East Washingtonian - Your Hometown News Source

POMEROY–The Garfield County board of commissioners (BOCC) discussed a possible Americans with Disability Act transition plan and met with the executive director of South East Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA) at their meeting on January 30.

The commissioners discussed creating a transition plan, identifying county-owned facilities that are not ADA accessible and creating a plan to bring them up to code, as a part of a possible state-wide requirement. No specific facilities that needed the transition were mentioned.

Erika Stricker, executive director of SEWEDA, presented the organization's 2023 update to the board. Over the course of 2020 through 2022, SEWEDA gave out $85,000 in grants, as well as facilitated over $3,000,000 grant opportunities throughout Whitman, Asotin and Garfield counties. In Garfield County specifically, nearly 100 businesses received funding through SEWEDA. Some of the organization's future goals that Stricker presented are to further develop relationships with community organizations, support housing, child care and workforce development, and a website overhaul.

In further business, the commissioners also discussed a possible need for a supplemental budget for the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP), as funds left over from 2022 have created significantly higher caps on project funding. A supplemental budget may be needed sometime after June.