The Chehalis Basin Flood Authority decided which of its three representatives will serve a two-year term in the newly created Office of the Chehalis Basin instead of the full three-year terms.
The full term is four years with different appointment dates, so the terms are staggered. Because the office is newly formed, appointees will serve different terms of different lengths at the outset.
In April, the Flood Authority appointed Lewis County Commissioner Edna Fund, Grays Harbor Commissioner Vicki Raines and lower basin dairy farmer and executive director of the Washington Dairy Federation Jay Gordon to the office. The two elected officials, Fund and Raines will serve for three years, leaving Gordon to serve for two. Each member can be reappointed.
The office was created by the state Legislature during this year’s session. Of its seven members, three are appointed by the Authority, three by the governor and two by the tribes (The Chehalis and Quinault tribes get one each).
One of the three appointed by the Authority must also be appointed by the governor.
The office will be part of the Department of Ecology. It will likely be funded by the state budget when it is approved. The Legislature is nearing the end of its second special session. The House, Senate and governor have each proposed $42 million or more for efforts in the Chehalis Basin as part of their respective proposed budgets.
