County discusses Green Hollow Road

COLFAX — Whitman County commissioners discussed the budget for the Green Hollow Road Project during its Sept. 30 meeting.

The project will include grading, draining, widening and resurfacing the road. It also includes improving sight-distance and establishes a clear zone from near Milepost 6 to just past Milepost 8.

“It is just south of Manning Road to just south of Roberts Road,” Whitman County Engineer Dean Cornelison said, noting the county will straighten and level the road.

The project is partially funded through the 2023-25 biennium, with remaining funding coming through in the 2025-27 biennium, Cornelison said.

In other business, commissioners:

Approved the 2025 Washington Counties Insurance Fund applications. Commissioner Art

Swannack said the applications will be undergo a final review by human resources staff and then have to be approved by the union.

Rattified Swannack’s signature on U.S. Department of Agriculture documents for the base-acre reduction and a shift to Conservation Reserve Program ground at the Whitman County landfill.

Swannack said he was contacted by the county’s Farm Service Agency directors on Thursday, Sept. 26, who noted a couple of acres needed to be shifted.

“There’s more base-acres than farm ground,” he said. Among other CRP contracts, there were issues with how many acres were eligible for the 2024 year, he said. “The CRP contract will have 10.5 acres less paid,” Swannack said, noting Whitman is not the only county which had contracts reviewed without any backpayments.

Heard a report from county Public Works Director Mark Storey on the county sending six employees to grader training in Spokane. “It was a huge success in giving our people more

tools,” Storey said.

Heard from Storey that his department wrapped up 2024 asphalt work with maintenance crews having moved back to gravel roads Monday, Sept. 30.

Learned about damage from last week’s dust storm. “Although we’re chasing down trees, a lot of signs down,” Storey said of the Wednesday, Sept. 25, storm.