HomeMy WebLinkAbout011022ra01 Regular Agenda
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
Mark McCauley, Interim County Administrator
FROM: Willie Bence, Emergency Management Director
DATE: January 10,2022
SUBJECT: Emergency Declaration Request for Winter Storm Event
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
Beginning December 26th, 2021, abundant lowland snow and record low temperatures adversely impacted
large parts of the Pacific Northwest. Impacts in Jefferson County have included dangerous travel conditions
and temporary closures of government and private sector services. Wet, heavy snow near the end of the
system damaged infrastructure and caused long-term power outages, specifically on the Toandos Peninsula
where hundreds of residents were without power for days. Additionally, a fifty-mile stretch of Highway 101,
between State Route 104 in Jefferson County and Hoodsport in Mason County, was closed for multiple days
due to downed trees and power lines, requiring a multi-agency and multi jurisdictional response between
Mason PUD, Jefferson PUD, and WSDOT.
ANALYSIS:
An Emergency Declaration may assist responding entities by giving them additional flexibility in their
ability to procure necessary resources to respond to and recover from impacts from the storm.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the BOCC declare a State of Emergency regarding recent adverse winter weather activity.
REVIEWED BY:
Mark McCau446/77
erim County Admini for Date
STATE OF WASHINGTON
COUNTY OF JEFFERSON
In the Matter of } Resolution No. ____ - 22
Declaration of Emergency }
Winter Storm Event }
th
WHEREAS, a severe weather event, beginning December 26, 2021, has impacted
residents of Jefferson County due to abundant lowland snow and record low
temperatures, and
WHEREAS, impacts to life and safety of Jefferson County residents have included
long-term power outages and closures of critical infrastructure for extended periods of
time, and
WHEREAS, immediate preventative action and repair will be necessary to prevent
further damage and to restore essential services, and
WHEREAS, persons and property may be threatened or damaged and access to
property will continue to be impaired unless emergency efforts are taken by Jefferson
County and other responding agencies to reduce the threat to life and property,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Jefferson County
Commissioners hereby declare that a state of emergency exists.
1. The County is authorized to enter into contracts and incur obligations
necessary to combat this emergency to protect the health and safety of persons
and property in light of the exigencies of an emergency situation without
regard to time consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law, with
the exception of mandatory constitutional requirements.
2. This emergency authority will expire in fourteen (14) days from the date of
the adoption of this resolution unless specifically authorized by the Board.
ADOPTED this ___________ day of __________, 2022
SEAL: JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Heidi Eisenhour, Chair
Greg Brotherton, Member
Kate Dean, Member
ATTEST:
Carolyn Gallaway, Clerk of the Board