Tuesday’s Klickitat County Commission meeting had an unusual distinction as declared by Commission Chair Lori Zoller:
“This is the shortest meeting on record.”
Commissioner Zoller wrapping up the session in 28 minutes and 30 seconds. Why would she do that? Because she lost her quorum.
At the start of the meeting, Zoller was the only member of the Commission present in the meeting room. Commissioner Jake Anderson was joining by Zoom from Washington, D.C. He is representing Klickitat County on the multi-agency coalition seeking to build a replacement for the Hood River Bridge, which turns 100 in just 25 days. He was in D.C. to lobby for more funds for the project.
The other commissioner, Dan Christopher was not present and no reason was given for his absence.
As long as two of the three commissioners are attending the meeting, there is a quorum, though it means that the chair has to step down to second all the motions. As the meeting opened, Anderson and Zoller were able to get through all of the housekeeping measures, which included authorizing payments for bills and payrolls and passing the consent agenda. They were also able to get through a modest public comment period. But shortly thereafter, Anderson had to keep his appointment to meet with Oregon’s Second District Representative.
“I’m walking into Cliff Bentz’s office, so I’m going to have to leave the rest for next week.”
And that was it. With the meeting closing, there was no chance to hear planned updates from public works, emergency management or on the jail.
There was one item worthy of note. The consent agenda contained a resolution that creates a coroner department in the general fund for the 2025 year. The office of coroner will be appointed, rather than elected. That’s because the office will not be officially established until January 1, and citizens couldn’t vote in November for an office that does not yet officially exist.
Ironically, during the public comment period, one of the callers said there had been too much absenteeism on the commission this year, and the county should take back the pay for the days they’re not at the meeting and put it in the general fund. That’s not likely to happen, but there is a county budget meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 9 a.m. No word yet on whether all the commissioners will be there.