County Commissioners handle year-end business; support keeping LCCU branch

POMEROY–The Garfield County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) passed an update to the security camera bid at their meeting on December 27. The bid that was accepted at last week's BOCC meeting on December 20 for a pre-tax amount of $79,833.30, then was adjusted to include cameras for the Garfield County Public Works office and the Garfield County Fairgrounds. The new total for the camera bid is $105,481.53.

The commissioners also signed a letter to Lewis Clark Credit Union, discussing the closure of the Pomeroy branch and asking them to reconsider their decision.

The BOCC also signed an annual memorandum of agreement with Washington State University for funding of the position of the WSU extension agent. The amount agreed upon is $6,735.

A public hearing was held for a plan to redistrict the county to comply with state laws and to even out the numbers of voters in the districts. The commissioners acknowledged Mackenzie Lueck and Ron Weeks for their work in creating the new district lines. The plan was passed in Resolution 2021-34.

Resolution 2021-35 approved several 2021 supplemental budgets that addressed department line items that were overspent.

The commissioners also decided to keep their health reimbursement account with Vimly Benefit Solutions. The company will continue to handle the county's health reimbursement business.

The BOCC voted favorably to purchase new security cameras for the courthouse and public works office in the amount of $79,833.30 plus tax at the December 20 meeting. They also approved the $7,323.54 purchase of a new roller for the county road department.

In addition, the county received an Emergency Management Grant for $14,205 to be used for equipment in the emergency management department.

The commissioners approved budgetary Resolutions 2021-26: the 2022 annual construction plan and a six-year transportation improvement plan; Resolution 2021-27: the transfer of $100,000 from the county road fund to ERR capital; Resolution 2021-28 a County Road Project resolution for multiple projects; Resolution 2021-29: a levy shift from the county road fund to the current expense fund in the amount of $30,000; Resolution 2021-30: the county budget for 2022. Resolution 2021-31: a reimbursement transfer of $448,161.57 from the E911 fund to the current expense fund to reimburse 911 employee wages for 2021; Resolution 2021-32: a $400,000 reimbursement transfer from the criminal justice department to the current expense fund for employee wages in 2021; and Resolution 2021-33: a credit card policy that will allow the use of county credit cards. The policy has been heavily reviewed by the treasurer, auditor, and prosecutor.