New county administrator takes on department reorganization in Klickitat County

Hunter was referring to the roads and streets in the development, a sentiment that was echoed by Commission Chair Ron Ihrig, who emphasized that it was the responsibility of the developer to build the streets and roads to county standards, and that the whole development can’t be served by a street that is just a loop.

“This county’s not taking a road with a dead end,” he said. “It would have to be a through road, built to the county standards and paved, at no cost to the citizens of the county.”

Hunter said he would be meeting with the developers on Jan. 7.

In other developments, new County Administrator Robb Van Cleave has been reorganizing county departments. He told commissioners he was ready to make one of those moves right away.

“There’s been various discussions in the past about moving the emergency management program from Emergency Management Department to Public Works,” he told them. “Public Works has prior experience years ago managing the emergency management program, and willing to assume that leadership today. Based on a critical staffing issue, vacation schedules and other issues, I’m recommending that the transfer be on or before Jan. 16.”

Van Cleave said he’d spoken to heads of both departments, and both were committed to making it work. Under the plan, Jeff King would be focused on 911 dispatch and the radio communications network, which is overdue for an upgrade. Van Cleave said would bring the specifics to the meeting on the 13th to be voted on.

Another reorganization would place the Building Codes, Code Compliance, Economic Development and Natural Resources under the planning department, with the idea that the county can create a new, as yet unnamed, one-stop-shop for development. In the future, Planning Director Scott Edelman would report monthly on activities of those departments to commissioners at their workshop sessions.

Reports on transportation from Senior Services are currently on a quarterly schedule, and that will stay the same.

“For all the other departments,” Van Cleave said, “Fiscal Services, Department of Corrections, Human Resources Coordinator, Coroner, IT, 911, and Washington State University, I would propose to put under the county administrator update.

“If any issue requires an action item or more in-depth discussion, then we would schedule that separately so the public would know that that’s a separate issue.”

The theme for the formal afternoon session was one of continuity and stability. Ihrig was re-elected as chair and Todd Andrews as vice chair, and the board decided to maintain most committee assignments to preserve their “good working order” and not disrupt ongoing projects.

Under the consent agenda, commissioners approved:

• A list of projects, including: Guardrail Upgrades, CRP 390, Fish Hatchery Road Culvert, CRP 391, Old Hwy 8-Slide Repair, CRP 392, Middle Road, CRP 393, Bickleton Hwy, CRP 394, Pine Creek Bridge, Rail Retrofit, CRP 395, White Plastic Edge Lines, CRP 396, Inlaid Plastic Pavement Markings, CRP 397, Guardrail Upgrades, CRP 398, Curve Warning Sign Upgrades, CRP 399.

• The recommendations of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee on awarding Lodging Tax funds: $70,495 to the Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce for four separate projects; $45,000 to the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce; $5,000 to Maryhill Museum; $4,400 to the Alder Creek Pioneer Association for two projects; $4,000 for the Klickitat County Fair Board; $2,000 to ABATE; $500 for the Economic Development Department, and $375 to the Broken Spur Rodeo. Applications submitted by Goldendale Creative Community, Goldendale Christmas Committee, and Old Highway 97 Cruisers did not meet the criteria for funding.

• 2026 Lodging Tax Tourism Promotion Grants.

• Behavioral Health Designated Crisis Responders Contracts Amendment.

• Health Department WIC Contracts Addendum.

• 2026 Economic Development Support Service Agreement with Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce for $10,000.

• 2026 Economic Development Support Services with the Greater Goldendale Area Chamber of Commerce for $10,000.