DAYTON-The Board of County Commissioners voted to approve several items during the January 30 special meeting including the purchase of six sheriff vehicles; a budget amendment for solid waste; the sale or disposal of surplus property including the EMS truck; the contracts for indigent defense attorneys and to join the Resource Advisory Committee. A public hearing to amend the solid waste fee schedule was scheduled, as well as an agenda item was added for the February 6 regular meeting to fill the vacancy left by Engineer Tech David Finney by creating a new position.

Sheriff Helm previously made a request for six vehicles for his department to replace those with high mileage and in poor condition. He had explained the situation has become critical since they have deferred replacing the older vehicles. Public Works Director Grant Morgan presented a contract that was approved for the annual lease for $88,000 to be paid out of current expense for six fully equipped 2022 Dodge Durangos to be ready by March or April. They will review the arrangement near the end of year to consider how to proceed for 2024 and develop a plan for regular vehicle replacement.

A budget amendment was passed for solid waste to account for $60,000 in the 2022 ending fund balance. Also approved was the sale or disposal or surplus property. One was a trailer that is not in working order and the other is the EMS truck valued at $73,500 to be replaced with a more practical SUV.

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Contracts were approved for indigent defense attorneys Rachel Cortez and Ashely Kulberg. The Commission voted in favor of joining the Southeast Washington Resource Advisory Committee with Garfield and Asotin Counties. Between all three counties, 15 committee seats will need to be filled with representatives from local agencies, as well as some neutral reps in working with the U.S. Forest Service.

The commission scheduled an agenda item for the February 6 regular meeting to fill the vacancy left by Engineer Tech David Finney to create a new position to cover the needs of the department where a job description will be drafted. They also set a public hearing for 11 a.m. on February 21 to make another budget amendment to increase the fees for solid waste to match the rise of the CPI (Consumer Price Index) at 6.5%.