The Grays Harbor Board of County Commissioners held a rather ordinary meeting Tuesday afternoon in Montesano, though the public was left out of the room.
The public was invited to attend by listening online.
The commissioners approved hires and received bids. For the most part it was a typical meeting.
They did approve a resolution about employees showing at work with symptoms of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. People who come in to work will be sent home and could be expected to stay away for up to 14 days. The resolution allows employees to share sick leave time as well as vacation time with coworkers who might run out of paid time off.
The commissioners also approved the receipt of a $389,3970 grant from the state Department of Commerce to provide for housing for the homeless during the coronavirus outbreak. The agency is distributing $30 million dollars across the state to “assist local governments in standing up the necessary housing for quarantine, isolation, and additional sanitation needed to address the COVID-19 outbreak,” a Commerce release states. The lion’s share of funds will go to counties along the Interstate 5 corridor.
The rest of the meeting was relatively coronavirus-free.
• The commission approved employment agreements with the medical staff at the jail.
• AT&T and the county have a “lucrative” five-year contact, said Mark Cox, the county’s director of community development, for a cellphone tower in Pacific Beach. Cox said the tower will provide space for county purposes, possibly including emergency services communications.
• At the morning meeting Tuesday, Cox sought and was granted the approval to replace a retiring custodial supervisor. Cox deemed the position vital to maintain the cleanliness of buildings to help ensure the wellness of the public and staff.
• Cox also said that the state Department of Fish and Wildlife could begin stocking trout in area lakes earlier than normal to provide additional outdoor opportunities for students who are out of school.
• Cox also was given the ability to hire temporary workers, if needed because of sickness, to do cleaning services.
