCPH) tested ten suspected cases of COVID–19 locally with ten returned negative as of April 6. To date there have been no positive tests in the county. The Garfield County Health District has been given funds to locate and provide appropriate housing for anyone needing to be quarantined. John Hirsch, Emergency Management Services Director, and Martha Lanman, Garfield County Health District Administrator, are working together on the housing issue. So far, quarantined housing has not been required, but G...
POMEROY-Health District Administrator Martha Lanman, briefed the Garfield County Commissioners (BOGC) during their teleconference meeting March 23, stating five COVID-19 tests were given in Garfield County, with three negative results, and two pending. The two pending households are in quarantine until the results are received from tests given on Saturday, March 21, 2020. The turnaround time for testing is currently four days. One person in Garfield County who was in quarantine is now off....
POMEROY-Superintendent Rachel Gwinn announced at the District meeting March 23, enrollment was up to 307 for the month of March, which was an increase of six new students from February. At the February meeting, the board approved Resolution No. 289, which authorized the District to request participation in the Washington State School District Credit Enhancement Program. This action was taken to allow the District to apply for a lower interest rate on the current outstanding bond. Kelly...
POMEROY–In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Port of Garfield Board of Commissioners have authorized a “preparedness guideline,” in line with State and local mandates. Due to the fact that some of the Port’s employees are at high risk, or extremely high risk, of contracting the virus, some precautions have been put into place. Those at extremely high risk will only perform duties that can be done without any contact with the public. The doors to the Port’s office are closed to the public; however, employees may come out to meet with indi...
POMEROY–The Board of Commissioners for the Garfield County Hospital District (GCHD) voted 3-1 to conduct the Special Levy election as originally scheduled, April 28, with ballots to be mailed out April 10, 2020. Commissioners met in the hospital parking lot Tuesday afternoon, March 17, to discuss the possible cancellation of the April special levy election. Attending were Chairwoman Cindy Wolf, Chris Herres, Mike Field and Steve Cannon (telephonically). Jen Dixon was not present. Herres, Field and Cannon voted for the motion to proceed with t...
POMEROY–Garfield County Transportation Authority (GCTA) Director Rachel Anderson, discussed a change in transportation service hours, beginning April 1, 2020 during the regular meeting March 16. Trips to the Lewis-Clark Valley will reduce to two days per week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The GCTA will hold a special public meeting at the courthouse to allow public comments on this proposed change on March 30, 2020, at 1 p.m. Anderson stated that it appears ongoing opposition to I-976 is beginning to look favorable for the GCTA, which joined a la...
POMEROY-At the meeting of the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) on March 9, 2020, Martha Lanman, Health District Administrator, announced that there have been no suspected cases of the coronavirus in Garfield County to date. Also, there are no cases that have tested positive in Spokane, Whitman or Asotin Counties. Walla Walla County tested eight potential cases, which all tested negative. There is the potential exposure from others travelling to or through the county. There has been no...
POMEROY–The one Garfield County resident who was under quarantine at home due to exposure to a Columbia County resident who last week tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, was tested with a negative result, Garfield County Health District Administrator Martha Lanman announced at the Garfield County Commissioners’ meeting March 16. Garfield County department heads, County employees, and Pomeroy School Superintendent Rachel Gwinn were meeting to share information about preventative measures that are being implemented. Lanman also provided a t...
POMEROY–The Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) and county employees discussed how to best handle County business as normally as possible while protecting staff and the public from the COVID-19 virus on March 16, 2020. Commissioner Justin Dixon stated county employees should make public contacts by phone, internet or mail whenever practical, limit travel, attendance at meetings and stay home if sick. “We need to remember that we set a precedent in our community, and we don’t want to encourage panic,” Dixon said. “We also need to care for...
POMEROY–The Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the hiring of the new Garfield County Facilities Maintenance Worker 1 position, Shaniece Korrell, at the March 9 meeting, who started work the same day, training with Dave Watko. BOCC discussed the “Code of the West”, an 11-page unofficial document rural living guide for newcomers explaining county services and limited funds for these services such as extreme weather road maintenance practices and what can be expected from rural neighbors. They also discussed possibly amending the curre...