BOCC update for August 17, 2026, Agenda for week of August 24, 2026

[emily_sisson]

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Monday, August 17, 2026
• The commissioners try to dispel rumors on Facebook. They all say that they’re not in favor of data centers in the county and that the proposal to allow them only in areas zoned Industrial is an effort to restrict them. Commissioner Hover notes that because the only Industrial area in the county is near Twisp, and because data centers use a lot of water, that the Instream Flow Rule will preclude them from the Methow Valley. The commissioners add that they have no ability to affect the zoning rules in the incorporated towns and cities or on the Reservation.
• Maurice Goodall, Emergency Management, tells of the frustration he experienced on Sunday trying to get the Level 3 evacuation order reduced to Level 2 for the Kaiser Canyon Fire. He says there was conflict about who had the authority to issue such an order—the county or the fire teams. Commissioner Hover says they’ll discuss the issue in the winter when Goodall will have more time, and they’ll write a set of procedures for future fires.
• The commissioners hear updates from members of Team 4 and 5, fighting Kaiser Canyon Fire and the Reevas Basin Fire.
• The commissioners discuss procedures for setting threat levels with Ben Machado, Law Enforcement Liaison Officer for Team 5. Machado says that his team recommends the threat level, taking into account the threat level for firefighters, but that local personnel, including the county’s Emergency Manager determine changes to threat levels.
• Meeting adjourned for the day at 12:42

Tuesday, August 18, 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 August 24, 2026
Monday, August 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 Executive Session 42.30.110 (1)(g) Review the Performance of Public Employee
To Follow Review Commissioners Agenda and Consent Agenda
9:05 AM Briefing Among Commissioners
9:15 AM Public Comment Period
9:30 AM Commissioners’ Staff Meeting
10:30 AM Work Sessions - Critical Area Ordinance Gap Analysis - SCJ Alliance, Planning Commission, Planning Director Pete Palmer
11:30 AM Discussion - Dispute Resolution Fees - District Court Administrator Darla Schreckengast
1:00 PM Discussion - Burning of Cannabis Waste - Planning Director Pete Palmer, WA State Liquor and Cannabis Boar
1:30 PM Discussion - Cannabis Growers - Roni Holder-Diefenbach

Tuesday, August 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#
9:00 AM Discuss Individual Weekly Meetings & Schedule
9:15 AM Public Comment Period
9:30 AM Award Presentation - Community Member - Sheriff
10:00 AM Discussion - Registered Warrants Aeneas Lake Irrigation - Aeneas Lake Irrigation District Secretary Page Davisson
11:00 AM Update - Public Works - Engineer Josh Thomson
1:30 PM Discussion - Grant Services Presentation – Partners for Rural Washington Staci Nelson
2:00 PM Discussion - Public Health Tennant Improvement Pay App #6 - Public Health
2:30 PM Discussion - Oroville and Tonasket EMS District Budget - Commissioners
3:30 PM Approve Commissioner Proceedings August 10 & 11 and August 17 & 18, 2026
3:35 PM Approve Consent Agenda
1. Agreement – 2027 Countywide Guardrail Safety Project – Public Works
2. Agreement – Old 97 Ophir Grade Reconstruction – Public Works
3. Award – Purchase of Galvanized Corrugated Metal Pipe – Contech Engineering Solutions/DocumentCenter/View/8021
4. Contract LTAC #26-024 – Capital Improvements – Twisp Visitor Information Center
3:40 PM Commissioners to Set Wednesday’s Agenda

Wednesday, August 26 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.)

Monday, August 24, 2026
7:00 PM Planning Commission Meeting (link on CMRS Web agenda to PC meeting info

Wednesday, August 26, 2026
4:00 PM Noxious Weed Board Meeting - Public Works Building - 1234 2nd Ave S, Okanogan
5:15 PM Community Action Council Meeting - 424 2nd Ave S, Okanogan

Thursday, August 27, 2026
9:00 AM Board of Equalization Hearings – Commissioners’ Hearing Room
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2617044207015?p=ncmRLz86boIDeAMsU9
Meeting ID: 261 704 420 701 5 Passcode: jL76Wu7z
5:00 PM Okanogan County Republican Party - Mary Lavelle - Commissioners’ Hearing Room

UPCOMING MEETINGS
August 31 Public Hearing - Budget Supplemental Current Expense Jail - HCA Reentry – Jodie Barcus, Mike Worden - Commissioners' Hearing Room (CMRS Hearing Room)
August 31 Public Hearing - Budget Supplemental Current Expense Sheriff – Jodie Barcus, Mike Worden - CMRS Hearing Room
September 1 Cancelled - Round Table Finance Discussion
September 1 Quarterly Update - Tonasket Forest Ranger District - District Ranger Matt Marsh - CMRS Hearing Room
September 1 FAC (Fair Advisory Committee) Meeting - Commissioners' Hearing Room - 1st Tuesday of each Month
September 2 Safety Committee Monthly Meeting - CRMS Hearing Room
September 2 Okanogan County Water Conservancy Board Meeting - Via Zoom - Lisa de Vera
September 2 Hearing Examiner Meeting - CMRS Hearing Room
September 3 Reserved Juvenile Family Therapeutic Courts - CMRS Hearing Room
September 7 Closed in Observance of Labor Day

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.