Tuesday Business Meeting - 05.19.2026

The Cowlitz County Commissioners held a business meeting on May 19, 2026, focusing heavily on public works and infrastructure projects. Key procurement-related discussions included approval of a project agreement for the Coal Creek Road project with Crab funding of $613,072, and authorization for the chairman to sign temporary construction easements with Weyerhaeuser to advance the project. The Solid Waste department reported on ongoing landfill projects, including a $1.4 million vertical well installation and a $14.5 million cell 10 construction planned for 2027. They also discussed rejecting all bids for a flare replacement project due to non-compliant bids and planning to reissue the procurement as a single project. The Water Sewer department reviewed recent capital projects totaling over $3 million, including booster pump station and wastewater treatment plant upgrades funded partly by ARPA and congressional grants. They also highlighted upcoming regulatory compliance projects related to lead and copper service line replacements and emerging PFAS treatment requirements. Additionally, the meeting covered staffing challenges in the legal department and ongoing litigation updates. No votes or motions were explicitly recorded in the transcript, but several action items related to contract signings and bid rejections were noted.