GOLDENDALE — Klickitat County has issued burn bans for Zones One and Two starting May 18, is actively recruiting 18-year-olds for summer flagging positions with Public Works, and a planned $1.2 million budget adjustment will be revenue neutral.
Those were the big takeaways from the May 5 Klickitat County Board of Commissioners meeting. Much of the morning workshop session was taken up with a closed session, followed by an executive session.
But Public Works Director Jeff Hunter was able to get in a couple of clear messages in the short morning session.
About the burn bans: “We have been in communication with Zone 3. They have not picked out a time. The fire chiefs do make that call. It’s not a call made by emergency management.”
About summer flaggers: “They’re typically college kids, and since we do still have a few open slots for permanent employees that we are not filling right now, we have it in the budget. It’s a good start for the kids, and it’s pretty reasonable pay. It’s good for them, and it’s good for us.”
According to the most recently available documents, Klickitat County wages for summer flaggers range from $16.48-$21.48 per hour.
Budget amendment
In the afternoon session, county Budget Manager Heather Gallagher presented a proposed budget amendment.
“We have a total request of $1,229,018 dollars,” she said. That was the total of eight requests, all of which were either budget neutral or a carryover from last year, for things that were approved, but due to timing, didn’t get completed.
Included in the amendment were a $182,000 grant for buildings and grounds, an $80,000 grant carryover for elections, a $73,860 carryover for sheriff’s investigation equipment, adjustments for approved projects under the affordable housing fund, and a landfill gas projects fund.
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