Senate approves Swecker bill to allow tri-county flood control district

March 7, 2009

OLYMPIA…Sen. Dan Swecker’s legislation that would allow Lewis, Thurston and Grays Harbor counties to form a flood control district passed unanimously in the Senate today. Substitute Senate Bill 5704 would amend the state law which limits flood control districts to two counties.

Swecker, R-Rochester, said the back-to-back flooding in the Chehalis River Basin illustrates the need for all three counties to be involved in any decisions relating to flood issues.

“This is a vital first step in trying to find a solution to the flooding disasters that have for two consecutive years ravaged the area and left many homeless or picking up the pieces of their homes and businesses,” Swecker said. “We need a comprehensive way to deal with this problem, and creating a flood control district with representatives from each county affected will allow for the best decisions.”

His legislation would define the makeup of a flood control district’s governing body as one county commissioner from each county and two additional governing members from the two counties with the largest populations. The commissioners and other members are initially chosen by each county legislative authority, followed by an election.

A flood control district would look at problems and solutions to mitigate the effects of flooding in the river systems that historically flood. The district board also could decide to put a tax measure on the ballot for citizens in the flood district to decide how money would be raised to deal with the problems they have identified.

The bill will now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Swecker plans to work closely with the district, if created, on finding solutions and acquiring resources to better prevent flood crises in the three counties.

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Ashley Forsyth
 (360) 786-7037