The Board of Commissioners is the County's legislative authority and is made up of three Commissioners elected to four-year terms. The county is divided into three districts, based on population, and at the time of election each Commissioner must live in and represent his/her district. The Commissioners are partisan and are nominated in a primary election embracing only their particular district. All voters in the county are given an opportunity in the general election to select the Commissioner who will ultimately serve.The Commissioners meet at such frequency and at such locations as deemed necessary, and a chair is elected to preside over these meetings.
| Regular Board Hearing Day | Each Monday at 2:00 P.M., Commissioners Meeting Room, 100 West Broadway, Suite #1, Montesano, WA 98563 The exception is when a holiday falls on a Monday, the Board does not meet that week. |
| Staff Meetings | Mondays from 9:00 A.M. to 1:30 P.M., and during the week as needed. All staff meetings are held in the Commissioners Conference Room #1, at the above address. |
| Special meetings or public hearings are occasionally scheduled, with times and other information provided to all media, including The Vidette and The Daily World. |
CLAIM FOR DAMAGES
Download and complete our Claims Form (9kb pdf) to initiate a claim for damages against Grays Harbor County.
BUDGET
One of the County Commissioners' primary duties is to levy taxes to operate the county and to adopt a balanced budget for each calendar year. The Commissioners fix the budget amount for each department of the county, but variances and increases can be permitted during the year if a need can be shown. Other elected officials in the county are responsible for their own adopted budget and the County Commissioners are responsible for the operation of budgets under the control of appointed department heads.
Also within their legislative capacity, the Commissioners are responsible for adopting, amending and repealing all county ordinances (which are usually laws of the county). These include traffic, zoning, planning and public safety ordinances, and any other ordinance concerning the general welfare of the county.
ADMINISTRATORS
As administrators, Grays Harbor County Commissioners are responsible for providing direction to their department heads for:
- Public roads and public works programs
- Public health services
- Planning and zoning of unincorporated areas
- Emergency services
- County Fair
- County Forest Lands
- Other programs and services which are not clearly the responsibility of another elected county official.
The Commissioners have a key role in a wide variety of community boards and commissions that affect citizens within and even beyond their jurisdictions. Commissioners serve on a variety of multi-county boards with other public officials to direct public policy. Within the county structure, they are also responsible for appointing members of county boards and commissions.
JUDICIAL
In their judicial capacity, the Commissioners are often called upon as the first level of appeal to sit in judgment of decisions made by other county officials. Rezoning recommendations from the Planning Commission, for instance, are appealed to the County Commissioners for review.
ADVISORY BOARDS
Many citizen advisory boards provide input to the Commissioners in a variety of areas. You may contact Donna Caton, Commissioners' Administrative Assistant, for further information regarding these boards and potential openings. You may also send a letter of interest to the County Commissioners if you would like to be considered for appointment.
OTHER INFORMATION
Special information about the Board's hearing schedule may be obtained by contacting the Commissioners Office at (360) 249-3731 or 1-800-230-1638. Donna Caton, who also acts as Clerk to the Board, can provide specific information about the Commissioners' schedules as well as the outcome of public hearings. She can be reached at the above numbers, and via email at DCaton@co.grays-harbor.wa.us.
If you have questions about county matters, require information concerning which department to contact for a specific need, have a complaint or need assistance, and your Commissioner is not available at that moment, please contact Donna Caton.
Donna and Secretary Molly Copeland, are dedicated to insuring that concerns are addressed and messages relayed quickly and efficiently.
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