By Katie Teachout
The Journal 

Residents complain about commissioners following the law

 

Last updated 2/25/2021 at 11:19am



RITZVILLE – County commissioners signed a resolution saying they will hold all their regular meetings at the County Courthouse except for one meeting per calendar quarter outside the county seat.

Previously, commissioners held meetings once a week in Ritzville, the county seat, and once a week at the County Services Building in Othello.

Othello residents Sean and Eleanor Bates are furious about the situation, appearing at The Journal office two weeks in a row to complain.

"The commissioners used to hold 24 meetings a year in Othello. Now if we want to attend a meeting, we have to drive an hour to Ritzville," Eleanor Bates said. "Othello has 80% of the revenue in this county. We are going to cede from the county if they don't go back to holding meetings in Othello. This is taxation without representation."

According to state law, the county legislative authority of each county is to hold regular meetings at the county seat. An alternative option, according to the law, is to hold regular meetings at a location outside of the county seat, but within the county if the county legislative authority determines that holding a meeting at an alternate location would be in the interest of supporting a greater citizen engagement in local government. The law allows one meeting per calendar quarter to be held outside the county seat.

"We are trying to do what we can to stay within the statutory authority that the state grants," Chairman Dan Blankenship said. "We changed it because we are just examining everything we do and try to make sure we're playing by the rules."

Regular meetings are held every Monday of each month at the Adams County Courthouse from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or adjournment. Wednesday meetings are held weekly at the courthouse weekly from 9 a.m. until noon or adjournment, with the exception of the quarterly meetings held in Othello.

"All this board is doing is following what the state law requires," Adams County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Flyckt said. "I understand some people may be upset, but if people want them to meet more in Othello, that is beyond what is authorized by the statute, and that would be violating state law."

Flyckt said an exception would be in the case of a special meeting.

"That would be a meeting of interest to residents in a different location in the county, but it would have to be a very special matter," Flyckt said.

Upcoming meetings in Othello are scheduled for May 19, August 18 and November 17.

"The meetings in Othello used to be just half a day, but now the commissioners are available for a full day if necessary, so there will still be outreach to the Othello area," Flyckt said, adding, "There are a number of counties where the county seat is not the major population center. In Grant County, the county seat is in Ephrata but the major population center is in Moses Lake. In Benton County, the population center is Kennewick, but the seat is in Proser. In Douglas County, the population center is East Wenatchee and the seat is the small town of Waterville. This isn't anything out of the ordinary, and the state legislature and the state constitution decide where the county boards of commissioners will meet. The current commissioners are just doing what's required by law."

Author Bio

Katie Teachout, Editor

Katie Teachout is the editor of The Ritzville Adams County Journal. Previously, she worked as a reporter at The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, the Oroville Gazette-Tribune, Northern Kittitas County Tribune and the Methow Valley News. She is a graduate of Western Washington University.

 

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