BOCC update for March 16 2026, Agenda for week of March 23, 2026
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2026 11:19 am
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The weekly update contains links to the complete notes for each meeting we cover.
Monday, March 16, 2026 AM
• The commissioners have a heated discussion about the public perception that Commissioners Hover and Neal want to close the fairgrounds. Commissioner Timm thinks that with only one employee at the fairgrounds, it would quickly deteriorate, making it impossible to hold the fair in just a few years. He also feels that the fairgrounds are essential in some county emergencies. Commissioners Hover and Neal reiterate that while they don’t want to close the fairgrounds, it may become necessary to do so to balance the 2027 budget. They believe that with one employee working there, the grounds wouldn’t deteriorate.
• The commissioners hear the second half of the cannabis report by Evergreen Economics. Per capita GDP (adjusted for inflation) has risen in the county, and the crime rate has fallen since legalization, but Kirsten Shelton, Principal Consultant, Evergreen Economics, emphasizes that correlation doesn’t prove causation. The commissioners wish that the study had included more about electrical power use by greenhouse cannabis growers. They’ll talk to the Okanogan PUD next week about this issue.
• Meeting adjourned at 11:45.
Monday, March 16, 2026 PM and Tuesday, March 17, 2026
County Watch was unable to take notes for this meeting. You can read the agenda and watch the AV Capture recording of the meeting. Click on Live Stream Meetings on the county's homepage: OkanoganCounty.gov . Use the clock on the far wall of the Commissioners’ meeting room to help find the particular agenda item that interests you. You may have to expand the video to full screen to be able to read the clock.
AGENDA for the week of March 23, 2026
Monday, March 23, 2026
Join Microsoft TEAMS Video Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 266 945 779 797 96 Passcode: vB7E8j5u
Dial in by phone +1 469 998 7466 Phone ID: 762 003 408#
9:00 AM Executive Session RCW 42.30.110 (1)(i) Potential Litigation
9:05 AM Review Commissioners Agenda and Consent Agenda
9:10 AM Discuss Individual Weekly Meetings & Schedules
9:15 AM Public Comment Period
9:30 AM Commissioners' Staff Meeting
10:30 AM Presentation-Drone & AI Proposal-Planning Commission
11:30 PM Discussion-Legal Newspaper Proposals & Costs-Commissioners
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Join Microsoft TEAMS Video Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 266 945 779 797 96 Passcode: vB7E8j5u
Dial in by phone +1 469 998 7466 Phone ID: 762 003 408#
9:00 AM Review Commissioners Minutes
9:15 AM Public Comment Period
9:30 AM Public Hearing Budget Supplemental Appropriation-LATC Fund 172, Vehicle Reserve Fund 197
9:35 AM Discussion-Fairgrounds Irrigation Design Grant-Nick Bates
10:00 AM Discussion-County ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Funds Status-Commissioners
11:00 AM Follow Update Public Works-Engineer Josh Thomson
1:30 PM Discussion-Advancement Foundation for the Okanogan Co Fairgrounds-Angie Morgan-Chilmonik
2:00 PM Department Head Quarterly Meeting
3:00 PM Approve Commissioner Proceedings March 16, 17 2026
3:05 PM Approve Consent Agenda
1. Master Agreement Service Order - Radio Network Project Molson – Design West
2. Agreement – CPT-HSTP Transportation Plan Development and Certification – 3P Transportation Services
3. Contract LTAC# 26-001 – Marketing & Promotion – Cascade Loop Association
4. Contract LTAC# 26-002 – Marketing and Promotion – Conconully Chamber of Commerce
5. Contract LTAC# 26-005 – Marketing and Promotion – Grand Coulee Dam
6. Contract LTAC# 26-010 – Marketing and Promotion – Methow Valley Nordic Ski Education Foundation
7. Contract LTAC# 26-018 – Destination Marketing Organization – Okanogan County Tourism Council
8. Contract LTAC# 26-019 – Capital Improvements/Kiosks – Okanogan County Tourism Council
9. Agreement – Housing and Homelessness Grant – Housing Authority of Okanogan County
10. Agreement -Housing and Homelessness Grant – Okanogan County Community Action Council
3:10 PM Commissioners to Set Wednesday’s Agenda
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Join Microsoft TEAMS Video Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 266 945 779 797 96 Passcode: vB7E8j5u
Dial in by phone +1 469 998 7466 Phone ID: 762 003 408#
No Meeting Scheduled
State, Community and Other Meetings or Notices
(Meetings in this section may not be opened to the public, however a Commissioner may attend one or all of these meetings. Meetings that more than one Commissioner attend will be noted above. Location of meeting will follow meeting name.)
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
11:00 AM Economic Alliance Meeting – TBD
4:00 PM Noxious Weed Board Meeting - PW Building - 1234 2nd Ave S, Okanogan
5:15 PM Community Action Council Meeting - 424 2nd Ave S, Okanogan
Thursday, March 26, 2026
5:30 PM Town Hall 7th District Legislators – Omak City Hall
Friday, March 27, 2026
11:00 PM COG (Coalition of Governments) Meeting – Lincoln County Courthouse – Davenport, WA
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Mar 30 Update- Veterans Relief Board – Thomas Even
Mar 31 Update -Public Works – Engineer Josh Thomson
Mar 31 Discussion – Chopaka Lake Recreation-DNR-Kyle Pomrankey
Mar 31 Update – Human Resources/Risk Management – Shelley Keitzman
Apr 01 Okanogan County Water Conservancy Board Meeting – Via Zoom – Lisa de Vera 509-860-7466
Apr 01 Hearing Examiner Meeting – Commissioners Hearing Room
Apr 02 Reserved Juvenile Family Therapeutic Courts - Commissioners Hearing Room
Apr 02 LEOFF (Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Pension Plan) Board Quarterly Meeting Full Board
Note: All times are estimates to assist in scheduling and may be changed subject to the business of the day at the board's discretion. The board may add and/or delete and take any action on any item not included in the above agenda. The board may act upon any subject placed on the agenda regardless of how the matter is stated. All matters listed within the consent agenda have been distributed to each member of the board to read and study. The items are considered routine and will be enacted on by one motion by the commissioners with no separate discussion. If a separate discussion is desired, then that item may be removed from the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda by request. Items discussed during the Citizen Comment Period shall be limited only to issues not otherwise on the agenda or scheduled discussion topics.
The weekly update contains links to the complete notes for each meeting we cover.
Monday, March 16, 2026 AM
• The commissioners have a heated discussion about the public perception that Commissioners Hover and Neal want to close the fairgrounds. Commissioner Timm thinks that with only one employee at the fairgrounds, it would quickly deteriorate, making it impossible to hold the fair in just a few years. He also feels that the fairgrounds are essential in some county emergencies. Commissioners Hover and Neal reiterate that while they don’t want to close the fairgrounds, it may become necessary to do so to balance the 2027 budget. They believe that with one employee working there, the grounds wouldn’t deteriorate.
• The commissioners hear the second half of the cannabis report by Evergreen Economics. Per capita GDP (adjusted for inflation) has risen in the county, and the crime rate has fallen since legalization, but Kirsten Shelton, Principal Consultant, Evergreen Economics, emphasizes that correlation doesn’t prove causation. The commissioners wish that the study had included more about electrical power use by greenhouse cannabis growers. They’ll talk to the Okanogan PUD next week about this issue.
• Meeting adjourned at 11:45.
Monday, March 16, 2026 PM and Tuesday, March 17, 2026
County Watch was unable to take notes for this meeting. You can read the agenda and watch the AV Capture recording of the meeting. Click on Live Stream Meetings on the county's homepage: OkanoganCounty.gov . Use the clock on the far wall of the Commissioners’ meeting room to help find the particular agenda item that interests you. You may have to expand the video to full screen to be able to read the clock.
AGENDA for the week of March 23, 2026
Monday, March 23, 2026
Join Microsoft TEAMS Video Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 266 945 779 797 96 Passcode: vB7E8j5u
Dial in by phone +1 469 998 7466 Phone ID: 762 003 408#
9:00 AM Executive Session RCW 42.30.110 (1)(i) Potential Litigation
9:05 AM Review Commissioners Agenda and Consent Agenda
9:10 AM Discuss Individual Weekly Meetings & Schedules
9:15 AM Public Comment Period
9:30 AM Commissioners' Staff Meeting
10:30 AM Presentation-Drone & AI Proposal-Planning Commission
11:30 PM Discussion-Legal Newspaper Proposals & Costs-Commissioners
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Join Microsoft TEAMS Video Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 266 945 779 797 96 Passcode: vB7E8j5u
Dial in by phone +1 469 998 7466 Phone ID: 762 003 408#
9:00 AM Review Commissioners Minutes
9:15 AM Public Comment Period
9:30 AM Public Hearing Budget Supplemental Appropriation-LATC Fund 172, Vehicle Reserve Fund 197
9:35 AM Discussion-Fairgrounds Irrigation Design Grant-Nick Bates
10:00 AM Discussion-County ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Funds Status-Commissioners
11:00 AM Follow Update Public Works-Engineer Josh Thomson
1:30 PM Discussion-Advancement Foundation for the Okanogan Co Fairgrounds-Angie Morgan-Chilmonik
2:00 PM Department Head Quarterly Meeting
3:00 PM Approve Commissioner Proceedings March 16, 17 2026
3:05 PM Approve Consent Agenda
1. Master Agreement Service Order - Radio Network Project Molson – Design West
2. Agreement – CPT-HSTP Transportation Plan Development and Certification – 3P Transportation Services
3. Contract LTAC# 26-001 – Marketing & Promotion – Cascade Loop Association
4. Contract LTAC# 26-002 – Marketing and Promotion – Conconully Chamber of Commerce
5. Contract LTAC# 26-005 – Marketing and Promotion – Grand Coulee Dam
6. Contract LTAC# 26-010 – Marketing and Promotion – Methow Valley Nordic Ski Education Foundation
7. Contract LTAC# 26-018 – Destination Marketing Organization – Okanogan County Tourism Council
8. Contract LTAC# 26-019 – Capital Improvements/Kiosks – Okanogan County Tourism Council
9. Agreement – Housing and Homelessness Grant – Housing Authority of Okanogan County
10. Agreement -Housing and Homelessness Grant – Okanogan County Community Action Council
3:10 PM Commissioners to Set Wednesday’s Agenda
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Join Microsoft TEAMS Video Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 266 945 779 797 96 Passcode: vB7E8j5u
Dial in by phone +1 469 998 7466 Phone ID: 762 003 408#
No Meeting Scheduled
State, Community and Other Meetings or Notices
(Meetings in this section may not be opened to the public, however a Commissioner may attend one or all of these meetings. Meetings that more than one Commissioner attend will be noted above. Location of meeting will follow meeting name.)
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
11:00 AM Economic Alliance Meeting – TBD
4:00 PM Noxious Weed Board Meeting - PW Building - 1234 2nd Ave S, Okanogan
5:15 PM Community Action Council Meeting - 424 2nd Ave S, Okanogan
Thursday, March 26, 2026
5:30 PM Town Hall 7th District Legislators – Omak City Hall
Friday, March 27, 2026
11:00 PM COG (Coalition of Governments) Meeting – Lincoln County Courthouse – Davenport, WA
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Mar 30 Update- Veterans Relief Board – Thomas Even
Mar 31 Update -Public Works – Engineer Josh Thomson
Mar 31 Discussion – Chopaka Lake Recreation-DNR-Kyle Pomrankey
Mar 31 Update – Human Resources/Risk Management – Shelley Keitzman
Apr 01 Okanogan County Water Conservancy Board Meeting – Via Zoom – Lisa de Vera 509-860-7466
Apr 01 Hearing Examiner Meeting – Commissioners Hearing Room
Apr 02 Reserved Juvenile Family Therapeutic Courts - Commissioners Hearing Room
Apr 02 LEOFF (Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Pension Plan) Board Quarterly Meeting Full Board
Note: All times are estimates to assist in scheduling and may be changed subject to the business of the day at the board's discretion. The board may add and/or delete and take any action on any item not included in the above agenda. The board may act upon any subject placed on the agenda regardless of how the matter is stated. All matters listed within the consent agenda have been distributed to each member of the board to read and study. The items are considered routine and will be enacted on by one motion by the commissioners with no separate discussion. If a separate discussion is desired, then that item may be removed from the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda by request. Items discussed during the Citizen Comment Period shall be limited only to issues not otherwise on the agenda or scheduled discussion topics.