Board of
Commissioners
County Administration Building
207 Fourth Avenue North
Kelso, WA 98626
TEL (360) 577-3020
FAX (360) 423-9987
www.co.cowlitz.wa.us
COMMISSIONERS
Michael A. Karnofski
District 1
Dennis Weber
District 2
STAFF MEETING AGENDA
Joe Gardner
District 3
Expo Center
8:45 a.m.
CLERK OF THE BOARD
Tiffany Ostreim
December 23, 2015
Kris Swanson, Terry McLaughlin and Mike Moss, Facilitators
1. Safety ....................................................................................... Carpenter
2. Budget ............................................................................................ Hauge
3. Fire Arms and Work Place Violence Policy .............................. Zdilar
4. Exempt Vacation/Sick Partial Day ............................................. Zdilar
5. P Cards ........................................................................................ Hanson
6. Strategic Plan Challenge – Financial Sustainability and Community
Relations and Economic Development/Vitality .................... Swanson,
McLaughlin and Moss
7. Miscellaneous
Next Staff Meeting – January 13, 2016
Elected Officials / Department Head
Staff Meeting Minutes
December 23, 2015
______________________________________________________________
Present: Kris Swanson, Terry McLaughlin, Mike Moss, Mike Karnofski, Dennis Weber, Joe Gardner,
David Wallis, Jim Zdilar, Kathy Hanks, Chad Connors, Claire Hauge, Carole Harrison, David Freece,
Gary Fredricks, Ryan Jurvakainen, Tim Davidson, Mark Nelson, Savannah Clement, Dan Bean, Clyde
Carpenter, Terry Mulligan, Matt Hanson and Tiffany Ostreim
Safety – Clyde – one new workers comp. Total of 24 injuries for this year. Up from last year. Four
new accident reports. 775 attendees at safety training. 96 total training classes.
Budget – Claire – December 15 the 2016-2017 budget was approved. Sent out a staff report. If you
need one, contact her. Not uploaded into PeopleSoft yet. Will be available in early January. It is in
Agenda Quick. Will have on county website after year end closes.
Mike – thank you everyone for your work on the budget. Thank you for being conscious of our
financial situation. Worked hard on changing the process. If you have suggestions for improvements
to the process, more transparency, more participation, let us know.
Exempt Vacation/Sick Partial Day – Jim – adding language to Vacation Leave – Exempt employees
shall be charged for usage of vacation leave in full day increments, only; PROVIDED, that the
employees’ partial day absences from work are not frequent or lengthy, or taken without their
employer’s or immediate supervisor’s knowledge and approval – in which case, partial day absences
shall be charged to the employee in tenth of an hour increments.
Adding language to Sick Leave – Exempt employees shall be charged for usage of sick leave in full
day increments, only; PROVIDED, that the employees’ partial day absences from work are not
frequent or lengthy, or taken without their employer’s or immediate supervisor’s knowledge and
approval – in which cases, subject to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), partial day absences
shall be charged to the employee in tenth of an hour increments. Exempt employees are not paid
hourly, but on job completed. Use good judgement.
Mike – exempt people are paid a salary. Expected to put in whatever time to do their job. If they are
abusing the time they are gone, they need to take that time off in tenths of hours. Unless you take a
full day you are not required to take that time from your vacation or sick.
P Cards – Claire – the P-Card information was sent out. Program is up and running. Incentives come
back to the county. Encourage you to use. If you didn’t get the e-mail, contact Matt.
2016 Legislative Agenda - Kris – Control Cost Drivers – Ensure County access to public employee
benefits board programs; Legal notices and Liability.
Provide Adequate Revenue – Protect State shared revenue; Revenue flexibility; New revenue.
Other Critical Issues – Allow penalties from discover pass violations to pay for court costs; Adequate
and sustainable local public health funding; Full funding for DFW PILT payments; Infrastructure
funding for water projects.
Former Commissioner Axel Swanson is now the Director of Research for WSAC.
Strategic Plan Challenge – Financial Sustainability and Community and Economic
Development/Vitality – Jeopardy was played. Topics included Community Relations; Healthy and
Safe Communities; Money Talks; Fiscal Responsibility; Economic Development and Community
Opportunities. Final Jeopardy included Carole, Dennis, and Clyde. Question - This town grew around
squire and milliebozarth’s farm. Dennis was excluded from the final as he had an unfair advantage.
Answer - What is Woodland. Mark swooped in and received the gold star.
Stepping up Initiative – NACO will allow sharing of data, best practices, opportunity for five
representatives from Cowlitz to attend the conference in Washington DC. Marin Fox Hight is working
on a request to do that. Will be a big help to understand what best practices are in the United States.
Kris – reduce number of people in our jails with mental health issues. We are 1 in 65 counties that
have passed a resolution to get on board.
Miscellaneous
Mike – still looking for a good Lean Project. State Auditor is coming this summer. Would like a
project that affects a couple departments. Let a Lean Team member know if you have a project.
Mark - Washington State Transportation Commission is considering names for the state’s next ferry –
submitted the name “Cowlitz”. If you would like to write a letter, or send him an e-mail, any
communication, there is a web site where you can go on and pick your favorite names. You can voice
your support that way also.
People who are interested can learn more about each of the three names under consideration, by
visiting the commission’s website:
http://wstc.wa.gov/Naming/FerryRoadBridge/FerryNaming2016.htm. Comments regarding the names
can be emailed to: [email protected]
The commission will seek input from Washington State Ferries and the Ferry Advisory Committee
Executive Council. Additionally, members of the Ferry Riders Opinion Group (FROG) and the Voice
of Washington State (VOWS), two online survey panels made up of about 50,000 people from across
the state, will have the chance to vote on the three names via an online survey that will be sent out in
late January. Anyone can sign up to participate – to join the FROG go to:
www.ferryridersopiniongroup.com. To join the VOWS go to: www.voiceofwashingtonsurvey.org.
Tim – case load is down, unusual for this time of the year. Prayers for one of his employees in the
hospital.
Clyde – safety training for 2016 will be out in January. Defensive driving will be one short class. Fred
Factor will go back to two, four hour sessions.
Matt – thank you for everything you do for citizens of the county.
Mike M. – appreciate all for coming to our facility.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.