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Opinion / Commissioner's Corner


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  • Hawk Creek Road paving explained

    Rob Coffman|Updated Oct 24, 2024

    There has been much speculation about why there is a 2-mile section in the middle of the Hawk Creek Road that remains unpaved. I will attempt to clarify. Last year, Lincoln County paved a 5.6 mile stretch of the upper portion of the hill on the Hawk Creek Road. The funding for this project was made available from the American Rescue Plan Act dollars that the county received from the federal government to offset the effects of Covid. Those were one-time dollars and could only...

  • Lake risks being superfund site

    Jo Gilchrist|Updated Apr 25, 2024

    Our beautiful Lake Roosevelt that is Lincoln County's northern border, is at risk of being designated as a Superfund Site! On March 4th the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a rule in the Federal Register, proposing to add a portion of the Upper Columbia River to the National Priorities List (NPL). The EPA proposes 150 miles of river (which includes Lake Roosevelt) from Grand Coulee Dam to the US – Canadian border. If approved, Lake Roosevelt w...

  • Commissioners request Albert Sensor bill veto

    Rob Coffman|Updated Mar 7, 2024

    Several years ago, the Washington Secretary of States provided to counties, at no cost, a device called an Albert Sensor. Albert is an intrusion detection device that was provided to counties with the narrative that it will help secure our elections. The installation of these devices required that counties enter into a contract with a third-party, non-governmental organization (NGO) called Center for Internet Security (CIS) located in New York. The premise was that CIS would...

  • Risk insurance premiums out of control

    Rob Coffman|Updated Dec 7, 2023

    For 2024, Lincoln County will be paying over $1,500,000 in risk insurance premiums. This represents a drastic increase of over 83% from just two years ago and 53% over 2023. And… these rates are expected to escalate next year as well, with no end in sight. Next to wages and benefits, risk insurance represents the 2nd largest expense for the county. One might wonder why such dramatic increases are happening. There are multiple factors at play, such as the state legislature p...

  • Out of control Legislature crossed line

    Rob Coffman|Updated May 4, 2023

    Intentionally, the Washington State Legislature, Governor Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson, are completely destroying our state. The Democrat controlled legislature has singlehandedly absolved you from having any say over the health of your children as it pertains to gender identity. If your child runs away from home and seeks shelter at a state facility, while seeking gender-transitioning treatment, including puberty blocking drugs that can render a child sterile for...

  • Gilchrist recaps her first 60 days

    Jo Gilchrist|Updated Apr 28, 2023

    I was appointed as Lincoln County Commissioner for District 1 on February 1, 2023. I am the first female to serve on the Board of County Commissioners and joins Commissioner Scott Hutsell who has served since 2009 and Commissioner Rob Coffman who has served since 2010. I have been busy engaging with the local citizens she represents and am fully committed to my new role as County Commissioner. My list of committee appointments has grown quickly and some include Lincoln County...

  • State Supreme Court Opposes Transparent Government

    Rob Coffman|Updated Mar 9, 2023

    Lincoln County has always been a huge proponent of transparency. We believe, as elected officials, that we should not get to decide what the public should or should not know about how their tax money is spent. In fact, in 2016 the Board of County Commissioners passed a Transparency Resolution stating that all future union contract negotiations will be conducted in a manner that is open to the public. Not for public involvement or input but so citizens and employees alike can...

  • When is enough, enough?

    Rob Coffman, Lincoln County Commissioner|Updated Mar 18, 2022

    When is enough, enough? In the United States, a law is presumed to be constitutional until proven otherwise in court. This process can take years, and a lot of money, to wade through the legal system and end up at the Supreme Court. As the challenge proceeds, we are still obligated to obey the law. We are a nation of laws. When a politician doesn't like something, they seek to make a law prohibiting you from possessing or doing whatever it is that they don't like. Even if it...

  • What's with 4-H, WSU Extension in Lincoln County?

    Rob Coffman, Lincoln County Commissioner|Updated Feb 11, 2022

    You may have heard rumors that local funding for these programs could be in jeopardy. That was true on several fronts, but those issues were resolved before the holidays. The County has had an Interagency Agreement with WSU for many years whereby the County provides both direct funding support through tax dollars and in-kind support from the use of a County building, in exchange for Extension and 4-H programming and services. Last fall, WSU notified the County that they were...

  • So where is the vaccine?

    Rob Coffman, Lincoln County Commissioner|Updated Feb 11, 2021

    Interesting fact: In the last Legislative Session, a bill was passed creating the “Washington State Office of Equity Task Force.” This task force was given the responsibility to create a vision to establish and fund a permanent “Office of Equity.” The legislature specifically designated who would sit on this task force. It included 4 legislators and a representative of a myriad of groups including the LGBTQ community, the Governor’s Office and the Commission on African A...

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