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POMEROY–Garfield County Auditor Donna Deal reported on a conference call with the Washington Secretary of State she participated in regarding the upcoming April election. It was stated twelve counties in the state have April elections planned, including Garfield County. Seven of those counties have already decided on their own to cancel their elections. The Secretary of State will be making a decision by Tuesday, March 17, 2020, for the remaining five counties. She stated that if 75% of the counties decide to cancel elections, she will c...
POMEROY-The Garfield County Fire District (GCFD) discussed the new ambulance they plan to order at the meeting March 10. It will take 240 to 280 days from the date of order to receive delivery. Interim Fire Chief, Kyle Pearson recommended to purchase one with a heavier chassis than what is currently used. The 2020 Ford F-450 Diesel was selected for $183,300 before taxes and approved by the board. Bob Cox, representing the Garfield County Health Foundation, explained that the Ambulance Memorial Fund is now handled by the Blue Mountain Community...
POMEROY–Garfield County department heads, County employees, and Pomeroy School Superintendent Rachel Gwinn, met to share information about preventative measures that are being implemented. Garfield County Health District Administrator Martha Lanman announced at the Garfield County Commissioners' meeting March 16 that the one Garfield County resident who was under quarantine at home due to exposure to a Columbia County resident who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, was tested with a negativ...
POMEROY- After 37 years of service, County Garfield County Auditor Donna Deal, presented a letter of retirement to the Garfield County Commissioners during their regular meeting March 2, 2020. Her resignation will take effect April 30, 2020, leaving two and one-half years of her term. Deal included a recommendation of McKenzie Lueck to be considered to fill the position. She stated that she has been working with the staff to prepare for her departure and to make the transition as smooth as possible. “We now have all our ducks in a row,” sai...
POMEROY–Sara Lunsford, representing the Garfield County Fair Board, met with the County Commissioners March 2, 2020, to get some clarity on some issues before the next Fair Board meeting March 3, 2020. Lunsford asked for opinions on the proposed age limits for exhibitors of hogs at the fair. It has been suggested that children under the age of five should be prohibited due to safety concerns and overcrowding by a large number of children wanting to participate with their hogs. She stated that there had been some public comments stating that if...
POMEROY–Garfield County Hospital District (GCHD) co-CEO, Mat Slaybaugh, announced that a full-time doctor has been hired, Dr. Christopher Iacobelli M.D. during the regular board, March 2, 2020. Dr. Iacobelli has signed a four-year contract with the GCHD and will join the Pomeroy Medical Clinic staff on March 16, 2020. Dr. Iacobelli comes from Michigan originally, and most recently from Clarkston. His areas of special interest are Family Practice, Diagnostic Medicine, Thyroid disorders, I...
POMEROY-The Garfield County Commissioners discussed flood damage estimates of $240,500 from the storms and runoff occurring February 6–7, 2020 during the regular meeting Monday, February 24, 2020. Rod Norland, Garfield County Public Works, reported that they are still assessing damages, and reported they had found a 100-foot long mud slide. Repairs are on hold until officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Washington State Military Department visit the area on February 27, 2020. They will assess flood damage to a...
POMEROY– The new Garfield County Transportation Authority (GCTA) cutaway bus purchased through a Washington Department of Transportation (WDOT) grant, for $73,328 is now ready for service. The GCTA paid only $19,390 of that purchase price The 2020 Ford Elkhart Coach ECII, E-450 will carry 14 passengers, or 12 passengers and two wheelchairs, plus the driver. Some new features include a four-camera system, plus a back-up camera, a 1000-pound capacity wheel-chair lift, two built-n child r...
POMEROY–As part of business conducted at the Garfield County Board of Commissioners regular meeting Monday morning, February 24, 2020, a public hearing was held for comments on the proposed subdivision of the Bryan Canyon Estates Subdivision Plat. Five landowners in the vicinity of the proposed subdivision were present to voice their concerns regarding the development of the 77.906-acre plot into 15 five- to six-acre, single-family residential lots, south of Almota Ferry Road, and overlooking the Snake River. Grant Morgan, County Engineer a...
POMEROY–Chairman of the Garfield County Hospital District (GCHD) Board of Commissioners Cindy Wolf, addressed the Garfield/Pomeroy Community Economic Development Forum about the upcoming $860,000 levy vote April 28, to support the GCHD. Ballots will be sent out April 10, 2020. For the levy to pass, a minimum of 435 votes are needed to be cast, with 60% (261 votes) in favor. The assessment amount for taxpayers has increased since the previous election in November, 2019, from $1.40 per $1,000 assessed property value, to $1.56. The reason s...
POMEROY–Health Director Martha Lanman gave an update on the County’s preparations for any cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) that could occur. She stated that Garfield County is considered to be at very low risk for the virus, but the State asks that we be prepared and alert for the possibility. The Health District has held extra staff meetings to discuss the protocols, and Garfield County Health District nurse Elizabeth Stringer, RN, is up-to-date on any needed training. If any members of the public have questions about the virus, they may...
POMEROY-Enrollment numbers presented at School District’s Board meeting, February 24, spurred excitement, when Superintendent Rachel Gwinn announced that enrollment was up to 301. The 2019-2020 school year began in August with an enrollment of 310, dropped to 307 in September, to 302 in October, 301 in November, and ending 2019 with 299 in December. January, 2020, started with an upward trend with a return to 300 students enrolled, continuing into February with 301. Since the count was taken in February, until the date of the school board m...
POMEROY–Garfield County Transportation Director Rachel Anderson, and Jeff Ruchert, Manager of the Garfield County Transportation Authority (GCTA), announced at the regular monthly meeting February 18, that they have received the new cutaway bus. The vehicle has been insured and licensed, and they are waiting for the GCTA graphics on the outside. The new bus, which is equipped with a wheelchair lift, will be replacing a 2001 model (#503) which currently has 172,000 miles logged in it. The older bus will go into surplus, possibly on a website s...
POMEROY–Port of Garfield Director Diana Ruchert reported during the recent Port of Garfield (Port) meeting February 18, that as a representative of the Port, she and the commissioners are still actively opposing the removal of the Lower Snake River Dams by attending meetings and working with other Ports in sending a response to the Governor's study. She stated that she has learned at these meetings, the Governor and State Legislators are pushing hard to remove the dams. An update about the b...
POMEROY–County Engineer and Public Works Director, Grant Morgan, presented a February 2020 flood damage estimate totally $212,650 within Garfield County. The estimates are based on what it will cost the County to repair the affected areas to bring them back to the pre-flood conditions. The county-wide flood fighting, emergency response and protective measures cost was estimated at $22,000. The following road repair estimates were also included: Pataha Creek Road, $165,150; Bosley Grade Road, $2,500; Pataha Spur Road, $15,000; Columbia Center R...
POMEROY–Garfield County Emergency Management Director John Hirsch, met with the Garfield County Commissioners Monday, February 10, 2020, to present the contract with AlertSense, a crisis management, public mass notification and emergency alert system. The cost for the system has been paid by contributions from most of the public service agencies in the county. It will provide a community-wide alert system that can be accessed by emergency responders as well as members of the public during a major emergency. Citizens can receive alerts on c...
POMEROY-The first order of business at the regular Garfield County Commissioners’ (BOCC) meeting Jan. 27, Commissioner Justin Dixon was re-elected as the chairman of the GCHD board. The Garfield County Health District (GCHD) Administrator Martha Lanman, addressed the BOCC that the Southeast Washington Accountable Communities of Health (SEWA ACH) had met and elected two representatives from each county included in the association, Asotin, Garfield, and Columbia counties. Lanman will serve as a board member and administrator. The SEWA ACH has b...
POMEROY–The Garfield County Hospital District (GCHD) Board of Commissioners discuss the proposed contract with Allevant Solutions, LLC, for training and marketing services to enhance the swing bed portion of the hospital for the use of long-term transitional care patients at Monday night's regular meeting, February 3, 2020. Chairman, Cindy Wolf, began the discussion by reporting that she had been in contact with Deer Lodge Medical Center in Deer Lodge, Montana, which has been contracted with A...
POMEROY-The members of the Garfield County Ambulance Memorial Fund (GCAMF) advisory board met Monday, February 3, 2020, to discuss a proposal to move the fund management under the umbrella of the Garfield County Health Foundation (GCHF) Fund. The GCAMF would become a sub-fund under the GCHF. Donations could be made to either fund. Grant requests would still go to a committee for approval, and would be dispersed from the sub-fund. Chris Muñoz expressed some concern that there didn't appear to...
POMEROY-Pat Bly, Demo Derby promoter, met with the Garfield County Commissioners Monday, January 27, 2020, to make a presentation and ask for permission to conduct car races and a demolition derby on Saturday night of the 2020 Garfield County Fair. He has already presented the idea to the Fair Board, but was directed to the County Commissioners for the final authorization. Bly said his company provides the entire set up, tear down and damage control; spectator bleachers, straw bales for walls around the arena. They operate the event...
POMEROY-The Garfield County Fire District Board of Commissioners met Tuesday, February 4, 2020, at the fire station office, for their regular monthly meeting to finalize the plans for advertising for a new Fire Chief. The date for the meeting had been changed to the first Tuesday in the month for that purpose. The text and job description to be used in the advertising was approved by the commissioners, and plans were made to begin the ads in the second week of February. The open Fire Chief position will be advertised in the East Washingtonian,...
POMEROY–Garfield County Commissioners opened ten Gould City-Mayview Road Phase IV project bids February 3, 2020. After the meeting began at 9 a.m., the bid envelopes started arriving. More seating was needed to accommodate the construction company representatives. Bids were received from: Selland Construction, Wenatchee, Wash., for $2,046,190.50; Barker, Inc., Dayton, Wash., for $1,944,343.13; Western Construction of Lewiston, Inc., for $2,662,080.55; Scarsella Brothers, based in Seattle, Wash., for $1,747,747.47; Debco Construction, O...
POMEROY-The high school 2019-2020 FFA officers, Tyson Kimble, Nayely Larios, Alyssa Wolf, Maddy Dixon, Teagan Steele, and Westelle Scoggin, accompanied by FFA Advisor, Kyle Kimble, addressed the school board at the regular monthly meeting Monday, January 27, to request a memorial in honor of Larry Wilson, former Pomeroy High School Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor. The memorial would name the Ag building at the high school the "Larry Wilson Agricultural Building." If approved, they plan to announce...
POMEROY-The Garfield County Sheriff gained a new deputy when Kurt Miller graduated from the law enforcement academy in Spokane, December 13, 2019. He is currently in training with Under Sheriff Danserau until March. He bears a resemblance to a television character in a current series called "The Rookie," being the oldest candidate to graduate in his class at the academy. Coincidentally, that is his favorite show to watch. Miller was born in Idaho Falls and spent his first six years there, but mo...
POMEROY–Former employee of the Main Street business, Fruh's Repair, Steve Krouse, has recently bought the machine shop, succeeding Ed Fruh upon his retirement on December 31, 2019. He recently reopened the business on January 6, 2020 as Krouse's Machine Shop, offering the same services of automobile, truck and combine repair. He will also continue gunsmith services he has been doing for quite some time, limiting it to cleaning and repair. Krouse's Machine Shop was formerly in operation in P...