Fairground electric project, dams, and predator issues

POMEROY-The Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) met with the planning commission and representatives from Chris’s Professional Electric and approved a change order for the electrical project at the Garfield County Fairgrounds at their meeting on July 11.

The BOCC approved a change order from Chris’s Professional Electric to change the style of gear that will be ordered for the electric project at the Garfield County Fairgrounds. The gear approved in the bid has a six month delivery date. The gear approved in the change order has a two-week delivery date, costs about $3,000 less, and will allow expansion in the future. This came after the BOCC awarded the Fairgrounds electrical project to Chris’s Professional Electric for $69,251.53 at an earlier meeting on July 5. A further $4,200 will be spent to pull the power lines through the conduit placed by County crew members.

The board discussed a draft copy of the planning commission’s zoning ordinance that drops rural overlays, keeps lot sizes at a minimum of 20 acres, and includes tiny home policies. The draft will be sent to the state government for review. Their decision should be announced in two months.

The Regional Transportation Planning Organization drafted a letter about the Lower Snake River Dam Removal Benefit Study, responding with comments and emphasizing the damages that local counties would suffer if the dams were removed, highlighting additional emissions and road traffic as two particular damages. Commissioner Justin Dixon agreed to sign it, signifying Garfield County’s agreement with the RTPO’s stance of non-support for breaching the dams.

In previous business during the meeting July 5, the board approved signing a letter to the WDFW and Governor Inslee about predator issues faced by Garfield County citizens. Similar letters are being sent by neighboring counties. “We’re all united and pushing for a stronger front over here,” Commissioner Justin Dixon said.