The Okanogan County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on December 19, 2005, with Chairman Mary Lou Peterson, Commissioner Andrew Lampe, Commissioner Don Hover and Brenda Crowell, Clerk of the Board present.

Resolution 140-2005 – 2006 Assessment – Agriculture District
Commissioner Hover moved to approve Resolution 140-2005, 2006 Agricultural Pest District Assessment. Motion was seconded and carried. (attached)

Resolution 141-2005 Road Fund Levy – Public Works
Commissioner Hover moved to approve Resolution 141-2005, 2006 Road Fund Levy at an increase of 1%. Motion was seconded and carried. (attached)

Resolution 142-2005 – 2006 Levy – Current Expense
Commissioner Hover moved to approve Resolution 142-2005, 2006 Current Expense Levy at an increase of 1%. Motion was seconded and carried. (attached)

Resolution 145-2005
Commissioner Hover moved to approve Resolution145-2005, annexation to fire district 9. Motion was seconded and carried. (attached)

MVEMS District
Commissioner Lampe moved to adjourn as the County Commissioners and convene as MVEMS District.

Commissioner Peterson moved to approve voucher for the MVEMS district in the amount of $30,000 . Motion was seconded and carried.

Commissioner Lampe moved to adjourn as the MVEMS District and convene as the Board of County Commissioners. Motion was seconded and carried.

Discussion – Temporary Help - Prosecutor
Karl Sloan and Pat Behrman asked about the temporary help funding for the 2006 budget. Commissioner Peterson explained that this will be done the same as this year, and if during the year a supplemental appropriation is necessary, one will be done. Also regarding the color printer, the Commissioners would also like to wait until next year to expend the funds to ensure an accurate carryover.

Clarence Hauff (Shag) said that the Fair Board was supposed to include the horse arena grant writer in their 2006 budget.

Commissioner Hover noted that they came in previously and asked for monies to hire a grant person to do a study and the Commissioners did so.

Diane Lowell stated that the $100,000 was given as seed money for the horse arena. Commissioner Hover explained that the money was put into an account. Commissioner Peterson explained that this has been discussed since 2004 and it is up to the fair board to use the $25,000 how ever they see fit and they need to request that the fair board consider using some of these funds to hire a grant writer.

Commissioner Hover noted that there have been many cuts in all budgets and there have been some requests that have been made and were not given.

Diane Lowell handed in a petition signed by citizens pledging to use of the horse arena.

Del commented that the Non Departmental and Planning budgets seem high. The Commissioners explained that both the Sheriff’s and Planning budgets included a lot of grant funds and if those were eliminated, the planning budget would be under last year’s. Commissioner Peterson explained that the commissioners worked with the department heads that had to make cuts to arrive at a final figure. She commended them for their help in arriving at a balanced budget.

Resolution 143-2005 – 2006 Budget - Commissioners
Commissioner Peterson closed public comment. Commissioner Hover moved to adopt Resolution 143-2005, adopting the 2006 budget in the amount of $17,360,537. Motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

Expenditure Request – Equipment - Sheriff
Joe Someday explained that the Auditor’s office has sent back a voucher for the purchase of equipment that is over the $500 limit set by commissioners’ resolution. He explained that the expenditure is not out of current expense funds but out of the Homeland Security Grant. He requested authorization from the Commissioners for the purchase.

Commissioner Hover moved to approve the request from the Sheriff’s Office to expend $2,578.95 from the homeland security grant. Motion was seconded and carried.

Discussion – Legends Resort – Planning
Greg Wilder briefed the Commissioners on the current negotiations and solutions with the City of Oroville on Legends Resort. Greg will come back to the commissioners on the 27th to further discuss the sewer system. Commissioner Peterson expressed concern regarding the road and right-of-ways and asked Greg to make sure that what ever the county does will be in the best interest of the property owners in the area. Commissioner Hover noted that the county would like to accommodate where they can, but not at the expense of others. Greg will give the Commissioners a model of the most balanced and equitable method this afternoon. The Public Work’s Trust Fund Loan (PWTFL) may not be out of the question and the Commissioners would have to decide by April or May.

Motion – Thorndike LP Vacation – Planning
Ben Rough, Don Motes, Scott Thorndike

Ben Rough presented the staff report for the Thorndike Long Plat Vacation and Don Motes explained the purpose of the vacation. Scott provided a map for review. The Planning Department recommends approval.

Commissioner Lampe moved to approve the Thorndike LP Vacation of a portion of Lot 13 of the Okanogan Smith Irrigated Tracts subdivision, LPV 2005-2, subject to the attached Findings of Fact, Conclusions and Conditions of Approval. Motion was seconded and carried. (attachment)

Meeting – Finance Committee
Del Shove, Leah McCormack, Peggy Robbins, Nan Kallunki, and the commissioners.

Those present discussed the county’s debt and investment finances.

Executive Session – Litigation - Commissioners
Andy Lampe moved to go into executive session at 1:20 PM, for twenty-five minutes for litigation. Motion was seconded and carried.

Open Session resumed at 1:45 PM.

Motion - Consent Agenda
Commissioner Lampe moved to approve the consent agenda items 1-7. Motion was seconded and carried. (attached)

Resolution 146-2005 – Medical Benefits - Commissioners
Commissioner Lampe moved to approve Resolution 146-2005 to finalize Premera Blue cross rate increase to 7.32% effective 2006. Motion was seconded and carried. (attached)

Resolution 147-2005 – Vacant Position – Central Services
Commissioner Andy Lampe moved to adopt resolution 147-2005 to fill Central Service’s vacant position of Computer Support Technician grade 22, Level 1. Motion was seconded and carried. (attached)

Resolution 144-2005 – Trial Court Fund – District & Superior Court
Commissioner Andy Lampe moved to adopt Resolution 144-2005, establishing a Trail Court Improvement Fund number 195000 to be used for Superior and District court staffing, programs, facilities, or services as appropriated from time to time by the Board of County Commissioners. Motion was seconded and carried. (attached)

Request-Fire District #4
Commissioner Andy Lampe moved to approve reimbursement request No. 4 in the amount $216,432.62 by Okanogan County Fire district #4. Motion was seconded and carried.

Change Order – Courthouse Re-roof - Hale and Long Construction
Commissioner Andy Lampe moved to approve change order #03107C on the Courthouse re-roof project with Hale and Long Construction. Motion was seconded and carried. (attached)

Discussion-Legends Resort
Commissioners Peterson and Lampe, Greg Wilder and Ben Rough; Chris Branch, Kathy and Jim from Oroville were present. Greg Wilder informed the board on the meeting he had with the Veranda Beach Partnership. Greg gave the Commissioners a model of the most balanced and equitable method that is proposed (attached) and explained that it will be discussed again on December 27^th, 2005 at 3:30. Greg Wilder presented the Draft Proposal for the Eastlake Road Water and Sewer Infrastructure Improvement agreement and explained points of interest to the Commissioners. Greg wants to be certain that the fire report, road compaction and widths are all accurate and in place. Ben Rough agreed that approval of the noxious weed plan and other approvals must be in place, as well. Two things issues of concern are the bonding requirement view on development practices and the new plan with the sewer system. These may require new SEPA requirements. Greg explained that we are waiting for materials from the developer and the City of Oroville’s review process on the plats still needs to be finished.

Greg Wilder discussed the differences in cost in each of the sections of the sewer pipeline and how the cost distribution and development allocations were segmented. The estimates are made by averaging the amount of people per household population. Legends Resort is an approved residential area totaling approximately 280 units in the northern section and an unapproved amount of approximately 120 units. There are a total of 1035 estimated residential units’ that would be distributed between the North, Central, and South portions of the project. Greg said more could be accommodated. Commissioner Lampe and Commissioner Peterson expressed concern that the sewer line would not be able to serve more than the approved number.

Kathy said that people should buy and reserve their rights or buy their share of the system now because there may not be the chance later on. The use of the word "all" in the draft should be better defined in the contract. Legends reassured Kathy that this was just the draft and that it would be better defined in the contract.

Commissioner Peterson is concerned that the 15 year projection is going to cost the people more than the 20 year projection, but Jim thinks the estimated population is low. Commissioner Peterson says that we may need an independent or third party firm to reevaluate the numbers.

Greg Wilder ascertains that the model is made on a 20 year projection. Greg reassured the board that the projections are very reasonable and remarked that the projected figures were made by Hammond, Collier, and Wade.

Commissioner Lampe would prefer that the county build the sewer line out to the central part of the project where it joins the Legend Resort. Commissioner Lampe doesn’t want to jeopardize the project, he wants it to work. Commissioner Peterson clarified that there is no doubt that this project has universal support. The Board is assured that there are some issues that just need to be worked out, but it will work out.

Jim expressed that he was concerned about when the money would be available, he was reassured that we only need to get the letter of credit.

Greg Wilder will prepare an agenda bill for the meeting on Dec. 27, 2005, at 3:30 p.m.