GOLDENDALE — The Klickitat County hiring freeze melted a little last week. Commissioners approved three exemptions brought forward by County Administrator Robb Van Cleave at their Feb. 3 meeting.
One, he explained, was for a payroll position in the auditor’s office, and two were for dispatch. At an earlier meeting, commissioners discussed the dispatch staff shortage, and the resulting stress the remaining dispatchers, stretched thin to cover heavy overtime hours needed to supply round-the-clock protection.
“The basis of the contract is we get two full-time dispatchers for eight months, or four dispatchers for four months, based on the hours,” Van Cleave said. “We may have to go to the four dispatchers for four months, and if things don’t get better, we may have to come back and extend the contract for another four months.”
Olympia update, Songer response
Commissioners get an update on activities in Olympia every other week when the legislature in session. Feb. 3 was one of those times. Potts & Associates lobbyist Zak Kennedy has a refreshing candor about the process:
“It’s looking pretty ugly out there right now,” he said, “in terms of where the money’s going to go, and where to get the money. Of course, the governor did the road show, and told everybody, ‘We’re gonna get you funded this year. We’re gonna get this thing done.’ I’m sure that they’re really appreciating his commitment to fund everything but I don’t think it’s a reality.”
Several of the bills under consideration in Olympia would constrain the power of locally elected sheriffs and control who would be allowed to run. Sheriff Bob Songer denounced the constitutionality of those bills, and warned they would eliminate the county’s posse and K-9 programs, which provide significant value and cost savings to the county. He said the posse saved the county more than $500,000 for what would otherwise be paid labor.
In response, he came up with his own proposal.
“Here is my suggestion,” he said. “All elected officials in the State of Washington — which would include the governor, the state attorney general, and other elected officials, county elected officials, and city elected officials — should be required to go through a background investigation, polygraph (lie detector testing), psychological testing, and illegal drug testing. If individuals pass all these testings, they would be allowed to file for elective office.”
Those are all requirements for a sheriff’s office position.
Department reports
News was mixed from other departments. Public Works Director Jeff Hunter said that government agencies,when giving grants for roadwork would hold a final payment, called the retainage, until after a project’s completion. He cited three specific, recent projects (2024 annual striping, Courtney Road, and Bickelton Area Paver) where retainage was held for 6-10 months after the county submitted the notice of completion.
“This is making it very tough for smaller outfits,” he said. “They can’t wait that long for their payment.” He said the department had already seen a decline in the number of smaller businesses bidding on jobs, reducing competition.
On the positive side, Van Cleave said, the jail had secured more income and reduced expenses, crediting Corrections Administrator Bill Frantz.
“Inmate housing contracts for Goldendale, White, Salmon and Bingen have been drafted, approved by the prosecuting attorney and sent out,” he said. “When implemented, these contracts will generate an additional $99,000 in revenue.”
Additionally, he said food service at the jail averages 99 meals per day, a total of 36,135 per year, based on current census. The estimated cost for a year from Aramark, the current food provider, is $289,000. Klickitat Valley Health’s estimate was roughly $218,000.
“We just were notified that the Washington DOC Correctional Industries say they can start preparing and serving our meals in March,” he said. “The initial estimate’s about $10 a day, so the cost would be $121,900, saving over $160,000.”
Those interested in the long-running controversy over the future of the Dallesport Waste Water Treatment Plant may find it interesting to note that under the consent agenda, the county is gave $180,000 of this year’s $250,000 landfill gas payment to Klickitat PUD for a control system upgrade at that Dallesport plant.
Other items improved under the consent agenda include:
• Agreement between WA AOC and KCJD for the BECCA Program.
• Agreement between WA AOC and KCJD for the CASA / VGAL Program.
• Agreement between the City of White Salmon and Klickitat County for District Court Services.
• DCYF Program Agreement for Juvenile Court block grant.
• Agreement with Dispatch on Demand.
• Agreement with Aqua Terra Cultural Resources Consultant for on-call Archaeological/Historical Investigation Services.
• Supplemental Agreement 6 with Sargent Engineers, Inc., for on-call Structural Engineering Services.
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