Dworshak timber resources discussed with commissioners

Paul Pence, Greg Parker and Russ Davis, Wildlife Biologist, from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers discussed Dworshak Reservoir and its programs with Clearwater County Commissioners during their meeting May 8.

They reviewed timber sales within the stewardship management areas. The habitat types for the corps lands have been reviewed by Bureau of Land Management foresters. Since wildfires have been suppressed for 100 years, they needed to know the kind of impact it has on the forests within the corps lands. The ecosystem types have experienced changes from the fire suppression. Corps contractors are thinning and burning the lands to open up the landscape for regeneration of bigger trees. They are harvesting 10 million board feet on 2,066 acres. The Environmental Assessment (EAS) from the public comments received are generally asking for more thinning to take place. They are managing for big open forests, to try to improve habitat of all species. The corps is using active management to promote forest health. The commissioners appreciate this concept.

Planning and Zoning update and a report on building permits were reviewed with TJ Rausch, administrator. To date, 250 building permits have been issued. The month of May has seen a significant increase. The comprehensive plan and subdivision ordinance revisions are being worked on by the P&Z Commission.

Angela Vander Pas provided an update on happenings in the IT/Networking department. All county departments were required to provide computer purchase needs for the next fiscal year. Vander Pas explained that she queried all the departments for projections on computer needs or consolidating copiers/printers that are being leased. All the computers have been updated and are running the same software, and some are entering the period to start a replacement cycle. The Microsoft operating software license is up for renewal. There are 81 computers in the network, and some will need replaced. She suggested getting into a cycle to replace machines on a four or five year rotation.

Clerk Robin Christensen presented the Polling Place Agreements for all the voting precincts. The county pays $25 per facility and at the National Guard Armory, a cleaning deposit. The commissioners approved a motion to sign agreements for the polling places.

Road and Bridge Supervisor Rob Simon presented an update. The fix on 9 Mile Slide is still moving. An adjacent landowner offered the use of his property for temporary bypass while road crews are working on the slide area, as long as the site is returned as it was. They are proposing removing the material placed in the fix last summer and replacing it to allow for more drainage. Discussion was held on whether the site will move more trying to remove the material. Simon was directed to have core samples taken.

The road crew will start placing dust abatement on the roads the first week of June. Simon will let the commissioners know when they are ready to place it on Sunnyside Rd. The lower portion of the Grangemont Rd. will be open to hauling. The worst of potholes on Grangemont will be patched. Then they will patch other holes in the county roads. When that is completed, they will go back to Grangemont Rd.

The Sheriff's department report as given by Chief Deputy Chris Goetz. Mike Deitrick, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined Goetz to present an update on the law enforcement contract with corps for patrol on Dworshak Reservoir. The corps has a cooperative agreement for law enforcement that had to be changed to a contract for receiving the payment of services. Goetz explained that he will meet with the Treasurer to set up a different account for the direct deposit.

Facilities Manager John Leonard explained that a plumber needs to come in and repair the leaks in the water line in the storage area. The whole courthouse water system will need to be shut down during repairs, so the work will need to be scheduled when it will least impact operations.

A donation of $50 for the Pierce Annual Clean up day was approved and a proxy vote authority was given to Ric Hood to approve the North Central District Health Department 2007 Fiscal year budget as presented on May 1, 2006.

April, 2006 expense claims were approved and ordered to be paid in the following amounts: Current Expense-$42,474.94; Road & Bridge-$27,726.10; Ambulance-$2,702.01; District Court-$5,779.00; Justice Fund-$40,129.59; Drug Court-$29.98; Interlock and Electronic Monitoring-$150.00; Social Services-$14,734.16; Parks and Recreation-$219.64; Revaluation-$530.52; Enhanced 911,-$4,466.52; Solid Waste-$23,473.35; Current Expense Tort-$4,761.03; Weeds-$1,156.69; Waterways-$1,076.13; Capital Trust-$379.50; Dent Bridge Trust-$35.85; Insurance & Grants-$5,111.99; Total expenses for April were $174,937.90.

Three executive sessions were held to discuss personnel, litigation and indigent issues. All three commissioners were present for the session.