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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOut of State Travel Request - Development ServicesA)aGIy' -& 401k.- GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA MEETING REQUEST FORM (Must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board by 12:00pm on Thursday) REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: DEV SRV DATE. 06/08/26 REQUEST SUBMITTED BY. M M E RCE R PHONE: CONTACT PERSON ATTENDING ROUNDTABLE: MMERCER CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: ❑YES ® NO ❑Agreement / Contract ❑AP Vouchers ❑Appointment / Reappointment ❑ARPA Related ❑Bids / RFPs / Quotes Award ❑Bid Opening Scheduled ❑Boards / Committees El Budget ❑Computer Related ❑County Code ❑Emergency Purchase ❑Employee Rel. ❑ Facilities Related [:]Financial ❑ Funds ❑ Hearing El Invoices / Purchase Orders ❑Grants — Fed/State/County ❑Leases ❑MOA / MOU El Minutes ❑Ordinances ®Out of State Travel El Petty Cash ❑ Policies ❑ Proclamations ❑ Request for Purchase ❑ Resolution [I Recommendation El Professional Serv/Consultant ❑Support Letter ❑Surplus Req. ❑Tax Levies ❑Thank You's []Tax Title Property ❑WSLCB SUGGESTED WORDING FORAGENDA: , What, When,Term,. - Out of State Travel Request for Jim Anderson -Cook and Michelle Mercer to travel to Morrow County, Oregon on Monday, June 15, 2026. If necessary, was this document reviewed by accounting? ❑ YES ❑ NO 0 N/A If necessary, was this document reviewed by legal? El YES ❑ NO DATE OF ACTION: '� "� � DEFERRED OR CONTINUED TO: WITHDRAWN: APPROVE: DENIED ABSTAIN D1: D2: D 3:�'. V_oi � ; R N/A 4/23/24 • Outlook Jim Anderson -Cook and Michelle Mercer Out of State Travel From Michelle Mercer <mmercer@grantcountywa.gov> Date Mon 6/8/2026 1:32 PM To Caitlin E. Manell <cemanell@grantcountywa.gov> Cc Jim Anderson -Cook <jcook@grantcountywa.gov> 0 2 attachments (125 KB) JAC & MM Out of State Travel 6_15_26.xlsx; Grant Morrow Agenda.pdf; Hi Caitlin, Per our discussion with the board today, please find a summary of Jim and I's out of state travel this coming Monday, June 15, 2026, below. • When: Monday June 15, 2026, from 7am-6pm • Where: Driving from Ephrata to Morrow County (Irrigon) Oregon in the Planning vehicle • Purpose: We have been invited to meet with the Morrow County Planning Department and one of their Commissioners to discuss renewable energy, data center, and transmission line siting. We became acquainted with one another during the NACo Technical Assistance Cohort, and we are meeting to share our experiences with the previously listed topics. For Grant County, we are hoping to learn more from Morrow County about siting data centers in unincorporated county areas and their experience with transmission siting which is a burgeoning issue for Grant County. Please see the preliminary agenda attached. Please let me know if you need any other information and again apologies for the last-minute request. Best, Michelle Mercer GRANT COUNTY Planning Manager DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON Planning Division A mmercer@grantcountywa.gov (509) 754-2011 ext. 2595 264West Division Avenue P.O. Box 37 Ephrata, WA 98823 Out of State Travel Request Application DEADLINE: Due by Thursday at 12:00 p.m. to the Commissioner's Office with BOCC Consent Agenda Request Form, to be on the following week's Consent Agenda. Traveler's Name(s): Jim Anderson -Cook & Michelle Mercer IDepartment/Office: I Development Services/Planning_ Purpose of Travel: Destination: Business meeting with Morrow County OR Irrigon, OR I Dates of Travel: 6/15/2026 ITotal Trip Cost Estimate: $ (This line will auto -sum the costs listed below) Travel Type (Select One) Fund Number/Department: Out of State Travel ❑ Out CONUS Travel (AK, HI or US Territory) ❑ Foreign Travel ❑ Extradition Grant Funded? If Yes, List Grant Amount: Cost Application (Select One): (D Yes Government Rate 0 No ❑ Conference Rate E❑ Regu [a r Rate Hotel - GSA Rate: Hotel - Nightly Rate: Hotel Total: $ $ $ Explanation for Rate: Required if hotel cost is greater than per them or government rate Conference Fee: 1$ Rental Car Required? If Yes, Rental Car Cost: Total Estimate of M I&E During Travel: C] Yes $ 0 No Air Carrier: Cost of Flight: $ N/A (Addt'l costs for extended stays, flight upgrades, etc. at the expense of the traveler) Preparer's Name/Title: Preapproved by EO/DH? If Yes, EO/DH Name: Yes Michelle Mercer, Planning Manager❑ No OMAMW 2. COUNTY OVERVIEWS • Grant County, WA: Overview of renewable energy project activity, current policy direction, and implementation of Grant's solar ordinance and related renewable energy project work. • Morrow County, OR: Overview of current wind, solar, storage, transmission, and industrial energy development activity; local policy priorities; and coordination with Oregon's broader energy siting framework. 3. SHARED SITING ISSUES • Agricultural land compatibility, including irrigated lands, high -value farmland, dryland siting, and agrivoltaic potential. • Wildlife, habitat, and natural resource concerns, including shrub -steppe, grassland species, drainage, erosion, and restoration expectations. • Community impacts, including setbacks, glare, lighting, visual impacts, road use, and emergency response planning. • Cost recovery for counties, planning and building permitting fees, community benefits, etc. 4. BEST PRACTICES • Grant County can share: Objective ordinance standards, decommissioning and reclamation requirements, financial assurance structure, and use of county siting studies or mapping to steer projects toward lower -conflict areas. • Morrow County can share: Experience with large-scale energy and industrial projects, coordination with state -level siting processes, road and service impact management, and approaches to community benefits or long-term host coordination. 5. COORDINATION OPPORTUNITIES • Compare approaches to transmission corridor planning, cumulative impact review, and intergovernmental coordination with state agencies, utilities, and affected communities. • Identify topics for continued staff -level coordination, model language exchange, or future peer meetings.